Large hole

This old volcano, possibly larger than nearby Mt Kilimanyaro, erupted 2.3 million years ago to leave the world’s largest unflooded and unbroken caldera. Research suggests various hominids have occupied the area for some 3 million years.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the 600m deep crater forms part of the Serengeti ecosystem.
People come here to see the animals of course. The resident population, estimated at 20 – 25,000 large mammals, is contained within a natural sanctuary with favourable rainfall and sunshine leading to abundant food supplies. Wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, elephant, rhino, waterbuck and bushbuck all eaten by leopards, hyenas , jackals and lions.
The lakes, Ndutu and Masek, are both alkaline soda lakes, sustaining the swamp environment which complements the savannah plains.Read more