Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp is an intimate, charming seasonal camp set in the dappled shade of an ancient acacia forest, right on the edge of the majestic Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on the eastern side near the quiet Lemala crater access road, the camp offers a key advantage: guests have quick and easy access into the Crater, often arriving about an hour before other visitors descending via the far busier Seneto crater access road on the western rim.
Rooms
The camp features 9-10 spacious canvas tents (sources vary slightly) positioned carefully through the old-growth acacia forest to provide privacy with minimal impact on the pristine forest environment. Each tent boasts two queen-size beds with warm winter duvets and hot-water bottles, wooden floors, sofa, writing desk, front porch seating, gas heaters for cool highland evenings, and 24-hour solar lighting. The spacious en-suite bathrooms contain a dressing area, flush toilet, and large "safari-style" al fresco shower.
General facilities
The large Mess Tent serves triple duty as restaurant, bar, and lounge area, furnished with grand comfortable sofas, board games, and bookshelves filled with local wildlife and culture books. In the evening, guests gather around a blazing campfire to enjoy sundowners and swap stories of the day's adventures before making their way to a lavish chandelier-lit dinner hosted by the camp manager. The camp offers rustic luxury with incredible food and amazing staff in a secluded, tranquil setting.
About
The crater floor is only 10-15 minutes' drive away from the gate, making Lemala guests usually the first to arrive at the bottom for the best morning light conditions – crucial for photographers. This early admission is the only accommodation where you can explore the crater's floor an hour before anyone else, skipping the queues as staff handle paperwork the night before. You'll also get to stay longer, with the dusky light later offering beautiful lighting for photos. Staff prepare you for early admission.
Activities
Activities include game drives into Ngorongoro Crater (renowned for high concentration of game and amazing Big 5 sightings including hyena, zebra, wildebeest, cheetah, jackal, bat-eared foxes, gazelles, and plenty of birds), as well as guided bush walks within the nearby Ol Moti and Empakaai Craters, or along the crater rim and through the acacia forest with armed rangers and Maasai guides. These walks illuminate local flora, fauna, and the lifestyle and traditions of the Maasai people who live alongside the wildlife.
Destination
Tanzania Safaris
Style
Camp
