Yes, if the short safari has a morning for it. The crater is the most reliable single wildlife site on the northern circuit, and it sits on the road between the Serengeti and Arusha or Moshi. Skipping it on a 3-day trip only makes sense if you have chosen to spend every hour in one Serengeti region instead.
How Kilita plans it
The crater fee is one of the larger park costs, so a cheap quote that 'includes Ngorongoro' needs to say whether that fee is inside the price. Kilita's short camping cards that name the crater, from $600 to $850 joining depending on the parks, are the trips where the crater is the point of one day. One descent is enough for most travellers.
What to do next
- Give it a morning on any trip of three days or more.
- Do not schedule it after a late Serengeti exit.
- Confirm the crater fee in writing.
- One descent is the normal visit.
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