Ngorongoro has been described as the "Garden of Eden" as well as "Paradise on Earth". It is believed to date from about 2.5 million years ago, relatively modern for this year.
It was once a huge active volcano, and was probably as large as Mt. Kilimanjaro. After some major volcanic activity, minor volcanic activity has continued and the small cones that resulted can be seen in the crater floor. Animal life is abundant and there is a wide variety of game in the crater. These include:
Lion
Elephant
Buffalo
Thompson's gazelle
Wildebeest
Zebra.
Ostrich are also likely to be seen.
It is possible to see almost all of the big game as there are an estimated 30,000 animals living in the crater. Ngorongoro is a conservation area rather than a National Park and therefore it is possible to see some of the local Masai people grazing their cattle here.
