The Ngorongoro Crater is a natural amphitheatre created about 2 million years ago when the cone of a volcano collapsed into itself, leaving a 100 square mile (259km²) caldron-like cavity. This caldera, protected by a circular unbroken 2,000-foot high rim (610-metres), contains everything necessary for Africa's wildlife to exist and thrive.

Ngorongoro is on Tanzania's 'northern safari circuit', and receives a good number of visitors who stay in lodges around the crater. Game viewing vehicles descend the steep crater wall every morning and spend the day on grass plains that are teeming with animals. However, the dark of night belongs to the animals, and all vehicles must leave the crater floor by sunset.

Ngorongoro Crater is also presently one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, as a small population are thriving in this idyllic and protected environment one of the only areas where they continue to breed in the wild. The crater protects a microcosm of East African wildlife within its boundaries, said to be the most densely packed wildlife concentration in Africa.

As such, Ngorongoro Crater has achieved world renown, and attracts a growing number of visitors each year. Even if time is limited this natural but accessibly small caldera ensures a rewarding safari.

Unique and diverse, inside the famous Ngorongoro Crater a tardis-like effect takes place, as it is surprisingly small once inside! Most people find that one day is quite sufficient to enjoy the place. Its size compared to the vast expanse of the Serengeti means that you may see many other vehicles.

Early man also flourished around here at Olduvai Gorge, not far from the Ngorongoro Crater. This is known because in 1960, Mary Leakey discovered a 1.75 million-year-old Homo habilis (nicknamed 'The Handyman' for his tool making skills), who represents mans first step on the ladder of human evolution.

The Maasai are the current human inhabitants and are at liberty to live within the sprawling 2,500 square mile (6,480km²) conservation area around the crater. The Maasai never cultivate land as they consider it demeaning. Instead they graze cattle, which hold a god-like status in Maasai culture, and in return the cows provide almost everything necessary to live; meat, skin, milk, dung for the walls and floor of their huts, and warm blood extracted from the neck of a live cow and mixed with milk as an iron rich food.

Unique to the crater is that the local Maasai graze their cattle on the floor, and it is not unusual to see Maasai cattle and buffalo grazing together, with a lion kill just a few hundred metres away. There are around 100 lions in the crater, and about 20 black rhino. The spectacular Lerai Forest is one of the best places in Africa to spot leopard. While game viewing is excellent year round, large parts of the crater floor become impassable after heavy rains, although this can add to the attraction, as there are fewer tourists, the light is better for photography, and the game gets concentrated on the higher ground. The crater forms but a small part of the 8 300km² Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and travellers with time on their hands (and independent transport) should try to do a circuit heading north west to Olmoti Crater, Empakaai Crater, and, with time and a tough vehicle, to Ol Donyo Lengai, the periodically active volcano that the Maasai believe is the home of their god.