Tailor-made safaris that include Ngorongoro Crater.
Most requested
- 9 days
- Tanzania
- 2 lodges
- All-inclusive
9-Day Exquisite Tanzania Wilderness Safari
- Family
- Child friendly
- Big 5
- 1 night at Arusha Coffee Lodge with a guided coffee plantation walk
- 1 night at Melia Ngorongoro Lodge overlooking the crater
- 2 nights at Siringit Serengeti Camp with daily game drives and a bush picnic
- 2 nights at Siringit Migration Camp tracking the Great Migration herds
- 2 nights at Lemala Mpingo Ridge in Tarangire, home to large elephant herds
- All meals, local beverages, transfers and conservation fees included
Per person, complete package, from
$12,605
Most requested
- 10 days
- Tanzania, Zanzibar
- 2 lodges
- All-inclusive
10 Day Bush and Beach Safari
- Family
- Child friendly
- Bush & Beach
- Big 5
- Ballooning
- 2 nights at Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha bookending the safari
- Game drive in Lake Manyara, home to tree-climbing lions
- 2 nights at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp with full-day Central Serengeti drives
- Descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater for Big Five viewing
- 3 nights at the 5-star Melia Zanzibar on the Indian Ocean
- All internal flights and transfers included
Per person, complete package, from
$5,340
Most requested
- 10 days
- Kenya, Tanzania
- Fly-in
- All-inclusive
10 Day Luxury Fly-in Kenya & Tanzania Tour
- Big 5
- Ballooning
- 1 night at Gran Meliá Arusha, then 2 nights at Meliá Ngorongoro Lodge
- Guided game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater
- 3 nights at Nimali Serengeti in the heart of the migration corridor
- 3 nights at Entim Mara Camp with twice-daily drives in the Masai Mara
- Big Five tracking across Tanzania and Kenya's top reserves
- Light-aircraft flights between Arusha, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and the Mara
Per person, complete package, from
$11,885
Special
- 6 days
- Tanzania
- 1 lodge
6 Day Great Migration Safari - Natures Most Spectacular Show
- Family
- Child friendly
- Big 5
- Ballooning
- 1 night at Sangaiwe Tented Lodge exploring Tarangire's baobab-dotted savannah
- 3 nights at Kati Kati Tented Camp, positioned seasonally to track the herds
- Witness wildebeest and zebra crossings on the Serengeti plains
- Game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor with chance of black rhino
- 1 night at Ang'ata Ngorongoro Camp with sunset views over the caldera
- Throughout in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with open roof and private guide
Per person, complete package, from
$3,650 $3,790
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Brochure
Our Signature East Africa Guide
Your guide to the best of East Africa: the Serengeti, Masai Mara, gorilla trekking, and Zanzibar.
Where to stay
Lodges in Ngorongoro Crater.
4 lodges across this destination, ordered by what guests pick most. Rates per person sharing, per night.
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01 PremiumNgorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection
Perched on the rim of the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection is a retreat that immerses guests in the sweeping views of the Ngorongoro Crater, home to more than 25,000 animals and 2.5 million years of natural history. Designed with deep respect for the environment and inspired by Maasai culture, the lodge blends luxury with authentic African character from its spa and crater-view dining to game drives, bush lunches, and walking safaris along the crater rim.
Per person sharing, per night, from
$775
Current offers
Honeymoon
Welcome amenity; sparkling wine in room on arrival; upgrade to superior category (upon availability); late check-out (upon availability); romantic turn-down during stay; 10% off Spa Packages
Combo
Meliá Tanzania Circuit Discount: Combine Ngorongoro Lodge with Gran Meliá Arusha and/or Meliá Serengeti Lodge for a 5% discount (minimum 1 night in Arusha + 4 nights across Ngorongoro/Serengeti) or 10% discount (minimum 1 night in Arusha + 6 or more nights across Ngorongoro/Serengeti). Valid 4 Jan–21 Dec 2026.
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02 AffordableLemala Ndutu Tented Camp
Lemala Ndutu is a nine-tent mobile camp perched on the edge of a permanent marsh in the Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, near the southern Serengeti border. From December to March it sits ringside to the wildebeest calving season, with tens of thousands of zebra and gazelle on the short grass plains and a high concentration of big cats in pursuit.
