NGORONGORO CRATER (Eden of Africa, the 8th wonder of the world).

Ngorongoro Crater is located west of the Great Rift Valley, which runs from the Red Sea to Lake Nyasa in southern Tanzania. It is the second largest extinct crater in the world, and has a spectacular concentration of  wildlife. Ngorongoro was an active volcano some eight million years ago, whose cone collapsed, leaving a crater. The crater is oval in shape, 300Sq. Km in area, and 610m deep. Most of the big five are seen elephant, rhino, Lion, Leopard and Buffalo. Bird life includes Kori bustard, Secretary bird, crested crane, Marabou stork, Goliath, Beautiful fish Eagles, and thousands of flamingoes.

VEGETATION: Blooming in acres of flowers e.g. pink, blue and white lupines, candle white lilies, and blue hyacinth. 

OLDUVAI GORGE: 

In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a site of our NEANDERTHAL MAN the zinjanthropus. In 1959 the Zinj skull was discovered by Dr. Leakey at the Olduvai Gorge. Zinjanthropus is believed to have lived 1.8 million years ago. In the 1970's the footprints of animals and early hominids dating back to 3.5 million years were found by Mary Leakey at Laetoli, some 45 Kms south of Olduvai Gorge.

In 1974 fossils of hominid tooth were discovered, dating back to 2.4 million years. Engaruka site, discovered not very far from Olduvai is believed to be an ancient settlement of a later civilization. Between half a million and a million year ago,"Homo Erectus", who stood upright, wondered around making use land of axes. Many such tools were found at Olduvai. More than 150 different species of extinct mammals have been identified from the fossils, as well as many birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.