Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater

Tanzania

What We Love

Unique setting – an ancient volcanic caldera
Some of the easiest &amp most rewarding game viewing in East Africa
Home to the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo &amp rhino
An abundance of predators &amp spectacular scenery
Romantic cliff-top lodges with glorious views
Combines easily with Serengeti, Tarangire &amp Lake Manyara

Why Ngorongoro Crater?

Why Ngorongoro Crater?

Ngorongoro Crater, situated in northern Tanzania, is an ancient volcanic caldera known for providing some of East Africa's easiest &amp most rewarding game viewing experiences.

Experience

This area is home to the sought-after Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, &amp rhinos. Ngorongoro Crater offers an exceptional safari adventure with its unique setting &amp a remarkable population of 30,000 animals, making it a dream destination for safari enthusiasts.

The landscape is nothing short of spectacular, teeming with abundant predators. It's not uncommon to spot all members of the Big 5 in a single day here.

Luxurious lodges situated atop cliffs on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater provide some of the world's most breathtaking views. Staying near the rim also has the added perk of being first in line for the descent to the crater floor each morning, allowing you to beat the crowds.

For travelers seeking more budget-friendly yet equally peaceful safari accommodations, the nearby town of Karatu, about 20 km south of the crater in the lush hills of the Karatu Highlands, offers excellent options. Many lodgings here are surrounded by working coffee plantations, offering a wide range of activities, similar to those at the crater rim.

Activities

Ngorongoro Crater offers a wealth of activities for its visitors. Choices include open 4x4 game drives, guided walks with Maasai warriors, mountain biking, bird watching, cultural visits, hot air balloon safaris, picnics on the crater floor, &amp romantic sundowner excursions. Day trips to nearby attractions like Lake Manyara &amp Olduvai Gorge can also be arranged.

When to travel

Wildlife remains within the steep-walled crater throughout the year, ensuring a great safari experience regardless of the season. High visitor numbers are expected during the peak season from July to September &amp again during the calving season in December to February following the November rains. With fewer visitors &amp a lush green landscape compared to the dry season, the April to May rainy season is often considered the best time to visit Ngorongoro Crater.

Gallery

Gallery

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Lodges

Lodges

Entamanu Ngorongoro Camp

Entamanu Ngorongoro Camp

Entamanu Ngorongoro boasts a secluded setting at the edge of the crater’s rim at roughly 3,000 feet above sea level. Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater is the country’s most famous landmark & the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. And in 2015 it was officially hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. At Entamanu, guests can witness the ever-changing landscape of the Serengeti to the west & the Crater to the east.

Entamanu Private Camp

Entamanu Private Camp

Entamanu Private Camp offers an unmatched, exclusive safari experience at the edge of the crater’s rim at roughly 3,000 feet above sea level. Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater is the country’s most famous landmark & the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. And in 2015 it was officially hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. The game viewing here is exceptional! Being one of the most densely populated conservation areas in Africa, with over 25,000 animals residing in the caldera, guests can anticipate seeing the Big 5 as well as a variety of other wildlife.

Gibb's Farm

Gibb’s Farm is set on a working farm against the slopes of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, close to the world’s largest inactive, unbroken & unfilled volcanic caldera: the Ngorongoro Crater. Here guests can experience farm life at its best! With garden-to-table meals & interactive farm affairs like milking the cows, feeding the pigs or joining the farm’s coffee roasters to experience traditional coffee roasting methods – Gibb’s Farm has it all. The farm is an ideal choice for travellers who are looking to combine a traditional safari with a unique experience.

Kitela Lodge

Kitela Lodge is set on a hillside in the highlands of the Ngorongoro Crater Area & offers breathtaking views of a coffee plantation & waterfall. Surrounded by majestic mountains, this exclusive retreat is an ideal base from which to explore the region, including the nearby Ngorongoro Crater. The wellness spa & swimming pool offer further relaxation & are the perfect contrast to the daily action-packed safari excursions.

Lemala Ndutu

Lemala Ndutu is a mobile tented camp that is set up between November & April each year – during the best wildlife season - & has been described as having the ‘ultimate front row’ seats to the Great Migration. Each year millions of wildebeest, zebra & gazelle migrate in a clockwise direction across the ecosystems of the Serengeti in Tanzania & the Masai Mara in Kenya. Here at Lemala Ndutu, the views of the southern end of the migration route are so fantastic, you might not even have to get into a 4x4 to witness this world-renowned spectacle. Occasionally galloping wildebeest & zebra are known to pass right through camp!

