Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
people this is one of the crater's main draws. There are plenty of hippos around Ngoitoktok
Springs picnic site and Lake Magadi attracts flocks of flamingos to its shallows in the rainy
season.
Early morning is the best wildlife-watching time and if you depart at first light, you'll
have some time in the crater before the masses arrive; and despite the high entrance fee,
the crater does get crowded in the July-August high season. Afternoons are less busy than
mornings. The gates open at 6am and close for descent at 4pm; all vehicles must be out of
the crater before 6pm.
Entering the crater costs US$200 per vehicle per entry and you're only allowed to stay
for six hours. Even though the fee is per vehicle, the guards check the number of passengers
against the permit so it's not possible to join up with people you meet at your campsite or
lodge. Only 4WDs are allowed into the crater. The roads down are in good shape, though
steep and thus somewhat difficult when wet. The main route in is the Seneto descent road,
which enters the crater on its western side. To come out, use the Lerai ascent road, which
starts south of Lake Magadi and leads to the rim near headquarters. The Lemala road is on
the northeastern side of the crater near Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge and used for both ascent
and descent. Self-drivers are supposed to hire a park ranger (US$20 per vehicle) for the
crater, but are sometimes let in without one.
THE CRATER HIGHLANDS
The ruggedly beautiful Crater Highlands consist of an elevated range of volcanoes and cal-
deras rising up along the Great Rift Valley on the NCA's eastern side. The peaks include
Oldeani (3216m), Makarot (Lemagurut; 3107m), Olmoti (3100m), Loolmalasin (3648m),
Empakaai (also spelled Embagai; 3262m), Ngorongoro (2200m) and the still-active Ol
Doinyo Lengai ('Mountain of God' in Maasai; 2878m), which is just outside the NCA. The
different peaks were created over millions of years by a series of eruptions connected with
the birth of the Great Rift Valley, and the older volcanoes have since collapsed forming the
striking 'craters' (really, they're calderas) that give the range its name.
Although it offers some of Tanzania's most unusual scenery (lake-filled Empakaai Crater
is just as stunning as Ngorongoro) and best trekking, the Crater Highlands beyond Ngoron-
goro is seldom visited.
OL DOINYO LENGAI
The northernmost mountain in the Crater Highlands, Ol Doinyo Lengai
(2878m), 'Mountain of God' in the Maasai language, is an almost perfect vol-
canic cone with steep sides rising to a small flat-topped peak. It's the youngest
volcano in the Crater Highlands, and still active with the last eruptions in 2008.
At the peak, you can see hot steam vents and growing ash cones in the north
