The first tented camp we ever stayed in was Angata Ngorongoro Camp, a camp situated on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. If you go on safari in Tanzania, your itinerary will almost inevitably include the Ngorongoro Crater. Descending into the crater is a bit like entering the mythical Garden of Eden as it is teeming with wildlife and probably offers the best opportunity to see a black rhino in Tanzania. Angata Ngorongoro Camp sits on the northern rim of the crater near the Lemala Gate. The small camp has 8 eco-friendly luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms, outdoor seating areas, hot showers, and even warm robes. At night, you can view the sunset from the outdoor seating area of your tent and then walk with one of the security guards to the Lounge for drinks or the Mess Tent for dinner. The camp’s great location allows for a quick morning descent into the crater and we were lucky enough to be one of the first vehicles to enter the crater! Planning a visit to Tanzania? We’ll share details and photos of our first tented camp experience at Angata Ngorongoro Camp.
Table of Contents:
The Basic Information
Correct Name: The camp’s name is Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp. We spell it without the apostrophe in this post because it is the way people search for it online. There are actually three tented Ang’ata Camps, owned by the same company, one at Ngorongoro and two in the Serengeti area.
Location: The camp is located inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area right near the northern Ngorongoro Crater rim along the Lemala descent Road. Currently, the camp is specifically located at the Acacia 2 Special Campsite.
Getting here: The lodge is located just off the Lemala descent Road just past the Lemala Gate. Your driver will have directions or the camp can provide detailed driving directions upon booking if you are driving yourself.
Phone number: +255 689 888 111
Email: reservations@angatacamps.com
Website: www.angatacamps.com
Room cost: Rates for a single room are currently $546 per night and rates for a double room are $732 per night at Ngorongoro Camp (rates slightly less at the other Angata Camp locations). Triple rooms also available. All lodging rates include full board (three meals), camping fees, and complimentary coffee, tea, and water. Children under age 3 sleeping with their parents stay for free, children 3 to 12 sharing with 2 adults are charged 50% of the regular rate, and those children sharing their own tent are charged 80% of the regular rate.
Heading to the Serengeti?: Ang’ata Camps also operates two other tented camp properties in Tanzania. Ang’ata Migration Camp is a mobile tent that follows the path of the wildebeest migration and sits in Ndutu on the southern tip of the Serengeti from December-March and in the northern Serengeti from July-October. Ang’ata Serengeti is located in the central Serengeti in the Seronera area year-round.
Our Arrival at Angata Ngorongoro Camp
We had a leisurely morning at Karatu Simba Lodge, having breakfast and then an early lunch, then doing a couple of hours of hiking around the Ngorongoro Highlands Forest area before heading towards the camp. Along the way, we had to stop at the gate to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and while waiting for our Amani Afrika guide Muridy to arrange our entry, our Land Cruiser attracted a troop of baboons and subsequently a mob of camera-toting tourists. One of the baboons decided it would be fun to eat part of our spare tire cover and when I tried to shoo him away he chased me around the parking area! Luckily we survived the baboons and made it safely to the camp by around 4:00pm. Several employees arrived to help us out of the Land Cruiser, provide us with juice, carry our luggage, and escort us to the Lounge area to sit down to complete the check in process. The Lounge Area is attached to the Mess Tent and includes a sitting area, drink area, and a place to plug-in and charge your electronics. The Camp Manager, Elikunda Mmari, went over the rules for the camp, safety procedures, and meal times before two other staff members walked us to our tent. The entire camp is tucked inside a pretty forested area covered with acacia trees and there are lovely views as you walk the short distance from the Lounge and Mess Tent area to the sleeping tents. Although I should note that you cannot see the Crater from the camp although you can arrange walks to the Crater rim.
