Lengai Camp

Established in 2010 and operated by Tanzania-born zoologist Michel Mantheakis and his wife Nicole, and their competent safari crew, lovely Lengai Camp has a central mess area that serves as both dining and lounge area, as visitors prefer to sit outside around the fire or in the shade of the acacia trees. Expect really good eating here, as the chef is super-competent, and produces meals rivalling those at gourmet restaurants, with delicious vegetarian and game dishes, and more-ish camp-baked bread.

Six tents – four for guests and two for guides (unless they're required by extra visitors) – are roomy, with en-suite bathrooms complete with shower (some also with a bathtub) and flush toilets. The decor is local, with Zanzibari-style hand-crafted beds and other furniture. Power (a solar array that charges a central battery pack during the day for use by power inverter system at night) is constant and can be used to charge electronic equipment as well as provide light.

Lose yourself in the views of Ol Doinyo Lengai and other surrounding mountains. However, it's worth rising from your chair to explore the entire controlled area (other operators have restricted access only) on a guided tour. See 120,000-year-old hominid footprints on the shores of Lake Natron. Visit a Masai village. Enjoy Lake Natron's fabulous flamingos. Explore the seven nearby volcanic craters. Climb Ol Doinyo Lengai with a Masai warrior for sunrise views of the Rift Valley and its wakening wildlife.