NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA - (8,300 Sq Km):

The entire Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers about 8300 sq km, and includes Oldupai Gorge, a string of active and collapsed volcanoes, and the alkaline Ndutu and Masek lakes. 

The Crater highlands overlook the vast Serengeti plains, and consist of a range of volcanoes and calderas that run along the eastern edge of the conservation area and the spectacular rolling/ shifting sands.  Major peaks include Oldeani (3185 m), Empakaai (3262 m), and the active Oldoinyo Lengai (2878 m). 

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most famous wildlife viewing areas in the world.  About 2 million years ago, Ngorongoro peak towered almost as high as Mt. Kilimanjaro. This massive peak collapsed to form the largest un-broken and un-flooded caldera in the world today.  

Surrounded by 2000 ft towering walls, the crater spans 260 sq Km of grasslands, swamps, forests, Lakes and volcanic lava rock hills.  About 30,000 large mammals inhabit the crater, including Lions, Hyenas, Buffalos, Zebras, Elephants, and the rare black Rhino as well as birds of prey like the Black kite and the Veroux eagles and the incredible Marabou stork. 

A permanent water supply ensures that there is always a high concentration of animals, although there is considerable movement to the neighboring Serengeti plains.  Thousands of flamingos wade in the shallows of lake Magadi.

The Masaais being the natural conservationists have inhabited the Ngorongoro for the past thousands of years, they are the only humans allowed to graze their livestock within the calderas.

Oldupai Gorge

The Oldupai Gorge runs to the Northwest of Ngorongoro crater and is one of the richest archaeological sites in the world. 

Made famous by the Leakey family, work in the gorge has produced several ground - breaking discoveries, the most famous of which are the skull of Australopithecus boisei (zinjanthropus) and hominid footprints from a marked location known as LEATOLI, estimated to be 3.7 million years old.

Although the original footprints lie at Leatoli (seen on the right top of the image), covered by a fibreglass sheet for preservation purposes, an engraved copy of the same can be viewed at the display in the meusium.