Crater Viewpoints
Six viewpoints around the rim, including Mikindu, offering views into the crater.
Tanzania Museums
Ngurdoto Crater & Museum
Ringed by rainforest and home to buffalo, colobus monkeys and rich birdlife, the Ngurdoto Crater in Arusha National Park offers stunning viewpoints and a small museum near the gate.
- Location
- Arusha National Park
- Known For
- "Little Ngorongoro"
- Viewpoints
- Six around the rim
- Experience
- Short game drive & walk
Discover Ngurdoto
The little crater of Arusha National Park.
The Ngurdoto Crater lies in the southeast of Arusha National Park, a grassy crater surrounded by rainforest. The park is small but varied, with three distinct areas: Mount Meru's crater in the west, the Ngurdoto Crater in the southeast and the alkaline Momella Lakes in the northeast.
Mikindu viewpoint is one of six points where visitors can enjoy amazing views into the Ngurdoto Crater. Located on the southwestern rim, it is a clearing in the Ngurdoto rainforest and one of the most visited because of its safety and ease of access. A small museum near the Ngurdoto Gate introduces the park's wildlife and ecology.
Why visit Ngurdoto
A crater close to Arusha.
Ngurdoto is a beautiful and easy addition to a day in Arusha National Park.
Rainforest Rim
Lush forest home to black-and-white colobus and blue monkeys.
Crater Wildlife
Buffalo, warthogs and baboons graze the crater floor below.
Museum
A small museum near the gate introducing the park's ecology.
Location
Where is the Ngurdoto Crater?
The Ngurdoto Crater is in the southeastern part of Arusha National Park, about 30 km east of Arusha city and close to the Ngurdoto Gate.
It is easily visited on a day trip to Arusha National Park, together with the Momella Lakes and walking safaris.
When to visit
When to visit Ngurdoto.
Ngurdoto can be visited year-round, with clearer views in the dry season.
Dry Season
Dry, pleasant weather and the most popular time to travel in northern Tanzania.
Short Rains
Short afternoon showers and green scenery.
Warm & Dry
Warm days and clear skies, a great time to visit.
Long Rains
The wettest months; museums and indoor sites are a good choice on rainy days.
Month by month.
Each month offers a different view of the crater and forest.
Warm and clear, a great month to visit.
Warm and dry before the long rains.
Long rains begin; plan indoor visits around showers.
The wettest month, but indoor sites remain open.
Rains ease towards the end of the month.
Dry season begins, with cool mornings.
Cool and dry, ideal for sightseeing.
Dry and clear, a popular travel month.
Pleasant and dry, excellent for exploring.
Warm and dry before the short rains.
Short rains bring brief showers.
Warm, green and festive.
Explore the area
Discover the crater and its rim.
Viewpoints, forest and the crater floor.
Southwestern rimMikindu ViewpointOne of the most visited viewpoints, safe and easy to reach.
RimRim ViewpointsSix viewpoints overlooking the crater floor.
Crater floorNgurdoto Crater FloorA protected grassland where buffalo and warthogs graze; visitors view it from the rim.
Gate areaNgurdoto MuseumA small museum introducing the park's wildlife.
Wildlife
Forest and crater wildlife.
The rainforest around the crater rim is home to black-and-white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and many forest birds such as turacos and hornbills.
On the crater floor, which is protected and viewed only from the rim, buffalo, warthogs and baboons graze peacefully.
6 animals to look for
Black-and-white colobus
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Rainforest on the rim
Often seen leaping between the trees.
1 / 6
Buffalo
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Crater floor
Herds graze the crater floor below the viewpoints.
2 / 6
Blue monkey
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Rainforest
Common in the forest.
3 / 6
Warthog
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Crater floor
Seen grazing in the open grassland.
4 / 6
Olive baboon
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Crater floor and forest edges
Troops forage across the crater.
5 / 6
Hartlaub's turaco
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Rainforest
A beautiful green forest bird.
6 / 6
Little Ngorongoro
A crater you view from above.
Often called Little Ngorongoro, the Ngurdoto Crater is protected as a sanctuary, so visitors enjoy it from the viewpoints on the forested rim rather than driving inside.
From Mikindu and the other viewpoints, you can watch buffalo grazing on the crater floor far below, surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest.
Safaris to 中文
Arusha National Park tours
Day trips and safaris that include Ngurdoto Crater and Arusha National Park.
Tanzania · 6 days
6-Day Buffalo Safari Experience
Tarangire · Ngorongoro
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11-Day Enchanting Trip Experience
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Tanzania · 4 days
4-Day Mount Meru Trek
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Tanzania · 1 day
Arusha National Park Day Trip
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Usually replies within minutesHeritage
The story behind Ngurdoto.
The area was first protected as Ngurdoto Crater National Park in 1960. In 1967, Mount Meru and the Momella Lakes were added, and the park became Arusha National Park.
The crater's floor has been kept as an undisturbed sanctuary, giving wildlife a safe refuge just minutes from the city of Arusha.
Can I drive into Ngurdoto Crater?
No, the crater floor is a protected sanctuary viewed from the rim.
Where is Ngurdoto?
In the southeast of Arusha National Park, about 30 km from Arusha.
What can I see?
Buffalo, warthogs and baboons on the crater floor, and colobus monkeys in the forest.
How long does a visit take?
An hour or two, as part of a day in Arusha National Park.
Which viewpoint is best?
Mikindu viewpoint is popular for its safety and easy access.
Can I combine it with other activities?
Yes, with walking safaris, canoeing and the Momella Lakes.
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