A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is just east of Serengeti National Park, approximately a four and a half hour drive from the town of Moshi. The main tourist attraction here is Ngorongoro Crater, one of the top safari destinations in Africa. This is technically a caldera - a collapsed volcano and is approximately 20km in diameter. Because of the steep crater walls which go as high as 600m (2,000ft) the large majority of the 25,000 - 30,000 large mammals inside the crater live there year-round. This number includes approximately 7,000 wildebeests, 6,000 hyenas, 4,000 zebras, 3,000 elands, 3,000 gazelles, 300 elephants, 65 lions, and 30 black rhinoceros. Also present are African buffaloes, cheetahs, leopards, hippopotamus, ostrich, warthogs, babboons, among others. Besides the wildlife, the crater itself is very beautiful. The downside of Ngorongoro Crater is that it is crowded with safari vehicles. There are no accommodations inside of the crater and all people must be out of the crater between the hours of 6pm until 6am. The environment is very fragile and this is done as a preservation measure. There is also a heafty added fee of $250/vehicle (plus 18%VAT = $295 USD) to enter into the crater which goes toward conservation expenses. This is in addition to the daily fee of being inside the Conservation Area. Because this destination is small and because of the crowds, nearly all safari itineraries only include one partial day inside of the crater. In 4 - 5 hours or so all will easily be able to be seen. Besides the crater itself, the NCA has other tourist interests. Olduvi Gorge Museum is an attraction that many find interesting. This is an important paleoantropological site made famous by the research and discoveries by Dr Louis Leakey and his wife Dr Mary Leakey on the origin of mankind. This site is located an approximate 90 minute drive west of Ngorongoro Crater. To visit this museum, advance payment must be made online by Hike, Talk, Stay Adventures so this must be planned before the start of your safari. This destination is possible as part of any safari itinerary which is traveling overland to/from the Serengeti. Because the NCA is not a national park, the indiginous tribes are allowed to reside inside the area. They are allowed to graze their animals inside the crater but same as the tourists, they must be out of the crater from 6pm until 6am. There is a good traditional Maasai village located in the NCA between the crater and Serengeti. If you would like to spend an hour or so to see and learn about the lifestyle of the Maasai this side trip is possible while traveling to/from the Serengeti. The government of Tanzania and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority is in a no-win situation currently. The number of Maasai in the area over the years has increased dramatically. And many are adapting a more modern lifestyle. This is putting a strain on the wildlife. The government has elected to offer to relocate Maasai families to other parts of the country but this has been not well accepted. Those organizations concerned with the protection of wildlife have urged the government to hurry this relocation. Those organizations interested in indiginous rights have strongly opposed this relocation.