Where to Stay in Ngorongoro

There are five lodges in Ngorongoro Conservation Area built on the rim of the crater, and one lodge in Ndutu area. These facilities include old classic lodges built in the colonial days and new establishment built in the 1990s. There are other modern lodges, hotels, and guesthouses outside the Conservation Area, especially in and around Karatu, that are especially suitable for visitors planning day trips or those looking for budget accommodation.

Within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with the exception of Simba ‘A’ public campsite near the NCAA headquarters, the campsites are all classified as “special campsites”. This means that they are for exclusive use, and generally have no facilities. Usually they are designed for self-sufficient safari operations, which bring everything with them. Most are large sites, but a few of them, e.g. on the rim of Empakaai Crater, are designed for small numbers of back – packers. Camping generally is not allowed in the Crater itself. Book campsites through the NCAA headquarters’ office or in Arusha – Ngorongoro Information Center.

There are luxury lodges situated within and outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Names and contacts of those lodges within the Conservation Area are: