As early as 1928, Ngorongoro was declared a complete wildlife reserve. Today, it is the central feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and a virtual microcosm of East Africa. With its small area of only 102 square miles are grassland, streams, swampland, lakes, forests, hills, and steep slopes. The cone of this once-active volcano collapsed approximately 2 million years ago to form a caldera some 2,000 feet deep and 11 miles across. Considered the most complete game viewing spot in the country, the crater is home to some 30,000 animals, including the last viable population of black rhino in northern Tanzania

Elephant, black-maned lion, cheetah, Grant's and Thompson's gazelle, zebra, wildebeest, spotted hyena, waterbuck, hartebeest, and hippo are all in residence here, as are 182 of the 300 species of bird found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. While the steep-sided walls prevent giraffe from accessing the Crater floor, they do offer a wonderful backdrop for close-range animal photography. There are also splendid panoramic views from the Crater's rim down to the Crater floor, some five hundred meters below. Decent into the crater is by four-wheel-drive vehicle only along narrow and winding, one-way access roads. Within the Crater, vehicles must keep to the roadways to help protect this fragile environment.