Ngorongoro Serena


The Basics:
Ngorongoro Serena is one of the few lodges that literally sits on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. All of the rooms overlook the legendary crater below. It is owned and operated by the Serena chain of lodges and follows their usual pattern - combining high end accommodations with some of the most exclusive and desirable locations possible The tradeoff for location is that the lodges usually are bustling with guests and the rooms are typically on the small side.


The Photos:
The double bedroom. Each room has a cool mural watermark like this. This particular room is on the second floor. Ngorongoro Serena has two stories of rooms that run along the rim of the crater. The top floor rooms are more desirable because of the vaulted ceilings. Most lodges at this price range would have fireplaces. Unfortunately you give up a little in the amenities (and room size) in your room in return for the prime location.


To get to your room you walk along this corridor that runs along behind all the rooms. It kind of feels like a dormitory in a way if it wasn't for all these rocks. I can't imagine how many truckloads it must have taken to get all of them up here.


Everyone has this view from their private patio. Stunning. The best time for viewing the crater floor from here is in the morning before the safari vehicles arrive down below and start kicking up the dust and diesel exhaust. This picture was taken late in the afternoon and you can see the haze. The dust settles in the evening and if there is a moon high in the sky at night you can make out the crater floor below.