Reviews of safaris to Ngorongoro Crater
296 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Ngorongoro Crater.
"My Jun 2021 trip"
Ngorongoro and Serengeti are two fantastic places, and we had the rare privilege of visiting with very little tourism, really feeling and breathing the place.
With my current experience, I will change the first part of the trip avoiding lake Manyara and the long transfer of the first day, and planning at least two safaris in the crater." Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 5 on a Tanzania safari
"My Apr 2021 trip"
Glad we did the Serengeti during Covid as the destination would have certainly felt too busy in a regular year. May is further a lovely time to visit. Nature is lush and green, flowers in bloom, and there are many little ones amongst the herds. Rain was no problem at all as rainfalls did either occur at night or did hardly last for more than half an hour before the sun came through again.
The morning mist and the cloudy skies added a special atmosphere, while the bush babies kept us warm at night.
The itinerary was well balanced and met all our expectations ! Thank you Jessica :)
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No, just perfect. Thank you so much again !!!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari
"The trip of a lifetime."
The holiday itself was way beyond our expectations partly, I suspect, because there were so few other tourists about. In some of the lodges we visited we were the only guests which meant that we were treated like VIPs. And what lodges! The Lemala camps were excellent and Maruska negotiated a very good deal for us by using only Lemala for our safari accommodation and the deal included our own vehicle and guide throughout, which meant that we could go where we wanted to go, when we wanted to go, instead of being tied to a strict timetable for game viewing. As far as the game viewing was concerned, having been told by a couple of friends that their experiences included having to vie for a view of the animals with 100s of other vehicles, we instead found ourselves to be in splendid isolation with almost every animal we saw. The only downside was having to come home." Read full review: 41 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari
"Excellent vacation"
"Amazing honeymoon in Africa"
"My Jan 2020 trip"
Everyone did their best to iron out mishaps, rearrange itineraries and adapt to the unpredictable chaos due to the heavy, unending rainfall. Personally I understand that each trip will be different and no matter how much you plan...” life happens.” This trip just happened to be a bit more adventurous than what was planned; but no regrets.
My fellow travellers all report that though the trip was difficult they are completely blown away by the magnificence of Tanzania, her beauty, her glorious animals and her warm kind people. And yes, I’ll be back:)" Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari
"Super Safari!"
If anything we stayed too long in Zanzibar but this was dictated by our international flights arranged by us.
We would have no hesitation in recommending Expert Africa to our friends and family who may be considering a similar excursion.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No, none" Read full review: 29 nights in Africa; 12 on a Zanzibar holiday
"Oct/Nov 2019 trip"
The biggest issue was that Olivia had not made clear to me the consequences of the rainy season. I thought it just meant that it would rain a bit during the day and we would get wet, something I don't care about. What it really meant is that the bush would be so green and thick that animals would be extremely hard to see, that water would be so readily available everywhere that animals would be widely dispersed across hundreds of thousands of acres, and therefore hard to find, that the bugs would be fierce. and that the normally rough, bumpy roads would be so deeply rutted and washed out hat driving was bone crushing. And, as I noted in my comments about Sarara, some activities such as the Singing Wells, were not possible. No one can control the weather but if I had known what the rainy season was really like I don't think I would have taken the chance of traveling in the shoulder season. Since we were the only guests at a number of places, i felt everybody else had gotten the memo except us!
Also, some of the logistics could have been worked out better. Though the three Samburu camps look equidistant on a map, in fact it made no sense to go to Saruni Rhino last instead of Sarani Samburu, which is quite close to the airstrip.By going there last, it added another 2 and a half hour jeep trip on washed out roads to get back to the airstrip we had just come from two days earlier.
Finally, we were never told that the trip from Saruni Rhino to Plantation Lodge would be over 10 hours. We were shocked to discover on arrival at Kilamijaro that our jeep ride was over 4 hours. I can't believe there was not a scheduled or even charter flight from Kili to Manyara. In any event, no one told us about the length of the trip and we had no food from 8 AM till 6:30 PM expect for the driver's small pack of Pringles. I expected better attention to logistics.
With the exception of Stone Town, all the places we stayed were great. I just wish we had done the trip a different year when we could have done it at the right time." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
"My Oct 2019 trip"
It was an incredible experience with our 3 young children (9,7,4). The 7 day itinerary was perfect, and glad we got to spend 3 days in the Serengeti (our favourite of the 4 parks). We didn't feel rushed at all, or pressured to see animals.
Our driver was fantastic. He drove safely and was knowledgeable, and passionate about his job. He was patient and great with the kids. Also the vehicle was in great condition (better than almost all others we saw) which helped make it comfortable.
The lodges were great, really comfortable without being over the top luxurious." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari
"Trip of a lifetime"
Where to stay in Ngorongoro Crater
Our suggestions for safari camps in Ngorongoro Crater
Plantation Lodge
A relaxed base between Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara, Plantation Lodge has lush grounds and offers good value and high standards.
Gibbs Farm
Located not far from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Gibb's Farm has comfy rooms, homegrown food and strong community links
Lemala Ngorongoro
Lemala Ngorongoro is a small, comfortable tented camp on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater with lovely walking in the vicinity.
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Opened in 2016, Entamanu Ngorongoro is a small camp high on the Crater rim with views towards the crater and the plains of the Serengeti.
Crater Lodge
The ultra-luxurious Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is perched in a spectacular location on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Highlands
The Highlands is a unique camp near Olmoti Crater, north of Ngorongoro, offering drives, walks and cultural visits from a beautiful remote setting.
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Situated on the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, with outstanding views, the Sopa Lodge is a somewhat dated, international-style hotel.
Rhino Lodge
Rhino Lodge is a simple, good-value lodge with a great location near the crater rim, in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Farmhouse Lodge
Ngorongoro Farmhouse Lodge is set on a 750-acres working farm. Close to the NCA gate, it makes a great base for exploring the Crater.
Rhotia Valley Ttd. Lodge
Rhotia Valley is a simple lodge with a strong commitment to the local community, including a children's home, which guests may visit.
Ngorongoro Serena
The large, hotel-like Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge sits on the western rim of Ngorongoro Crater and has stunning views of the caldera.
Bougainvillea Lodge
Bougainvillea Safari Lodge provides an economical base from which to visit Lake Manyara or the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Manor
The Manor is a smart, family-friendly Cape-Dutch-style lodge, offering high-quality service and food in very comfortable surroundings.
Neptune Ngorongoro
Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge is a smart hilltop lodge with log-style cottages set close to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Wildlife Lodge
Stay at the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge while on road safari in Northern Tanzania's spectacular Ngorongoro Crater area.
Crater's Edge
Craters Edge is an intimate luxury property on the north-eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp
A small tented camp, located on the eastern side of the Ngorongoro Crater rim, with a five minute drive to crater descent gate.
Lion's Paw
Located on the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, this camp has stunning panoramic views down onto the crater floor. A five minute drive to the nearest descent gate allows for early access into the crater, maximising on avoiding the large crowds
Ngorongoro Fly-Camp
Explore the remote northern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater on a two-day hike and spend the night in this small fly-camp.
Country Lodge
Country Lodge is conveniently located on the edge of Karatu and provides a comfortable base for exploring Ngorongoro Crater or Lake Manyara.
