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One of the greatest natural wonders of the world, it was created when an ancient giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself approximately 2.5 million years ago. It is 2,000ft deep and the floor covers 102 square miles. The caldera is approximately 18miles across.
The rim of the crater acts as a “natural enclosure” for a huge number of animals., some 25,000, with reputably the highest number of mammalian predators in Africa. A real Noah's arc. Although the animals are enclosed by the walls of the crater, some still migrate during the year, coming and going with the rains.
The views into the crater from the rim are truly breathtaking as is the road to the crater floor! The crater is home to zebra, gazelle and wildebeest, as well as the infamous “Big 5” (rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo) as well as almost every species of wildlife in east Africa.
Within the Ngorongoro conservation area, local tribes are permitted to live alongside the wildlife and maintain their traditional lifestyles. They do however, have to leave the crater every night, as do the visitors.
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