Ngorongoro (Karatu), Tanzania: travel guide
Karatu is the gateway town to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, home to the wildlife-packed Ngorongoro Crater and the Olduvai Gorge cradle of humankind.
- Country
- Tanzania
- Currency
- TZS
- Time zone
- Africa/Dar_es_Salaam
- Nearest airport
- LKY
Plan a Ngorongoro (Karatu) trip
Top places to visit in Ngorongoro (Karatu)
Empakaai Crater
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 5 h
Deep, forest-clad crater with a soda lake and flamingos, a rewarding guided hike far from the crowds.
Ngorongoro Crater Viewpoint
Viewpoint · 4.9 rating · about 0.8 h
Rim overlook with a breathtaking panorama 600 m down into the wildlife-filled caldera.
Olduvai Gorge Museum
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · entry USD 35
The "Cradle of Mankind" where the Leakeys found early hominid fossils, with an on-site museum overlooking the gorge.
Ngorongoro Crater
Wildlife · 4.8 rating · about 8 h · entry USD 71
The world's largest intact volcanic caldera and a natural amphitheatre teeming with lion, rhino, elephant and flamingo.
Lake Eyasi
Nature · about 4 h
Rift Valley soda lake and home of the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga pastoralists, visited for cultural encounters.
Karatu Town
Cultural · about 1 h
Coffee-farming gateway town to Ngorongoro, base for Iraqw cultural visits, coffee tours and lodges.
Things to do
- Ngorongoro Crater Full-Day Safari Wildlife · 10 h · from USD 250 per person
- Lake Eyasi Hadzabe Bushmen Experience Cultural · 6 h · from USD 90 per person
- Olduvai Gorge & Shifting Sands Tour Cultural · 4 h · from USD 60 per person
- Empakaai Crater Hike Nature · 6 h · from USD 80 per person
- Karatu Coffee Plantation & Iraqw Village Tour Cultural · 3 h · from USD 35 per person
Day trips and tours
- Ngorongoro Crater Day Safari 10 h · from USD 250
- Lake Eyasi Cultural Day 7 h · from USD 90
Where to stay in Ngorongoro (Karatu)
- Karatu about TZS 150 per night
Coffee-farm town just outside the Ngorongoro gate with mid-range lodges and farm stays.
- Ngorongoro Crater Rim about TZS 450 per night
Perched lodges on the crater rim with dramatic views straight into the caldera.
Hotels
- Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge 5-star
- Ngorongoro Farm House 4-star
- Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge 4-star
- Country Lodge Karatu 3-star
Getting around
- Offroad Vehicle main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.