The floor itself is a famous wildlife destination as the volcanic soil is so rich in nutrients that it supports an incredible diversity of grazing animals and, consequently, the predators on which they feed. It is basically its own ecosystem, with rich grasslands and permanent water sources being home to one of Africa's largest concentrations of wildlife year-round.

Approximately 25,000 animals inhabit the Crater. Most of these are wildebeest, zebra, gazelles of various types, waterbuck, jackets, eland, and hyena. Larger beasts include black rhino, buffalo, giant tusker elephant, and lion. The drawback is that Ngorongoro Crater is often busy, sometimes very busy, which can detract from the experience. We'd recommend getting up early and being among the first to the Crater's floor. Then have a short stay in the area before heading off to the quieter parts of the Serengeti.