Ngorongoro Crater Wildlife 

Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania is one of the best places to see wildlife including the endangered black rhinos. While the crater might be lesser known to some people than the famous Serengeti, it still offers spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities. 

Ngorongoro Crater is an extinct volcano that has numerous wildlife species to check out. Almost every animal is seen down in the crater except giraffes since they are not able to make the descent down into the area. 

All big cats are here and elephants can also be seen abundantly. If you’re heading to Ngorongoro Crater, you can look forward to seeing all the major animals and some rarer ones. 

Here are some of the wildlife highlights you can expect to see. Don’t worry, your safari guide knows all the best places to spot animals down in the crater even the ones that are harder to see like leopards and wild dogs. 

Common Animals in Ngorongoro Crater 

Before heading to the stunning Ngorongoro Crater with the volcano as the backdrop, you might want to know the animals you’re most likely to see. 

Elephants, hippos, and buffalos are usually what travellers see the most. Wildebeests, zebras, lions,s hyenas, and cheetahs are also extremely common. 

What makes Ngorongoro Crater really special though is the chance to see black rhinos. These rhinos are extremely endangered with only about 5,600 in the entire world. Most black rhinos live in Southern Africa and East Africa. 

Ngorongoro Crater has about 20 that roam around freely that are very easy to spot. The Big 5 includes rhinos so you need to make sure to spot a rhino or two before saying you’ve seen the famous Big 5 of Africa. 

While there are rhinos in other Tanzanian national parks, they are easier to spot in Ngorongoro. The crater does not have a lot of thick vegetation making them easier to see. 

They also like to spend time around Lerai Forest. Most of Ngorongoro is open grassland making it easier to see not only rhinos but most other animals as well. 

Ngorongoro Crater is also home to other animals like spotted hyenas, black-backed jackals, and golden jackals. 

How many of these animals can be seen in the Ngorongoro Crater? Here are some numbers to help you get a better idea:

• 7,000 wildebeests 
• 6,000 black spotted hyenas 
• 4,000 zebras 
• 3,000 elands 
• 3,000 gazelles
• 300 elephants 
• About 55 lions 
• About 20 black rhinos 

The other animals like hippos and antelopes are hard to number but there are at least several thousand of each making them extremely easy to see while in the area. 

Less Common Animals in Ngorongoro Crater 

Leopards and giraffes are sometimes around the crater, but they are harder to see. Your safari guide will try their best to take you to all areas of the park so you get a chance to see everything. 

Don’t worry though, there are other northern circuit parks like Tarangire National Park and Serengeti National park that have an abundance of giraffes and leopards. 

You can combine your Ngorongoro Crater safari with other parks. Most travellers do this so they have a better chance of seeing the Big 5 and other animals. 

Wild dogs are also hard to spot in Ngorongoro Crater. They do tend to wander around though within the northern circuit parks, so you might see an occasional one. 

Birds in Ngorongoro Crater 

Many avid bird watchers come to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and other northern circuit parks to see the beautiful birds of Tanzania. While many of the bird species make their permanent home here, there are also hundreds of species that come from Europe and North Africa. 

Migratory birds come in the wettest months from March to May. This is mating season for many of the birds coming from other parts of the world. 

Some of the most seen birds include:

• Pelicans 
• Augur Buzzards
• Flamingoes
• Great White Pelicans 
• Open Billed Storks
• Ostriches
• Secretary Birds 
• Superb Starlings 

Make sure to come in the wet season to see all these beautiful birds! Ngorongoro Crater has a long wet season from November to May but the birds are best seen in April and May. 

Best Time to Visit Ngorongoro Crater for Wildlife Viewing 

The best time to come to Ngorongoro Crater for general wildlife viewing is the dry season which is from June to October. This is when vegetation is the thinnest so animals are easier to see even from far away. 

Since the area does not have many places for water, you can also the animals gathering around watering holes for a chance to see many animals all at the same time. 

Of course, as discussed above, birds are better seen in the wet season. No matter when you come to Ngorongoro, make sure to bring your binoculars so you can see all the animals up close. 

Some people also bring a camera with a strong zoom lens for a chance to get great snapshots of the animals. 

Visiting Ngorongoro Crater 

The best way to see all the wildlife of Ngorongoro Crater is to take a safari with an expert Tanzania Safaris guide . Your guide will know all the ins and outs of the conservation area so you can see all the animals before heading back home. 

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most visited places in Tanzania! It’s home to the Big 5 as well as many beautiful bird species. 

If you’re ready to see the abundant wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater, our safari company is ready to help you plan this amazing adventure!