Tents at the Angata Ngorongoro Camp
The Angata Ngorongoro Camp currently offers 8 luxury tents and all are furnished in a similar simple manner. Tents can be configured with one or two beds and for up to three people. We were specifically in the “Iraqw” tent which we felt was fitting given we had just spent the prior day visiting an Iraqw family in their home. The tents are eco-friendly and are designed to leave as little as a footprint as possible and to be mobile if necessary so the tents sit upon large wooden pallets. The bedroom consists of a large four-poster wooden bed, two small nightstands with lamps, a trunk full of blankets, and a wardrobe rack to hang clothes and store luggage. A small connecting door opening leads to the bathroom which is about the same size as the sleeping area with three separated areas, one with a sink and mirror, one with a shower, and one with a flush toilet. There is running cold water all day but you can request hot water for showers and you’ll be asked at check-in to designate a time you’d like the water to be brought to your tent. The water is placed into a raised bucket outside your tent that then allows for you to have good water pressure during the shower. We asked for the regular full allotment of hot water for two people which was brought at the schedule time and we were able to take two quick 5 minute hot showers with a little hot water still leftover. A flashlight and whistle are provided to be used if there is any problems or if you would like to request a guard to walk you to the Lounge or Mess tent. The tent is simply furnished but contains all the necessities plus a couple of extras such as the robes. There is of course no heat in the tents and the area can get quite cool at night, but you are provided plenty of blankets and wonderful hot water bottles are tucked under your covers each night after dinner to keep you warm at night. We were able to hear the guests in the tent next to us although they went to bed at the same time as us so this was not an issue, but I would recommend ear plugs in case you have noisy night owls for neighbors as most sounds carry through the tents. You’ll also likely be able to hear birds and animals at night in the camp.
Each tent is individually solar-powered, and the only real problem we had during our stay was that there was not enough solar power for us to make regular use of the lights. This was likely due to the cloudy weather during our stay. While getting ready for dinner, we started hearing a loud beeping sound coming from the bathroom and figured out this was where the inverter boxes lies. The only way to make it stop was to turn off all the lights and we told a guard and then another staff member at the tent. Later the Camp Manager came over at dinner to tell us the problem was fixed. After we returned from dinner, the beeping started again within 30 seconds of turning on the lights and we were then told there was no way to fix it as there simply had not been enough sun that day. A couple of minutes later the lights turned off and we had no electricity for the rest of our stay. Clearly, this type of situation comes along with staying in a tented camp that relies solely on solar energy, but we do wish the situation had been fully explained to us the first time rather than being led to believe it was going to be fixed.
Drinks and Dining at the Angata Ngorongoro Camp
The lodging rates include all three meals as well as complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and water. All meals are served in the Mess Tent and meal times are flexible depending on guest needs. Our three-course dinner was set but plated and consisted of a yummy vegetable soup, a meat, rice, and mixed vegetable main dish, and creme caramel and fruit for dessert. For breakfast, a few items were set up on a buffet such as fruit, cereal, and bread and then you get your choice of made-to-order egg or pancake dishes, meats, and side dishes. Local Tanzanian coffee, tea, and juice were also served. Lunches can be served hot in the Mess Tent or can be packed into lunch boxes to eat during a game drive. We took ours as lunch boxes and the lunch was good and filling. The food was quite good and we liked that it was not buffet and that breakfast was made to order. Tea, coffee, and water are served for free during meals but you can also purchase wine, beer, soft drinks, and other alcoholic drinks to accompany your meal if you wish. In the Lounge, you’ll find a station with free self-serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate that is available all day. There is also an alcohol cabinet here and you can order drinks to have in the lounge as well. It gets quite chilly at night in this area, so the camp provides Maasai blankets in the tents, Mess Tent, and Lounge for guests use.
Service at Angata Ngorongoro Camp
The staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. We did have a difficult time explaining the beeping noise to one of the security guards who spoke limited English, but we never had any communication difficulties with the Lounge or Dining Staff. The check-in process, meals, and hot water for showers all went smoothly and happened at the arranged times. We also enjoyed that we were able to charge our electronic devices and get free drinks at the camp’s Lounge.
There are a number of extra services one can take advantage of at Angata Ngorongoro Camp for a fee. These include game packages, nature walks, visits to a Maasai Boma or the Empakaai crater, bush lunches, picnics, and even the opportunity for a traditional Maasai wedding ceremony. For safety, all hikes and walks are done in the company of an armed ranger. If you are interested in any of these activities, it is best to arrange them in advance of your visit. We were only here for one evening so we did not have the opportunity to do any of these activities, but we heard good things about the sunset walks and hikes around the crater rim. The sunrises and sunsets are quite nice around this area.
