Ngorongoro is a place that takes your breath away before you even descend into it. The crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, roughly 20 kilometres across and 600 metres deep, and it functions as a natural enclosure for one of the densest concentrations of wildlife anywhere in Africa. The floor of the crater holds a permanent resident population of around 25,000 large animals, including the Big Five. Ngorongoro is one of the best places in East Africa to see black rhino in the wild, a fact that makes it genuinely special at a time when rhino populations across the continent are under pressure. 8 The variety of habitats packed into this single enclosed space is remarkable. Open grassland, acacia woodland, a shallow soda lake with flamingos, and a permanent swamp create different ecosystems within the same viewable area. Lion prides are large and visible, and the hippo pool near the Munge River is reliably entertaining. The best time to visit Ngorongoro is during the dry season from June to October, when the crater floor is accessible, game viewing is clear, and the roads are at their most manageable. It is worth spending at least two game drives inside the crater to do it justice. Getting there typically means flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport and driving to the crater rim, which sits at about 2,300 metres above sea level. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is usually combined with the Serengeti on a Tanzania safari itinerary. It is cold at night on the crater rim, so bring a jacket. The descent into the crater each morning, as the mist clears and the landscape opens up below you, is one of the most memorable moments in African travel.