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A Safari in the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Within a few hours drive of Arusha, in northeast Tanzania, lie two natural gems: the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Tarangire National Park. While these two areas are not as well known as the Serengeti National Park to the north, they both feature incredible wildlife viewing, and are perfect choices if you only have a few days to spend exploring this area. Arusha is a quick flight from Dar es Salaam, so it’s realistic to see one of these parks on a long weekend or both in a four day trip if you’re coming from the bustling city.

At the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s second-largest caldera; it formed when a large volcano collapsed inward, spewing ash to the northwest that would form the Serengeti and leaving a circular expansive plain that is home to a wide range of species. Visitors must be accompanied by a licensed guide, so you’ll need to hire one in advance. A typical day trip to the crater includes a winding drive from the rim downward, with zebras and water buffaloes grazing by the side of the dirt truck path. These paths crisscross the landscape, taking you across open grassland where gnus abound, hyenas jog by, the extremely rare black rhino can be spotted, cheetahs and lions nap in the sun, warthogs dart to and fro, and a vast array of bird species, including ostrich, stride or fly by. Typically the guides bring guests to one of the ponds to eat lunch, where hippos float among birds, an elephant wanders by, and a lion watches the scene from his high outpost. One section of the basin is forested, and here there are baboons foraging for food and elephants tearing down trees and feasting. One of the most stunning sites is the salt lake, with its resident flock of pink flamingos providing a bold burst of color. As you wind your way up the crater walls at the end of a full day, you can’t help but feel that you’re leaving a completely encapsulated ecosystem, one where the role of humans is that of merely observer.

Lodges near the crater are perched along the rim; bring a sweater as it can get very cool at night. At most lodging, guards will accompany guests to and from different facilities, as animals do roam at night, and no one wants to bump into a leopard on their way back from dinner.

Approximately a two hour drive away from Ngorongoro, Tarangire National Park is best known for three things: elephants, baobab trees, and the Tarangire River that cuts through the park. If you want to view elephants up close, this is the place to go. Large herds of mothers with their young and smaller groups of males roam throughout the park, and guides will often pull up right next to a large puddle or small pond where the enormous creatures take turns drinking and spraying themselves to cool off. Baby elephants grasp their mothers’ tail with their trunks as the herds wander through the grassland dotted throughout with giant and unique baobabs. The elephants are clearly used to people, and in general just go about their business and ignore you. However you’ll notice your guide will stay at a slightly farther distance from the bull males, as their high testosterone levels make them a little more unpredictable. Monkeys, giraffes, water buffalo, and other animals can also be spotted. As in Ngorongoro, guards will likely walk you to your accommodation in the evening; I was particularly thankful of this when we returned from dinner to find a scorpion waiting at my doorstep. The guard shooed it away unharmed with his hefty boot, clearly used to this type of evening visitor.

Driving the last day of my trip from Tarangire back to the Arusha airport for the short flight back to Dar es Salaam, I was struck by just how close these parks are to the local villages, towns, and increasing amounts of development we saw along the way. Yet the parks themselves, with their two very different landscapes, are wonderful examples of national conservation efforts and are two unique places that offer visitors the rare opportunity to experience some of the world’s most incredible natural beauty.

Getting There

There are many reputable outfitters that can help you arrange an entire trip from start to finish, or you can alternatively arrange your own travel and hire a guide service directly. I used Africa Bespoke, a full service outfitter who arranged the services of Simba Safaris; my guide, Sammy, picked me up and dropped me off at the Arusha airport. There are several lodging options at each of the parks; I stayed at the stunningly beautiful Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, and the Tarangire Sopa Lodge, both of which included outstanding breakfast, dinner, and box lunches.

Molly McHugh is the director of membership for the Global Health Council.