Lemala Ngorongoro

Lemala Ngorongoro

Set in an ancient acacia forest close to the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp offers an intimate & secluded safari experience. With easy access to the crater floor, Lemala guests usually have an hour’s head start over others descending the far busier road on the western rim. This ideal location allows guests early access to the crater – crucial for photographers who demand the best light conditions. Excellent year-round wildlife viewing can be expected as the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best Big 5 reserves in East Africa.

Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge

Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury...

Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge is situated on the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a short drive from the game-rich Ngorongoro Crater as well as the rewarding Lake Manyara National Park – famed for its tree-climbing lions. Overlooking a dramatic landscape of volcanic peaks & coffee plantations, Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge is a tranquil haven for safari-goers in search of superb wildlife viewing & interesting day excursions. The Ngorongoro Crater is known to have the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa & Lake Manyara is home to an abundance of wildlife, so Neptune’s guests will be able to experience the best of both worlds.

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge boasts an amazing location on the rim of the world’s largest intact & unflooded caldera – the iconic Ngorongoro Crater. Offering magnificent views over the game-rich crater, the lodge boasts stunning architecture resembling a traditional Maasai mud-&-stick homestead while the interiors & finishes are pure opulence. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge’s guests will not only experience top-notch year-round wildlife viewing – including the famous Big 5 – but will be treated to personal butler service & fine dining, giving the lodge a richly deserved reputation of excellence.

Ngorongoro Farm House

Ngorongoro Farm House

Set on a 500-acre coffee farm with glorious views of Oldeani Volcano, Ngorongoro Farm House enjoys an ideal location just 4km from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, close to Lake Eyasi. Ngorongoro Farm House has been designed to reflect an old colonial farm with rustic local materials & Victorian bathtubs. It is a wonderful stop-over between safaris & & offers a variety of exciting safari activities & cultural interactions.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Ngorongoro Serena Safari ...

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge enjoys a spectacular location on the edge of the world’s largest intact & unflooded caldera – the famous Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Inspired by cave paintings of Olduvai Gorge, the décor & interiors resemble Africa in every way. Even the lodge exterior is built from natural stone, giving it a cave-like appearance. Excellent year-round wildlife viewing can be anticipated, as well as historical & cultural tours to nearby Olduvai Gorge or one of the local Maasai villages.

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Perched on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater’s highest point, the superb Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge is the only property on the eastern rim of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The world’s largest intact & unflooded caldera provides a home to a multitude of wildlife, including Africa’s Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo & rhino. Sopa Lodge has a private road to the crater floor, which means that Sopa guests can avoid the early morning hustle & bustle & reach the crater floor faster than most.

Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp

Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crat...

Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp is set within the rim valley of the iconic Ngorongoro Crater - the world’s largest intact & unflooded caldera & a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crater is home to 30,000 mammals, most of which never leave its protected paradise – ensuring top-notch wildlife viewing year-round. It is not unusual to see Africa’s Big 5 in a single day as well as a variety of other animals like zebra, eland, jackal & hyena.

The Highlands Ngorongoro

The Highlands Ngorongoro

The Highlands, an award-winning tented camp, boasts a spectacular setting on the forested slopes of the extinct Olmoti Volcano, surrounded by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Offering awe-inspiring views, stylish tents with high-tech facilities & exquisite attention to detail, The Highlands Ngorongoro is quite simply the perfect place from which to discover the wild & pristine Crater Highlands. Discerning travellers with an appetite for luxury will adore the unusual dome-like suites & sweeping views over the distant Serengeti.

The Manor at Ngorongoro

The Manor at Ngorongoro

The Manor at Ngorongoro, a Cape Dutch style farmhouse, lies within the Shangri-La Arabica Coffee Estate, adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. This grand mansion exudes old-world charm & offers guests an exclusive safari experience combining East African hospitality & timeless architecture. The Manor offers 9 cottages that are divided into 2 guest suites, making a total of 18 rooms. There is also 1 three-bedroom stable cottage for families. All rooms are beautifully appointed & provide exceptional views of the landscape.

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