A full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater is a cinematic adventure of a side-by-side wildlife experience. This full day game drive kicks off at sunrise. This is done to capture early risers, especially grazers, as they begin grazing early, especially in the dry season. The predators follow stealthily behind for a last shot at hunting before the hot temperatures dominate the day. The Ngorongoro Crater is managed by the Tanzanian government under the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.
This activity is one of the major activities to do on a Tanzania safari. A full day game drive rewards visitors with a timely adventure of spotting some of the finest wildlife species in Africa. Ngorongoro Crater harbors one of the largest populations of animals on Earth, and through this full day game drive, visitors have a chance of encountering most of these species.
A full day game drive refers to navigating the wilderness for a whole day to spot several wildlife species in the comfort and safety of a safari vehicle. This activity combines the common half day game drives of either morning or afternoon. The elevated walls of the crater ensure that the action is kept in the center of the crater, making more room for adventure.
From the entrance of the Ngorongoro Crater, as visitors descend, the 360-degree view of the crater shapes up an untamed experience that is yet to unfold. The crater offers a cocktail of wildlife, from the birds to the variety of mammal species that dot the landscape with their presence.
The crater provides little room for cover due to little vegetation, thus giving visitors the best visibility. The morning session of the full day game drive comes with immense opportunities to spot rare species like rhinos, which prefer to graze in cool conditions. The resilient grazers like gazelles, zebras, elephants, wildebeests, and buffaloes, among others, battle on the sunny day, edging closer to the water source.
Visitors head for a full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater with a packed lunch. The vast nature of the crater provides little room for visitors to head by for lunch at the lodge and back in time for the last half day of the game drive. With a packed lunch, visitors have little time to spare, as it is a constant drive and exploration of the crater.
This creates more time to spot the famous Big Five and witness the cheetahs speed across the crater base to dust. Visitors can spot and appreciate the constant balance in the circle of life where the jungle law suits best. The full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater is indeed an imaginary adventure fit for the movies with its cinematic adventures. The climax of a full day game drive comes as early as 4:30 PM.
Other activities to do in Ngorongoro Crater apart from a full day game drive.
Although the Ngorongoro Crater is popular for its game drives, it has other interesting activities to explore. Some of these activities include the following.
Hot air balloon safaris
Just like a game drive only from above, hot air balloon safaris are also done in this crater. The several species and the large wilderness provide a comfortable ground for hot air balloon safaris. The hot air balloon flies across the vast Ngorongoro Crater, giving visitors a bird’s-eye view of the crater and its inhabitants. This safari provides a limitless experience to areas where the safari vehicle would not reach.
Birding
Ngorongoro Crater is definitely a place for birders to reckon with, given that it harbors over 500 bird species. The crater harbors a vast population of birds, with the endemic species being the majority. The wet season ushers in the migratory species that surface the crater for breeding.
The water-loving birds, like the beautiful flamingos, are commonly spotted year-round on Lake Magadi. The steppe eagle, crowned cranes, European roller, pallid harrier, ostriches, and secretary birds, among others, are some of the many birds in Ngorongoro Crater.
Cultural encounters
The Ngorongoro Crater is part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area that stretches to Serengeti National Park. It hosts the Masai cultural people who have been in this conservation area for a while. The Masai have coexisted with the wildlife for generations and can be explored during a cultural encounter.
Visitors have a chance to visit the Manyatta homesteads of the Masai and explore their cattle herding practises. Interact with the Masai warriors on their resilience and skills that have helped them to live side-by-side with Africa’s apex predators like lions and leopards.
What is the best time for a full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater?
The abundance of life in the Ngorongoro Crater makes it hard for one to pick the best time for a full day game drive. Year in and year out, Ngorongoro Crater presents great opportunities for exploration based on the preferences of visitors.
The dry season heats the crater hard, turning it savannah brown with sparse vegetation and dry trails. With such conditions in play, the full day game drive comes in handy with maximum visibility and more chances for capturing all the attention of the wildlife.
From an adventurous viewpoint, the wet season shadows the crater with rapid showers. This leaves the crater’s scenery green with muddy trails. The trails offer a slippery adventure into the African jungles, adding a taste of challenge to your adventure series. This season shades the atmosphere with dark, cool temperatures lit up by various migratory and endemic bird species. This is, in short, a romantic birdlife series that breeds the new generation of aerial masters.
At Monteero Safaris, there is no place too far for adventure, and for a full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater, we stay and plan for you an amazing safari. Ngorongoro Crater is a platform of adventurous opportunities and a turf that deems the unfit as prey and the strong as predators. Witness all the African safari drama as the jungle, teamwork, and technicality dictate who lives on a full day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater.