Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp

Lemala Ngorongoro sits in acacia woodland on the eastern rim of Ngorongoro Crater, ten tents positioned apart from each other for privacy. The camp's practical advantage is its access road. Most lodges use the Seneto road on the western rim, which is the busier route. Lemala uses the quieter eastern road, and game drives can leave at 6:15am, putting you on the crater floor within ten to fifteen minutes — useful when wildlife is most active at first light and photographers need the early conditions.

The tents each hold two double beds with a separate dressing area, en-suite shower and flush toilet. Nights on the crater rim are cold, and each tent is equipped with heavy duvets, hot water bottles and a gas heater. One tent is configured as two bedrooms for families or groups travelling together; triple arrangements are available on request. Each tent has a verandah. Solar power runs the camp around the clock, with a generator as backup.

The mess tent serves as dining room, lounge and bar together, furnished with old-wood cabinets, sofas, rugs and bookshelves. Evenings typically end around the campfire before dinner. Guided walks through the woodland and along the rim are led by NCAA rangers and Maasai guides.

The nearest airstrip is Manyara, a two-hour drive away.