Ngorongoro crater vs Serengeti national park
This Ngorongoro crater vs Serengeti national park article simply focuses on comparing the two national parks namely ngorongoro crater and Serengeti national park. The comparison is in terms of size, location, wildlife count, flora and fauna , and finally the conservation strategies. These two national parks are apparently the most visited, diverse and endowed national parks not only in Tanzania but in east Africa and the rest of Africa.
Both national parks are rich in geographical gifting’s, both national parks contain the big five animals including lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos. The big five are apparently the most sought after wildlife by any travel in any wildlife safari or simply on Tanzania tours.
Ngorongoro and Serengeti offer very safari experiences. For travelers deciding between the two, the choice often comes down to wildlife density and scenery vs wilderness, scale and the Great Migration.
A Simple Ngorongoro Vs Serengeti Summary
| Feature | Ngorongoro Crater | Serengeti National Park |
| Main attraction | Exceptional wildlife concentration inside the Ngorongoro Crater | Vast savanna ecosystem and the Great Migration |
| Landscape | Dramatic crater walls, grasslands, forests and lakes | Endless plains, rivers, woodlands and iconic kopjes. |
| Wildlife viewing | Excellent especially for first-time safari goers and short safari visits | Very exceptional, and varied over a longer stay. |
| Big Five | Very strong chance of spotting all the Big Five | Excellent Big Five opportunities across the endless Serengeti plains |
| Lions | Very good | Excellent |
| Cheetahs | Possible | Particularly good to sight in suitable areas |
| Rhinos | Tanzania’s best rhino viewing destination | Possible to sight, but very unpredictable. |
| Elephants | Common | Common |
| Wildebeests | Considerable resident herds in the Crater floor | Home to one of the world’s greatest wildebeest population |
| Great Migration | Northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area for the Calving Season | The best for Great Wildebeest Migration all year through following the cycle |
| Safari Style | Compact, concentrated and scenic | Expansive, adventurous and immersive |
| Ideal Stay duration | 1-2 nights only | 2-4 or more nights |
| Best for? | First-time safari goers, Big Five and stunning scenery | Migration, predators, wilderness and longer safaris |
Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park?
The Ngorongoro crater is an iconic feature in other words a caldera that was formed as a result of volcanic activities where by the top of the rock (cone) is blown by intrusive or extrusive forces forming open to known and the crater, the craters depending on their sizes are sometimes filled with water hence leading to the formation crater lakes, other crater remain empty and stay as craters. Ngorongoro is the largest crater in the world thereby qualifying it to a world heritage site. Ngorongoro crater measures 610meter deep and 260 square kilometer in size.
As we advance in Ngorongoro crater vs Serengeti national park, the entire Serengeti ecosystem encompasses Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti national park spanning an area of 30,000 square kilometers. The Serengeti is famous for the vast lands or extensive lands that cover the entire great Masai area characterized with large expanses of land filled or dotted with vegetation of trees of mainly the acacia species.
Plants/ vegetation
Inters of flora, Serengeti national park exhibits one of the most unique and attractive vegetation, no wonder is it plays as substantive wildlife haven that have thrived in it and will continue thriving in it. The western part of the Serengeti possess extensive land masses filled with short vegetation or short grasses dotted with short trees of the acacia species. As you extend further to the north towards Lake Victoria, the land starts getting forests filled will multiple trees therefore creating a perfect spot for the black rhinos to thrive, therefore the northern part of Serengeti national park is well known for the black rhinos presence, the northern part alone contains over 5 species of acacia trees.
Meanwhile in Ngorongoro crater floor is covered with short grass some swampy vegetation and other crater areas is covered with Lerai forest, the short grasses act as an attraction to several herbivores such as wildebeest, zebras, antelopes among others. While the walls of the crater is filled with montane vegetation made of trees , peacock flowers.
Ngorongoro crater vs Serengeti national park interns of wildlife
The Ngorongoro crater area is famous worldwide for possessing huge numbers of wildlife per capita as compared to Serengeti national park. Ngorongoro is famous for hosting up to a tune of 25,000 large animals. The Ngorongoro animal distribution is as follows; 3000 elands, 4000 zebras, 26 black rhinos, 400 buffaloes, 7000 wildebeest among others.
As for the Serengeti national park, the wildlife is distribution is as follow; 1million wildebeests, 1000 leopards, 3000 lions, 8000 elephants ,8000 hyenas. Others include cheetahs giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, elands. With such a huge numbers of wildlife, the land in Serengeti offers enough capacity of the wildlife that it hosts.
Another credible similarity of Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti national park is that both destinations receive large numbers of travelers. The Serengeti national park alone scoops up to a tune of more than 400,000 guests a year. But the most fascinating fact is that most of the visitors that make their way to Ngorongoro crater to have an experience of the crater.
Both Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti national park host the biggest annual exodus of wildlife in history dubbed the great wildebeest that sees a million of wildebeest depart Ngorongoro to Serengeti national park and cross to Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya . the wildebeests movements is triggered by climatic conditions and see them depart Tanzania to better pasture in Kenya’s Masai Mara. During the great wildebeest migration, the wildebeest also breed.
Both national parks do have big five animals which most visitors yarn to experience while in their safari to Tanzania / tour to Tanzania .
Our Recommendation:
For a traveler visiting Tanzania for the first time, we would not choose between them if the itinerary allows both. A classic northern Tanzania safari combines Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti because each destination contributes something different. The Ngorongoro gives you concentration and drama. The Serengeti gives you scale and spectacle.
If the budget or even time allows only one, however, we’d generally recommend Serengeti National Park for 3 or more days, particularly for serious wildlife enthusiasts. For a shorter safari where maximizing wildlife encounters is top priority, then Ngorongoro Crater is the better choice, even if for just a day visit from Arusha.
