Luxury Safaris in Tanzania

The setting of this luxury Ngorongoro Crater camp, on a hillside overlooking the Tanzanian plains, is enchanting. Newly refreshed and with just 10 elegant tented suites, it has an intimate feel, yet what is on the doorstep is truly epic in scale. The local Maasai people have a deep connection with Ngorongoro Crater – the world’s largest inactive, intact, unfilled volcanic caldera – and the life it encloses and sustains. Indeed, the name “Ngorongoro" refers to the sound made by cow bells as the Maasai herders lead their cattle through this incredible wilderness which is home to more than 25,000 individual animals.

A light-touch, sustainable approach was key in the recent revamp: not a tree was felled in the construction, Maasai community members played an integral role throughout the build, and the camp is now 90% solar-powered. Ngorongoro Crater Camp is a celebration of local craftsmanship combined with deeply considered quiet luxury, with interiors created in collaboration with an East African design studio. Its classic rippling canvas exterior belies the brilliantly curated spaces within, where 97% of the decor was locally made and custom designed, yet with a distinct 21st-century twist. Standout pieces include a custom chandelier in the breeze-cooled lounge – measuring almost three meters in diameter – with beads made from the painted seed pods of the jacaranda tree, and the curving room divider, handwoven on site using Tanzanian sisal rope. The colors and textures (gray, light brown, black) are inspired by the surrounding landscape, with comfortable armchairs and a sofa for soaking up the close-to-nature feel. There’s also an Explorer’s Lounge, with large-scale maps of the crater region and East Africa, and the adjoining open-sided circular bar and boma is an excellent spot for post-game drive gatherings. Watch in awe as the sun sinks below the horizon in a blaze of orange (the camp is cleverly oriented to maximize sunset views) and a campfire crackles to life – a magical sight and sound. In keeping with the immersive setting, each morning the chorus of birdlife serves as your morning alarm call. What better way to ease into the day in a place where time seems to have stood still?