Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
This is leg 3 of 3, the final leg.
Travel leg · Kenya & Tanzania Safari
Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Serengeti and Ngorongoro sit about 122 km (76 mi) apart in a straight line, with Ngorongoro to the south-east. It is leg 3 of 3 on our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary, an 11-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 122 km · 76 mi
- Est. road distance
- 146–170 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 30 min – 2 h 30 min
- Direction
- Heading south-east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 146–170 km (91–106 mi) of road and 1 h 30 min – 2 h 30 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Light aircraft link Nairobi's Wilson Airport with Mara airstrips and Arusha with Serengeti strips; there are no tourist crossings at the Mara–Serengeti border, so you fly between countries. Game drives are with your camp's guide or a licensed safari operator.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Ngorongoro
The world's largest intact volcanic caldera, with dense wildlife on its floor. Stay 2 nights.
Ngorongoro Crater
Caldera about 20 km across, home to lions, buffalo, flamingos and one of the best chances to see black rhino.
Olduvai Gorge Museum
Museum at the gorge where the Leakeys found early human fossils, with a talk over the site.
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Small Nomad Tanzania camp on the crater's western rim, serving set meals with views across the crater floor.
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Stone lodge built into the crater rim, with a bar and terrace looking over the caldera.
Lake Magadi
Shallow soda lake on the crater floor where flamingos feed and hippos wallow.
Lerai Forest
Yellow-barked acacia forest on the crater floor, a good spot for elephants and bushbuck.
Before you leave Serengeti
Tanzania's vast plains, with predators around Seronera and herds that move with the rains. Stay 3 to 4 nights.
Serengeti National Park
Tanzania's flagship park, 14,750 sq km of plains and kopjes supporting huge herds and predators.
Serengeti Visitor Centre
Seronera information center with an elevated walkway and displays on the ecosystem and migration.
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Lodge in the central Serengeti with an infinity pool above an elephant waterhole and a Discovery Centre.
On this curated route
Where Serengeti → Ngorongoro sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Ngorongoro to Serengeti is the same 122 km in a straight line, heading north-west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in July, when Ngorongoro averages highs 6°C cooler than Serengeti. Over a year, Ngorongoro gets about 180 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serengeti high | 27° | 28° | 28° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 28° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 28° | 27° |
| Ngorongoro high | 24° | 25° | 24° | 23° | 22° | 22° | 22° | 24° | 26° | 26° | 25° | 24° |
| Serengeti rain | 119 | 79 | 141 | 142 | 66 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 26 | 60 | 140 | 134 |
| Ngorongoro rain | 143 | 101 | 153 | 190 | 95 | 18 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 79 | 167 | 151 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Ngorongoro month guides.
Serengeti to Ngorongoro: questions travelers ask
How far is Serengeti from Ngorongoro?
Serengeti is about 122 km (76 mi) from Ngorongoro in a straight line, with Ngorongoro to the south-east. By road, we estimate 146–170 km (91–106 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Serengeti to Ngorongoro?
An estimated 1 h 30 min – 2 h 30 min, assuming 146–170 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Serengeti to Ngorongoro?
Our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary includes this leg. Kenya & Tanzania Safari runs about 11 days across 4 stops, best in Jun – Oct.
Getting to Serengeti
- Maasai Mara to Serengeti 100 km
Guides for both ends
- Serengeti travel guide
- Serengeti weather best time to visit
- Ngorongoro travel guide
- Ngorongoro weather best time to visit
Ngorongoro by month
Plan Serengeti → Ngorongoro with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.