Culture at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is as much a part of the experience as its wildlife. Over the millennia many pastoralist peoples have passed through these highlands, but it is the Maasai – who arrived around 200 years ago – who define the area today. More than 42,000 Maasai herders now live within the conservation area alongside their cattle, donkeys, goats and sheep.

A life in balance with nature

The Maasai follow a seasonal, semi-nomadic rhythm, moving to the plains in the rains and to wooded slopes in the dry season. They are permitted to bring livestock into the crater to drink and graze, but not to live or cultivate there. Historically the Maasai neither hunted wild animals nor farmed the land, living instead on the milk, meat and blood of their herds – a way of life that helped preserve the very ecosystem travellers come to see.

Visiting a Maasai boma

Two authorised cultural bomas welcome visitors: one near Sopa Lodge in Ilkipushi village, and another on the road towards the Serengeti. Guests are greeted with song, dance and ceremony, and can learn about daily life, photograph the vivid red cloaks of the Morani warriors, and buy handmade beadwork and souvenirs. There is a fee, but it directly supports local villages, schools and health centres. Please always ask before photographing people by the roadside.

Combine culture with wildlife

A cultural visit pairs naturally with time on the crater floor – see the wildlife of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the best time to visit. Ready to experience it? Start planning your Tanzania safari with our team.