Kilimanjaro & treks

4-Day Ngorongoro Crater Rim Trek and Crater Game Drive

Arusha, Ngorongoro Crater, Simba Campsite, Leyanai, Ilkiepusi, Arusha

Duration: 4 days · 3 nights
Difficulty: Moderate

your journey

Overview

Most visitors see Ngorongoro only through a vehicle window. On this short trip you do both: a full game drive on the crater floor, then two days on foot along the northern rim, where the forest opens now and then onto views straight down into the caldera.

You walk with a Maasai warrior guide and an armed ranger, while donkeys carry the luggage. The trail runs through acacia forest from Simba Campsite to Leyanai and on to Ilkiepusi, about 17 km a day, and giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and even elephants use the same paths. Nights are spent at simple bush camps on the rim.

The rim sits above 2,000 metres, so mornings and evenings are cool. On the last morning a short walk brings you back to the vehicle for a game drive across the conservation area and the drive home to Arusha.

Who it suits

Walkers with reasonable fitness who want a short, active trip and are happy with basic bush camping. Days on foot are long, about six to seven hours, but the ground is not technical.

Parks visited

Ngorongoro Crater

what makes it special

Highlights

A six-hour game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor
Two days walking the northern crater rim through acacia forest
A Maasai warrior guide, an armed ranger and donkeys to carry your bags
Giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and elephants along the walking trails
Nights at bush camps on the rim above the crater

day by day

The itinerary

Meet your driver guide at your hotel in Arusha at 8 am and drive up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You descend 610 metres to the crater floor for about six hours of game viewing with a picnic lunch. Look for black rhino, lions, elephants, zebras, buffaloes and wildebeest, with hyenas and jackals never far away and flamingos on the soda lake. In the late afternoon you climb back to the rim for dinner and your first night at camp.

Overnight: Simba Campsite on the Ngorongoro Crater rimMeals: Lunch & dinner

After breakfast you drive about one kilometre from Simba Campsite, with picnic lunches packed, to the start of the walk on the northern rim. From here you set off on foot with your Maasai warrior guide, an armed ranger and donkeys to carry the luggage. The route covers about 17 km through acacia forest, with views down into the crater, and you may see giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, bushbuck and many birds. About 7 hours.

Overnight: Leyanai bush camp on the crater rimMeals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Another early start with picnic lunches for about 17 km on foot from Leyanai to Ilkiepusi, again with your Maasai guide, the armed ranger and the donkeys. The trail crosses more acacia forest along the top of the rim, with views over the crater floor. Buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, elephants and giraffes all use this country, so your guides keep a careful eye ahead. About 6 to 7 hours.

Overnight: Ilkiepusi bush camp on the crater rimMeals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

After breakfast you walk about half a kilometre to meet the vehicle, then drive back across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, looking for wildlife along the way. You stop for a picnic lunch on the road to Arusha and arrive in town in the afternoon, where the trip ends. Dinner tonight is not included, so ask your guide for a recommendation if you are staying on in Arusha.

Overnight: Tour ends in ArushaMeals: Breakfast & lunch

in pictures

Gallery

the price

What is included

Included

Pick-up from your hotel in Arusha and return
A six-hour Ngorongoro Crater game drive
A Maasai warrior guide, an armed ranger and donkeys for the two trekking days
Three nights of budget camping on the crater rim
Meals as listed: lunch and dinner on Day 1, all meals on Days 2 and 3, breakfast and lunch on Day 4
Non-alcoholic drinks

Not included

Breakfast on Day 1 and dinner on Day 4

Prices

Price on request

before you ask

Common questions

Kilimanjaro needs no ropes or technical climbing skills, but it is a serious high-altitude trek. You walk for several hours a day on uneven ground, nights are cold, and summit night starts around midnight in thin air. Walking regularly on hills before you come, with a loaded daypack, is the best preparation.

We choose routes and itineraries with enough days on the mountain, and we follow the principle of climbing high and sleeping low. On the Machame route, for example, you take short walks above camp at Shira, Lava Tower, Karanga and Barafu before returning to sleep lower. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and tell your guide straight away about any headache, nausea or dizziness.

Many climbers use acetazolamide (Diamox) to help with acclimatisation, but it is a prescription medicine and not right for everyone. Talk to your own doctor before the trip, especially about allergies and side effects, and tell your guide if you are taking it.

Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year, but the driest months are mid-January to mid-March and late June to October, which are also the busiest. The long rains from late March to early June bring wet trails and cloud, and we generally advise against climbing then unless you are experienced in those conditions. November brings short rains, often in the afternoon.

On our Kilimanjaro packages with hotel nights, you stay at our partner hotel, Weru Weru River Lodge near Moshi, or a similar hotel, on the night before and the night after the climb. Your guide holds the pre-climb briefing and gear check there.

You need good broken-in hiking boots, warm layers including a down jacket, waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, a warm hat, a headtorch and a daypack. Tents, mats and all group and cooking equipment are provided. Your specialist will confirm what can be rented locally, including sleeping bags, and send you a full packing list.

Both trekking days cover about 17 km, which takes six to seven hours with stops. The trail is forest path along the crater rim, not steep mountain ground, but you need to be comfortable walking all day at about 2,000 metres or more.

Enquire

Ask about this itinerary

Every AAA Express Adventure trip can be changed to suit you: the pace, the lodges, the number of days. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our team in Arusha will come back to you with a plan and a price.

Your journey

Price on request

4 days · 3 nights