NGORONGORO CRATER SAFARI PRICES AND PARK ENTRY FEES
The Ngorongoro Crater is a world heritage site, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, commonly referred to as the 8th wonder of the world. Ngorongoro is a microcosm of the vast Serengeti National Park, home to a staggering array of East African wildlife including all the “Big 5” animals – rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, and in one day it is possible to see all these while on a Ngorongoro crater safari.
The 2,000 feet high walls of the approximately 10-mile wide crater create a natural amphitheatre for the densest populations of large animals anywhere in Africa.
It’s not possible to determine the exact overall price of Ngorongoro Crater safaris as there are several factors that influence the cost of such a safari; factors such as the number of people travelling, the type of accommodation you prefer and most importantly where you would like to spend your night, however, I will do my best to give you an insight into the prices on Ngorongoro crater safari tours; continue reading…
What you Need to Know about Ngorongoro safari Prices:
- There is no overall fixed Ngorongoro safari price
- Travellers differ in their preferences, hence different safari prices
- Group size (number of people travelling) determines the final price of a safari
- Travel dates and time (seasonality) has an impact on the final price of a Ngorongoro Crater safari
- People visiting the Ngorongoro Crater have an option of staying at properties inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area or outside
Even though the cost of Ngorongoro crater safaris is not fixed, there is some limit the costs stand on. The cost of Ngorongoro crater safari tour should be somewhere between the figures shown below:
Approximate daily costs of doing a Ngorongoro Crater Safari
A five-day basic Ngorongoro crater safari package that includes a lake Manyara and Serengeti tour will cost about $ 1750 USD per person, while a full-blown Ngorongoro safari with all the perks, can cost up to $5,900 USD per person.
| Type Of Safari | Safari Cost (Per person/day) |
| Basic Camping (in tents on the ground) | $170 – $285 |
| Mid-range safari (lodges & tented camps) | $350 – $650 |
| Luxury (lodges & tented camps) | $750 – $ 1000+ |
How much does it cost to go to Ngorongoro?
Conservation Entry Fees
The Ngorongoro crater is located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area; and the conservation entry fees for Ngorongoro Conservation Area vary significantly depending on what activities you’ll be doing while in the park and how you’ll be travelling through the area.
In most cases, the conservation entry fees are calculated into the Ngorongoro safari tour packages offered by many of the tour operators.
Game Drives
Game drives descend into the Ngorongoro Crater through a lush highland forest, with magnificent birdlife to be spotted among the different tree species.
It is one of the few places in Tanzania where all of the “Big Five” animals can be seen in a day, and transportation is in a 4×4 game drive safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, ideal for spotting animals.
Meals
A typically Tanzania safari packages includes all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and bottled water). However, we always recommend personally verifying this information by reading through the “what’s included” section on your safari itinerary or page of your preferred tour.
At most safari lodges and camps meals usually comprises a buffet including soup, salads, bread and a desert.
Accommodation
All kinds of accommodation, from safari lodges and camps to hotels and guesthouses, cater for tourists who visit the Ngorongoro crater all year round.
These properties can be broadly split into two categories; ones based on the Crater Rim, and others which are in the surrounding Ngorongoro Highlands and the Karatu town area. Depending on your itinerary and budget, our safari experts will recommend where is best to stay.
Safari Guides
Our driver/guides are given comprehensive training and pride themselves on their abilities as chauffeur, game spotter and guide – enthusing their clients with their knowledge of East Africa’s wildlife, culture and history.
All driver/guides are English speaking and we are also able to provide French or German speaking driver/guides subject to availability.
Tips
In Tanzania, it is customary to tip your safari crew. An approximate amount is $10 USD per person, per day for safari guides, and $5 USD per person, per day for cooks if you are on a budget camping safari and is usually given at the end of your safari. For ease of tipping you should carry a quantity of small dollar bill.
Hint: Don’t forget to carry some cash for drinks, souvenirs and staff tips.
Where to stay in Ngorongoro – on the Crater rim or outside?
