Ridge collection · Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Stone rooms cut into the forested rim, with wildlife murals and crater outlooks
- Collection
- Ridge · Mid-range to upper mid-range
- Destination
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Area
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Style
- Rim-side stone lodge
- Best months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
About Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is built from stone and set into the forested slope of the crater rim. Rather than standing apart from the landscape, the buildings follow it, running in long rows along the rim and catching the light as the sun goes down.
Inside, the character comes from craftsmanship. Guest rooms are decorated with murals inspired by rock art, and a striped-sofa sitting room adds a touch of colour. The lounge terrace has chandeliers and an outlook down into the crater, a fine place for a long, slow drink.
The lodge is part of the Serena group and sits within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. For many itineraries it is the natural place to spend a crater night, since rooms look out over the crater floor and the descent road is not far away. Evenings here tend to be unhurried and atmospheric.
- Stone-built rooms cut into the forested crater rim
- Rooms with views looking straight down to the crater floor
- Lounge terrace with chandeliers and an open crater outlook
- Rock-art-style wildlife murals decorating the guest rooms
- A striped-sofa sitting room with a lively, colourful feel
- Sunset light on the long rows of stone buildings
Setting
The lodge clings to the forested rim of the crater, so the grounds slope and step rather than spread out flat. Stone walls blend into the trees, and the crater drops away beyond them. Mist is common here, and it can lift to reveal the floor far below. Expect cool air, changeable cloud and a very dramatic backdrop at dawn and dusk.
Rooms and tents
Guest rooms are en-suite and built in stone and timber along the rim. Photographs show walls painted with wildlife murals in a rock-art style, which gives each room a handcrafted look. Windows are arranged to look across and down into the crater. If you would like a specific view or a family layout, ask us and we will check with the lodge.
Dining
The full-service restaurant is the centre of meals, and the chandelier-lit lounge terrace is where many guests start or end the evening. Breakfast is often early on crater days, and the lodge can usually organise packed meals for the descent. Mealtimes and service style may vary by season. Tell us in advance about dietary needs and we will pass them on.
Things to do from here
- Full-day game drives on the crater floor
- Lounge-terrace sundowners with a view into the crater
- Short forest walks around the rim, where permitted
- Photography of the crater at dawn and dusk
- Visits to Lake Magadi and Olduvai Gorge on crater days
When to stay
Ngorongoro rewards visitors from June to October, when the dry season gives the clearest views and best road conditions, and again from January to March. The long rains, roughly March to May, turn the rim green and moody, with heavier cloud and fewer visitors. Short rains usually arrive in November and December. Because the lodge sits on the rim at altitude, mornings and evenings are cool whatever the month.
Good to know
- Rim weather is cool and often misty, so bring warm layers and a rain jacket for any season.
- Rooms are arranged along a slope, so ask us to confirm access if anyone in your party has mobility needs.
- Lemala arranges transfers and crater permits. Wildlife is wild, so sightings on the floor are never guaranteed.
Gallery
Inside Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
On these itineraries
Trips that include Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
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.
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.
8 days
8-Day Ndutu Resident Predators Safari for Photographers and Writers
Quiet plains, territorial cats and three full days to follow one story to its end.
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Stay at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
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