andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

On the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania’s Crater Highlands, andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge hangs above the wall of one of Africa’s most extraordinary geological features — a collapsed volcanic caldera 260 square kilometres in extent whose enclosed ecosystem supports the highest density of lion, the largest black rhino population in Tanzania, and the complete suite of East African plains wildlife in a landscape that can be surveyed in its entirety from the lodge’s rim position. The 30 suites were designed to reference the Maasai culture of the Crater Highlands through the use of banana leaves, beaded decoration, and organic curved forms, combined with an eccentricity of interior decoration — the chandeliers, the rich fabrics, the ornamental excess — that makes the lodge one of the most visually distinctive in Africa, polarising guests between those who find it transcendently theatrical and those who find it overwhelming. The rim views into the crater at dawn and dusk are among Africa’s most celebrated natural spectacles.

Game drives into the Ngorongoro Crater descend the crater wall on the rim road and explore the crater floor’s lake, marsh, forest, and open plain habitats in vehicles that must be registered with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. The concentration of wildlife on the crater floor — the permanent water sources ensure that animals rarely leave the enclosed ecosystem — means that sightings of lion, elephant, black rhino, hippo, flamingo, and the full complement of East African plains game are achievable in a single day’s drive with experienced guides. Walking with Maasai guides on the crater rim above the lodge, visits to the Olduvai Gorge prehistoric excavation site, and cultural encounters with the Maasai communities of the Crater Highlands provide the broader cultural programme.

andBeyond’s conservation relationship with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area includes active support for the black rhino monitoring programme and the community development work with the Maasai residents of the Crater Highlands, whose traditional pastoral rights within the conservation area require a management approach that balances wildlife protection with the legitimate needs of a resident human community.