Overall Thoughts on Angata Ngorongoro Camp
Overall, we had a good experience at Angata Ngorongoro Camp and would stay here again. Despite the unfortunate solar lighting and beeping issue, we felt that this was a good first tented camp experience. The camp staff were friendly, the tent was spacious and fairly comfortable, the food was good, and the location is quite spectacular.
The location is not only picturesque among the acacia trees, but allows one quick access to the Crater. We left the camp right at 6:00am and headed to the gate to check in and due to the camp’s location we were one of the first vehicles to descend via Lemala Road. Believe it or not, the rates here are not high compared to most other lodges inside the Ngorongoro Crater area as camps and lodges have to pay quite a hefty fee to operate in this protected area driving room prices to quite exorbitant rates (you can save money by staying in a public or special campsite with basic camping facilities within the Conservation Area or by staying in Karatu or elsewhere but you’ll have a much longer drive).
This camp should also appeal to those who care about the environment as the tents run off of solar power and there is an emphasis on water conservation and limited disturbance of the natural environment. However, inconveniences such as dim lighting, lack of electrical plugs in tents, limited hot water, beeping inverter boxes, and unexpected power outages may not sit well with all travelers accustomed to more luxury. While this is certainly much more luxurious than regular camping, it was the most basic tented camp we stayed in during our time in Tanzania. There’s something here—perhaps the decor and subtle balance between basic necessities and luxury—that made me think about Ernest Hemingway and his camping and safari experiences in East Africa. Of all the tented camps, we felt like this one provided the most authentic and natural African tented camp experience. I think Hemingway would have approved. If you are planning to stay in the Ngorongoro Crater area, we recommend that you check out this camp and their sister properties if heading to the Serengeti.
Have you ever stayed in a tented camp in Africa? Have questions for us about our stay at Angata Ngorongoro Camp or our visit to the Ngorongoro Crater? As always we welcome any comments or questions!
**Disclosure: We received a complimentary stay in order to review the Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp and its services; however, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. We did not receive any financial compensation for the writing of this post, do not work for Ang’ata Camps, and receive no commission for any hotel bookings.**
Mike Popovitch Post author
Just returned from Tanzania. It included 2 nights at Ang’ata Ngorongoro.. It was fabulous and as you described. There was a little rain when we arrived and the camp was prepared with umbrellas when they met us. All the meals were excellent and the staff was very friendly and efficient. The Daily safari meals prepared by the camp were excellent, beware of the size, you need a very hearty appetite to finish it wall.
We did, however add 2 thing to the tour easily arranged… The.first was a walk with ranger to the top of the hill behind the camp. It was moderate effort in nature but at the end we were on high point where there was a great view of the crater. The second was a visit to a Maasi village that is about 5km from the camp (outside the gate). The cost was $50 for the visit but it was worth it as a side adventure to the camp.. The chief”s son greeted us and the entire group .provided a very well orchestrated welcome in song (without music).
I would also recommend a stop at Olduvi Gorge, the home of “Lucy” and the Leakeys. Takes about 1.5 hours and is on the way from Ang’ata Ngorongoro to the Serengeti. It needs to be organized before you go as it has to be accounted for in the entry and exit times to the parks. We left Ang’ata Ngorongoro at 6am and were able to fit it in but arrived a Serengeti with only 15 minutes to spare otherwise we would had to pay for another day of park fares.
Mike
travelcats Post author
Hi Mike, thanks so much for your taking the time to comment. I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay at the Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp and that you found my blog post review helpful! Thanks so much for tips on what visitors can do in the area. I definitely agree that a stop at the Olduvai Gorge is a must-see given its great importance as a paleoanthropological site – great tip about the entry free issue! I loved my time in Tanzania and can’t wait to return some day! ~ Jessica
Clelia Post author
Such a small world! I had an appointment with them at the WTM and talking about working with bloggers they mentioned your article. The place looks very nice indeed! I can’t wait to finally get to see Africa for the first time (in less than 2 weeks). It’s going to be epic!
