Olmoti Crater

Olmoti Crater is an extinct volcanic caldera located in the Nainokanoka ward of Ngorongoro District within the Arusha Region of northern Tanzania. Situated at the northern end of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area within the volcanic Crater Highlands, the crater spans approximately 6.5 kilometers in diameter, with its highest point reaching about 3,080 meters above sea level. Its name derives from the Maasai word Olmoti, meaning cooking pot, reflecting its sunken bowl shape.Unlike the nearby Ngorongoro Crater, Olmoti is a shallow, grass-covered caldera bisected by a river valley. It plays a critical hydrological role in the regional ecosystem as the source of the Munge River. On the western rim of the crater, the river plunges down as the Munge Waterfall before continuing into the Ngorongoro Crater, where it feeds surrounding wetlands and Lake Magadi. Protruding rocks dot the high vantage points, offering scenic vistas of the surrounding highlands and Mount Lolmalasin, Tanzania's third-highest mountain.The crater's year-round water supply and grassy slopes provide grazing pastures for Maasai cattle as well as wild herbivores including elands and antelopes. Avian species such as augur buzzards and Verreaux's eagles are frequently seen overhead. Olmoti Crater is a quiet destination favored for guided walking safaris, hiking, camping, and birdwatching. The crater rim is accessible via a short 30-to-40-minute hike from the Nainokanoka ranger post, and the area often serves as a key route for multi-day trekking safaris extending north to Empakaai Crater.