Tanzania Trekking - Crater Highlands
Crater Highlands
The highlands rise steeply from the side of the Great Rift Valley in northern Tanzania and offer rewarding days of game viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater - one of the best-known wildlife reserves in Africa. West of the Crater Highlands are the great savanna plains of the Serengeti, while to the south and east the land drops to the Rift Valley floor and Lake Manyara.
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Trekking Information
Most of the Crater Highlands lie within the boundaries of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). Due to the presence of wild animals, unaccompanied trekking is not advisable. A vehicle and local guides could be essential.
Costs
The cost of an organised trek in the Crater Highlands largely depends on the number of days, the quality of guides, vehicles and related contingencies.
Routes
Trekking in the Crater Highlands is a fairly new activity, and there may be no established routes. Most treks however start north of the Ngorongoro Crater and head further north via Olmoti and Empakaai to finish near Ol Donyo Lengai.
Fees
All visitors inside the NCA have to pay fees. There are also fees for camping and vehicles and an extra charge for visiting the Ngorongoro Crater.
Accommodation
Arusha is Tanzania's safari capital, with plenty of accommodation. So, where one stays generally depends on the type of trip one arranges.
Getting there and away
The Crater Highlands are about 200krn west of Arusha by road. The main NCA entrance gate is at Lodoare, just south of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Last Updated on Thursday 26th November 2009Advertisement