Natural Wonder · Karatu, Tanzania
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UK:, US: ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha City in. Built 1959.
Photo: Grahampurse via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Karatu, Tanzania |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Built | 1959 |
| Length | Length: 21 km |
| Coordinates | 3.2100° S, 35.4600° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Ngorongoro Crater is known for
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UK:, US: ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha City in.
About Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UK:, US: ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha City in Arusha Region, within the Crater Highlands geological area of northeastern Tanzania. The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera within the area. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), which administers the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), is an arm of the Tanzanian government and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro District in the Arusha Region.
History
The name of the crater has an onomatopoeic origin; it was named by the Maasai pastoralists after the sound produced by the cowbell (ngoro ngoro). Based on fossil evidence OH 7 found at the Olduvai Gorge, various hominid species have occupied the area for at least 1.75 million years. Hunter-gatherers were replaced by pastoralists a few thousand years ago.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Ngorongoro Crater website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Karatu |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Lake Manyara Airport (LKY) |
| Distance from the airport | 27.4 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) · Arusha, Tanzania · 112.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Tanzania
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Frequently asked questions
What is Ngorongoro Crater?
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UK:, US: ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha City in.
Where is Ngorongoro Crater located?
Ngorongoro Crater is in Karatu, Tanzania. Its coordinates are 3.2100° S, 35.4600° E.
How do I get to Ngorongoro Crater?
The nearest town is Karatu, and the nearest airport is Lake Manyara Airport (LKY), about 27.4 miles away (straight line).
When was Ngorongoro Crater built?
Ngorongoro Crater was built 1959.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngorongoro_Conservation_Area — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1217726 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.ngorongorocratertanzania.org/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.