&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is divided into three camps – North, South and Tree Camp. North and South are identical, while Tree Camp has slightly smaller guest rooms. Maasai manyatta (homestead) meets baronial manor in the architecture and furnishings throughout, creating an extravagant yet homely atmosphere. Each camp has its own communal area (the one at Tree Camp is built around a gigantic tree; at South Camp it's quirky), and all offer panoramic views of the crater.

The three camps encompass 30 stand-alone rooms, all extravagantly decorated in a style that's both engaging and comfortable. All have a fireplace, a sitting area, a balcony with big views and an en-suite bathroom with two basins, a shower and a bathtub that is filled with hot water and strewn with rose petals every evening by your personal butler. You have to be escorted to and from your room at night and early in the morning, for (animal) safety reasons.

Morning and evening game drives take 20–30 minutes to reach the crater floor, when you'll need to have your camera primed for constant use. (TIP: Pre-order breakfast to take on a morning drive; there's nowhere better to have it.) The lodge also offers guided walking safaris around the crater rim, visits to a Maasai cultural village to browse through the crafts, and excursions to beautiful lakes Ndutu and Eyasi or the Olduvai Gorge. Or simply relax and enjoy the views.