It includes the eastern portion of Serengeti National Park and areas south and east of the Ngorongoro Highlands.

The eruption of the now-extinct Kerimasi volcano 150,000 years ago deposited huge amounts of fine whitish-grey ash.

These ash deposits hardened with time, creating layers of calcareous tuff and calcitic hard-pan soil.

[5] The flat or slightly undulating plains are interrupted here and there by rocky kopjes, outcrops of the underlying Precambrian rocks.

[7][8] The terrain is 52% herbaceous vegetation including grasses, 26% low shrubs, 11% cultivated agricultural land, and the remainder is open woodland and wetlands.