Wildlife Highlights

A real special of the crater is the black rhino. Rhino is hard to see in Tanzania, and black rhino is typically very shy – sticking to thick vegetation. This is not so in the crater, where they have a predictable routine of spending the night in Lerai forest, and the day in open grassland. Black-backed and golden jackal are equally common in the crater.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing is excellent in the crater throughout the year. The scenery of the crater is most spectacular in the Wet season, from November to May, but at that time the grass might be long in places. This can interfere with seeing some of the smaller animals. From March to May the rains can be continuous for days.