Despite the fame of the Ngorongoro Crater you will still be taken aback. From the gate you enter a verdant, impenetrable jungle with tall trees, creepers and dense shrubbery. The road rises steeply, up and up the slopes of the crater, eventually nearly reaching the 2 300m contour. As you rise you may enter a mist blown in by a south-westerly breeze and the temperature will plumet.

Not far from the gate and once on the rim of the crater, you will reach the best viewpoint. an area that has been cleared of the dense forest that surrounds the crater lip.

This is the largest unbroken volcanic crater in the world whose steep walls rise 600m above its green, grassy plains, a salt lake and the waterways which run through it.

The opposite side is just visible in the hazy far distance. Using binoculars from the viewpoint you may see some larger animals on the crater floor.

“Turn right to Lemala gate(Des 2012 the only descent into the Ngorogoro Crater-construction in progress at the other).It takes almost 2 hours to drive the narrow winding dirt road to the gate.” - Mietsie Visser, 2013/03/04

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