Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is game viewing gone crazy and it is not
surprising that with is one of Tanzania’s major tourist
drawcards. Within the crater rim a daily wildlife drama is
played out as large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby
lions, leopards, elephants and black rhinos. Outside of the
crater a similar drama continues in a more spread out manner
with Masai herdsmen thrown into the mix.
Day Notes
After breakfast, drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest
intact caldera in the world. Its enduring charm stems from its
overwhelming physical beauty and the abundance of wildlife
permanently resident on the crater floor. Lunch at the lodge.
Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Perched on the jagged rim of the crater, wreathed in morning
mist, camouflaged in river-stone and cloaked in indigenous
creepers, the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is a triumph of
ecological and architectural fusion. Sensitively constructed
so as to take nothing from its environment whilst affording
endless vistas over the heat-shimmering reaches of the crater
below, the clustered boulder-built buildings of the Lodge hug
the crater rim, linked by rope-lashed timber walkways that
skirt the buttressed roots of ancient, liana-hung trees. The
interior, radiating out from the primeval log fire glowing at
the heart of the Lodge, blends the concentrated hush of a
game-viewing hide with the ochre, rust and charcoal images of
a prehistoric cavern. Lit by flaming wall-lanterns, clad in
gigantic volcanic boulders and decorated by the iron spears,
bright-beaded robes and intricately carven artefacts of the
Maasai, the Lodge is a unique blend of world-class luxury,
timeless volcanic splendour and ethnic style. As for the
views, from lilac-streaked sunrise, to indigo star-studded
night, the immeasurably ancient Ngorongoro Crater delivers a
theatre of vistas, most unchanged since the dawn of time.
Strung around the crater rim, each with its own rock-enclosed
balcony, the rooms feature brass lamps, embossed leather
headboards, wildwood mirrors, Maasai carvings and flamboyant
prehistoric wall motifs depicting fleeing giraffes, stylised
gazelle and plunging buffalo. Each room draws on a cave-grey,
indigo-blue and jasper-red colour-scheme, is fully
air-conditioned and enjoys uninterrupted views over the
Crater's unmatched splendour. At the end of an action-packed
day, guests can also follow a gentle nature trail that loops
around the Lodge through moss-hung glades and plunging
ravines, take a guided walk to the Crater's rim, relax with a
herbal massage, or watch as the burning sun sinks behind the
mountains from a unique vantage point on the craggy heights of
the Crater's rim.
Included
Full Board