Lion's Paw Camp

In the main area, you'll find a reception-bar combo and an elegant restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase those crater views. The multi-level deck is the real showstopper, offering panoramic vistas across the crater while elephants and buffalo (occasionally) wander through the grounds. Inside, the warm wood decor is unfussy and cosy, and there's plenty of local artwork to look at. During the cooler evenings, the fireplace is the spot to be in - particularly with a glass of excellent Tanzanian wine from the well-stocked bar.

Lion's Paw certainly doesn't do average safari tents... Instead, think luxury cabins elevated on stilts with canvas roofs and wraparound verandas. There are 15 in total and each has polished wood floors, four-poster beds with billowing mosquito nets, and thoughtfully positioned windows framing the views. Bathrooms have proper hot showers and marble finishes, whilst heated electric blankets ensure cosy nights. Every tent has its own private deck - perfect for wildlife spotting during siesta time - and the two family suites add extra space and privacy for multigenerational groups.

The star attraction is of course the Ngorongoro Crater itself and the crater bowl is home to no less that 25,000 large mammals, including black rhino, lions, and vast herds of zebra and wildebeest. Beyond game drives, hiking opportunities abound with walks to Empakaai Crater's flamingo-fringed lake and Olmoti Crater's dramatic waterfall. Cultural visits to nearby Maasai villages offer authentic insights into traditional life, complete with dancing demonstrations and jewellery shopping. Bush dinners under the stars, sundowner drives, and guided nature walks around camp provide gentler alternatives.