Ngorongoro Serena, a safari guide to Ngorongoro Serena, Ngorongoro

Since there is not a wide variety of choice on the crater rim the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is an excellent option; good access into the crater whilst remaining quite affordable. Being a large hotel it doesn’t have all the charm you would expect of a lodge in a world famous location. But why should it when you are only here for only a night or two and the focus is the crater itself, not the lodge, its design and aesthetics. This is a good choice of lodge for the rim but if you are looking for something with a bit more charm and slightly less expensive, then look at somewhere like Plantation Lodge in the highlands. Or if you want one of Africa’s most sought after property and budget is no problem, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.

Ngorongoro Serena Lodge - The Facts

The Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is located on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, an hour’s drive from Manyara airstrip and a three and half hour drive from Arusha. A lynch pin in any north Tanzanian safari circuit, the Serena is the go-to option for those wanting views on the rim.

With an almost “Flintstones” design the lodge gets away with being quite large. The whole lodge is well decorated with hand-painted cave-type illustrations and styles throughout, with large arches in the walls, central fire places that stick out in the communal areas and lovely views down from the restaurant. The dining room and bar are warm and inviting, with crackling wood fires in each, and the menu is both delicious and extensive, incorporating at least four courses. A great Ngorongoro Safari for everyone.

The 75 rooms of the Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge are laid out on two levels in long lines along the crater rim, as if built into the natural gradient of the crater it hides quite well. The rooms are very much like hotel rooms in linear formation, but they have all the necessary requirements, great views, bathrooms and large double beds.

The Ngorongoro Crater allows only day game drives and no other activities.