Ngorongoro Crater Day Trip

Yes. This trip does exactly that, with an early pickup at your Arusha hotel at around 4:45 AM, a roughly three-hour drive through the Rift Valley highlands to the crater rim, and a full day on the crater floor. You are back in Arusha by about 7:00 PM, with no overnight stay.

The crater floor is home to lion prides, elephant, buffalo, the endangered black rhino and flocks of flamingos on the soda lake. The Big Five can be seen here, though leopard and rhino sightings can never be promised. Your guide also visits the Lerai Forest and the hippo pools.

You spend the full day on the crater floor, with a morning game drive, a picnic lunch and an afternoon drive before climbing back up the crater wall. The descent is about 600 metres from the rim, and your guide plans the route across the floor around the Lerai Forest, hippo pools and soda lake.

Lunch is a picnic on the crater floor with chilled drinks, made with locally sourced ingredients. It is served at a scenic spot overlooking the Lerai Forest, splitting the morning and afternoon game drives. Eating on the crater floor means no time is lost driving back up to the rim for lunch.

It is a long day, with about three hours of driving each way on top of the game drives, so expect an early start and a late return. No special fitness is needed, as all viewing is from a private pop-up roof Land Cruiser. If you prefer a gentler pace, our Arusha team can add a night near the crater.

Yes. It runs in a private 4x4 vehicle with a naturalist guide and can be booked from one person, so solo travellers, couples and families can travel on their own date. Binoculars are provided for game viewing. Tell us your hotel in Arusha and your preferred date and we will arrange the early pickup.

Yes, for children who can manage a long day in a vehicle. All game viewing is from the Land Cruiser, and the crater's open landscape makes animals easy to spot. The early start is the main challenge, so pack snacks and something warm for the pre-dawn drive.

Dress in layers. The crater rim is high and cold before dawn, while the floor warms up during the day. A fleece or light jacket, neutral clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are the essentials, plus a scarf for dust on the crater roads.

The Ngorongoro Crater Day Trip is a full-day trip.

It is rated easy: no special fitness is needed.

It runs for groups of 1 to 6 travellers.

Included: Private 4x4 safari vehicle, Professional naturalist guide, All park and crater entry fees, Gourmet picnic lunch with beverages, Hotel pickup and drop-off in Arusha, Bottled water and snacks and Binoculars for game viewing.

Not included: International flights, Travel insurance, Personal items, Tips and gratuities and Alcoholic beverages.