Per person sharing, per night, from
$330
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03 LuxLemala Osonjoi Lodge
- Luxury
- Big 5
Lemala Osonjoi Lodge sits on a forested hillside just back from the Ngorongoro Crater rim, close to the quieter Lemala Gate on the eastern side of the caldera. Twenty spacious suites, an indoor heated pool and an early-start location mean guests reach the crater floor within fifteen minutes, ahead of the crowds arriving from the western lodges.
Per person sharing, per night, from
$1,885
Current offers
Stay & Pay
Stay a minimum of 5+ nights and enjoy 22% discount on each night on Full Board or Game Package Basis
Honeymoon
50% Discount off each night for the Bride. 1st Night Full Board or Game Package FOC for the Groom. T&C's Apply
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04 AffordableNgorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Built from river stone and wrapped in indigenous vines along the jagged rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, the lodge disappears into the landscape rather than imposing on it. Inside, rope-lashed timber walkways connect boulder-built rooms, each with a private stone balcony and uninterrupted views over the blue-green crater floor far below.
Per person sharing, per night, from
$520
Current offers
Stay & Pay
Twende Serena Stay Local Resident Offer: 20% off for East Africa and Mozambique residents. Valid for stays until 30 June 2026. Proof of residency required at check-in.
The basics
Why, when, and where.
Ngorongoro Crater: Africa’s Garden of Eden
Why
The Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact caldera, is the crown jewel of Tanzania's northern circuit. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it remains one of the finest places on Earth to witness the Big Five in a single day.
It is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the famous Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo), making a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater essential for any safari experience in Tanzania.
Ngorongoro offers an exceptional year-round game viewing experience. The crater is renowned for its abundant wildlife; here, game drives offer photographers unparalleled opportunities to capture predators and prey in close proximity. Experiences in the Ngorongoro Crater include Big Five game drives on the crater floor, birdwatching, cultural interactions with the Maasai tribe, and visits to Olduvai Gorge.
While lodges perched on the crater’s rim offer iconic views, the nearby town of Karatu provides a quieter, more intimate alternative with boutique stays and local walking trails.
When
Because the crater’s steep walls act as a natural enclosure, game viewing is world-class throughout the year.
Tourist activity peaks during the dry season, which runs from June to September. This period is considered the best for game viewing, as the sparse vegetation allows for better visibility around rivers and waterholes. Be sure to bring warm clothing for the chilly mornings during this season.
Tourist numbers decrease during the rainy season, from October to May, when the landscape becomes lush and green. The higher water levels in Ngorongoro Crater’s Lake Magadi attract more birdlife, including the famous flamingos. Rainfall typically occurs as brief afternoon showers, except for the heavier rains from March to May.
Where
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Tanzania, continues to be a remarkable wilderness region. The pristine expanse includes short-grass plains on the southern border of the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Highlands, featuring dramatic ancient volcanoes on the western edge of the Great Rift Valley.
The star attraction remains the Ngorongoro Crater, Africa's largest inactive, intact volcanic caldera.
The crater is home to the ‘Big Five’ as well as the following wildlife:
- cheetah,
- serval cat,
- jackal,
- hyena,
- Grant's and Thomson's gazelle,
- and over 400 species of bird.
In addition to the rich wildlife, the crater features several natural sites, including Lake Magadi; the Lerai Forest; and the picturesque Ngoitokitok Spring, a haven for hippos, elephants, and lions.
Must-see attractions within the greater Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area include the smaller Empakaai Crater, known for large flocks of flamingos, and the spectacular Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge. This steep-sided ravine is one of the world’s most significant prehistoric sites with a museum that showcases replicas of the hominid and fossil discovered there.
Photos from our guests
A traveller's view.
Every photo below was taken by a guest of ours on a recent trip to Ngorongoro Crater. No stock imagery, no marketing shots. What they saw, on their cameras.
Imagery
Ngorongoro Crater, in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Ngorongoro Crater.
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Ngorongoro Crater, those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"Jayson was very professional helpful and patient with me. I would recommend him Anytime. Too bad the Ngorongoro crater lodge will be closed during our visit"
"We, 3 friends from switzerland (Anna, 62; Jürg, 60; Amélie, 21), had a great time with Roy Safaris in Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara. We really recommend to book there. We felt very happy and comfortable with our guide and driver, Ally Kimea. He gave us unforgetable experience in wildlife we‘ve never expected, because of his profound knowlege about a…"
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