Summit collection · Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
Timber-framed comfort directly on the rim, with a telescope trained on the crater floor
- Collection
- Summit · Luxury
- Destination
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Area
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Style
- Crater-rim luxury lodge
- Best months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
About Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
The Rim Room is a luxury lodge in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, part of the Meliá Collection. Its great strength is position: it stands right on the crater rim, among the properties nearest the descent road, with a view that is open rather than partial.
A rooftop terrace with a telescope lets you study the crater floor from above, while an A-frame timber lounge gives you somewhere warm and sheltered when the highland air turns cool. Interiors are polished, with an open-plan living and dining space and artwork such as a crowned crane painting.
Suites have a separate living room that opens to the bedroom, and the on-site spa offers a way to recover after long days on the move. It is a good fit for travellers who want comfort and a sense of occasion on a crater stay.
- Perched directly on the crater rim with clear views down
- Rooftop terrace fitted with a telescope over the crater floor
- A-frame timber lounge for cooler highland evenings
- Suites with a separate living room opening to the bedroom
- On-site spa for unwinding after long game-drive days
- Open-plan living and dining area with wildlife-inspired art
Setting
The lodge occupies the crater rim itself, high above the volcanic bowl. From here the floor of the crater lies far below, with its grassland, soda lake and scattered herds visible on a clear day. Cloud and mist are common on the rim, and can drift in and out within minutes. Pack for cool, changeable weather, particularly in the early mornings and evenings.
Rooms and tents
Accommodation is en-suite and aimed at the luxury end of the market. Photographs show suites with a living room that opens through to the bedroom, giving space to spread out. Expect polished finishes and views that make the most of the rim. If you want a particular suite type or a family arrangement, ask us and we will check what the lodge can offer for your dates.
Dining
The restaurant is a spacious dining room, linked to an open-plan living area, and it is where most guests take breakfast and dinner. Because the rim climate is cool, indoor dining is comfortable even in the evening. The lodge can usually help with early breakfasts or packed lunches for crater days. Tell us about any dietary requirements before you travel.
Things to do from here
- Descent into the crater for a full game drive
- Stargazing and crater-watching through the rooftop telescope
- Spa treatments after a long day
- Visits to Lake Magadi on crater days
- Short excursions to Olduvai Gorge, depending on your itinerary
When to stay
The destination's best months are January to March and June to October. The dry season, roughly June to October, offers clearer skies and firmer roads for the descent, while the early part of the year is green after the short rains. The long rains, roughly March to May, bring dramatic cloud, lush scenery and fewer visitors. As the lodge sits on the rim, expect cool mornings and evenings in every season.
Good to know
- Rim temperatures are cool and misty weather is common, so bring a warm jacket even in the dry season.
- Ask us to confirm spa treatments, opening hours and any extra costs before you travel.
- Lemala arranges your crater entry and transfers. Wildlife on the floor is wild and sightings are never guaranteed.
Gallery
Inside Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
On these itineraries
Trips that include Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
5 days
Serengeti and Crater Fly-In Getaway
Skip the long road, land on the plains, and spend your short break watching lions and crater wildlife.
12 days
Twelve Days: Kilimanjaro Hike, Maasai Villages and the Northern Parks
Boots on the Shira Plateau, conversations in Maasai communities, then four of Tanzania's great parks without a rushed overnight in sight.
8 days
Mara River Crossings by Air: Serengeti and Ngorongoro
A morning flight puts you beside the northern crossing points, with two days to wait for the herds.
7 days
Calving Season Photographers' Safari
Baobabs, a crater floor and three unhurried days on the Ndutu plains, paced around light and behaviour.
14 days
Lemosho Summit, Then Serengeti
Eight days to Uhuru Peak, a proper rest, then a flight into the plains and a day in Ngorongoro Crater.
10 days
10-Day Slow-Light Photographic Safari
Small groups, spare seats and long stops in elephant, crater and big-cat country.
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Stay at Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
Tell us your dates, group and budget, and we will build the trip around this stay.