All kinds of accommodation, from safari lodges and camps to hotels, cater for tourists who visit the Ngorongoro crater all year round. Many travel agencies provide packages for visitors where there is an option of sleeping on the crater rim or at the nearby Karatu town. Depending on your itinerary and budget, sleeping at the nearby Karatu town may save you some money.
Hint: There is no accommodation property inside the Ngorongoro crater itself.
Why Stay inside the Ngorongoro Rim
We recommend spending the night in the conservation area if you are visiting Ngorongoro crater on your way to or from Serengeti national park and if you want to do your morning crater descent as early as possible to catch the most animal activity, most of these lodges offer magical views of the crater too.
However, this convenience comes at a cost. Crater rim properties are not only more expensive than Karatu properties but also attract a $59 per person per night concession fee!
Where to stay inside Ngorongoro
• Simba campsite ( Budget Camping)
• Rhino Lodge and Ngorongoro wildlife lodge (Mid-range)
• Ngorongoro Serena Hotel and Lemala Ngorongoro (Luxury)
Why Stay outside the Ngorongoro, Karatu
We recommend staying in Karatu or at the Ngorongoro highlands if your tour is visiting the Ngorongoro crater but not heading up-north to Serengeti national park or if you plan to stay in the area for many days (exploring other areas of interest such as Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Lake Eyasi).
The accommodation options outside Ngorongoro are much more than inside the Ngorongoro conservation area and you will find the price much better if budget is your thing.
Where to stay outside Ngorongoro
- Campsites in Karatu (Budget Camping)
- Crater Rim View and Eileen’s Trees Inn (Budget)
- Octagon Lodge or Bougainvillea Lodge (Mid-range)
- Neptune Ngorongoro and Oldeani Mountain Lodge (Luxury)
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Fees
We have broken down the daily fees for visiting the Ngorongoro conservation area for foreign visitors, by age on a standard Ngorongoro crater game drive safari; these are fixed costs that are part of any safari cost to Ngorongoro crater. Additional activities such as walking safaris, hot bush lunches, etc, will call for extra fees.
Ngorongoro Entry Fees
These are park entry fees that are paid directly to the TANAPA and prices shown below include 18% VAT, the fees are per person and valid on a single entry basis for 24 hours from the time of entry.
| Ngorongoro Entry Permit | East African Citizens (Tzs) | Non-Residents (US$) |
| Above the age of 16 | 10,000 | 60 |
| Between the age of 5 and 16 | 2,000 | 20 |
| Children below age of 5 | Free | Free |
Ngorongoro Camping Fee
These are fees that are paid directly to the TANAPA and prices shown below include 18% VAT, the fees are per person and valid on a single entry basis for 24 hours from the time of entry for each guest who plans to set up camp at the established public campsites in Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
| Ngorongoro Camping Fee | East African Citizens (Tzs) | Non-Residents (US$) |
| Established Camp Site | ||
| Above the age of 16 | 10,000 | 30 |
| Between the age of 5 and 16 | 5000 | 10 |
| Children below age of 5 | Free | Free |
| Special Camp Site | ||
| Above the age of 16 | 15,000 | 60 |
| Between the age of 5 and 16 | 7,500 | 30 |
| Children below age of 5 | Free | Free |
Crater Service Fee
This fee only needs to be paid if you plan to drive down into the Ngorongoro crater floor, the vehicle entry fee is per vehicle and not per person.
| Crater Service Fee | East African Citizens (Tzs) | Non-Residents (US$) |
| Paid per Vehicle | 10,000 | 250 |
Ngorongoro Concession Fees
The Ngorongoro Concession fees are charged by TANAPA to the lodges and tented camps located within the borders of Ngorongoro and this is more or less like the Camping fees usually charged by the same authority to mobile tented camps and to clients who stay at special campsites in the Ngorongoro conservation area.
| Concession Fees | East African Citizens (Tzs) | Non-Residents (US$) |
| Above the age of 16 | 30,000 | 50 |
| Between the age of 5 and 16 | 10,000 | 10 |
| Children below age of 5 | Free | Free |
Browse some of our Ngorongoro crater safari tours below for inspiration. If something appeals, simply contact one of our Tanzania Safari Experts and they’ll take it from there.
