Ngorongoro Crater Day Trip from Arusha

Pickup from your Arusha hotel at about 5:30 AM, then drive west through Mto wa Mbu and the farming town of Karatu and up through highland forest to the crater rim, which sits above 2,200 m. At around 9:00 AM descend the crater wall to the floor some 600 m below and spend the morning game driving across the grassland, past Lake Magadi and the swamps, wherever the lions, rhino and herds are that day. Expect lion, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, hyena, hippo and elephant, and keep watch for the rare black rhino. A hamper lunch is served at the picnic site on the crater floor. In the afternoon, continue game viewing on the way to the exit road, climb out of the crater and drive back to Arusha, arriving at your hotel around 7 to 8 PM.