Thanks for the in-depth review, very helpful!
travelcats Post author
Hi Clelia, yes, we had a great time in Tanzania and a nice stay at Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp. I am glad that they recommended that you take a look at my blog article, and I hope you have a wonderful first trip to Africa. We are actually in Morocco and Egypt for the next month:) ~ Jessica
Jessi Post author
What an incredible camp! Thank you for sharing your review 🙂
Amy @ Amy and the Great World Post author
I absolutely love following along with your travels in Africa. You stay in the best places that I can only dream about! Also…LION CUBS!!!!
travelcats Post author
Thanks Amy, we love that you are following our African adventures! The lion cubs were so cute!
Adelina // Pack Me To Post author
What a luxurious place to stay! It looks rather comfortable, but wow is it expensive. It’ll be a long time before I can afford such luxurious accommodation. Until then, I’ll have to dream on and live vicariously through you guys.
travelcats Post author
It was a great place to stay and yes accommodations in the Crater are quite pricey. It was great to be able to have had such a nice place to stay (and I’d recommend a luxury tented experience for at least one night to anyone if possible), but it is of course not affordable for many travelers. Those with a smaller budget should look into the public and private campsites in Ngorongoro which offer great value for those OK with basic camping facilities (see earlier replies about less pricey options).
We love having you follow our African travels:)
Camila Post author
That picture of you by the lookout is just amazing! And I’m in love with those baby lions!
travelcats Post author
Ethan was shocked about how big the crater was when he first saw it. I think he imagined that it would be a fairly small area but its quite large. According to Wikipedia it is the “world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera.”
Oh and those lion cubs, *sigh* – I wish we had some of those in California:)
Lauren Post author
I would absolutely love to experience this someday. The pictures of the cubs made me smile! They are so cute. It looks really comfortable for a tent and I love how eco-friendly it is! I’ll be saving this to remember where to stay for when I head to Africa someday 🙂
travelcats Post author
Hi Lauren! Lion cubs are just the best and when you get five together, well that made us “travel cats” very, very happy indeed:) I would definitely recommend check out Ang’ata and other eco-friendly camps when you do head to Africa, it is really an amazing experience to sleep in a comfortable room while still having that experience of hearing the wind, birds, and animals outside the tent.
Frank Hinrichs Post author
Dear Travel Cats, being the owner if Ang’ata Camps I would first of all thank you for you article. Unfortunately I was in Europe during your stay with us, had I been around I would have greeted you in person at Ang’ata Ngorongoro. As you emphasize in your article and your replies the big issue we have with the solar units is the cloud cover that we have to deal with in that particular camp, let me elaborate. The camp is situated on the rim of the crater, on some mornings you find yourself inside the clouds (elevation about 2600 meters/8500 feet). In the dry season we usually have no problems with the power supply but in the rainy season the cloud cover is sometimes permanent for several days. We are currently using the largest batteries and best quality solar panels we can possibly obtain here in Tanzania but they are obviously not enough for longer periods of use without way of charging. We used to have a backup generator that would provide power till 10 PM but decided to scrap it because of its environmental impact and the noise it makes during dinner and before sleeping so that is a choice we made with a trade off. As the solar technology advances we hope to have access to better products and hope we will get on top of that issue. We are sorry if the camp manager told you the problem was fixed, he may have underestimated the problem in your particular tent. As Michelle rightfully says if the guest had that information when booking they can then make a decision whether or not to accept to cope with these conditions, unfortunately the tour operators and/or Travel Agents do not always relay such information willingly.
With king regards, karibuni Tanzania
travelcats Post author
Dear Mr. Hinrichs,
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on our post. We wished we would have had to chance to meet you during our visit. We actually had experienced the solar issue at another lodge due to the cloudy weather during a few days of our trip so we know these problems are certainly not unique to Ang’ata. There are definitely pros and cons of having the back-up generator. I definitely agree that I think guests just need to have appropriate expectations regarding power, water, amenities, etc. when visiting eco-friendly camps. Despite the solar issue, we truly enjoyed our stay at Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp and would love to return one day.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders) Post author
Ooooh, I’ve always wanted to try glamping. Angata Nrogrongoro looks like a nice setup, despite the lack of sufficient solar power. I think if I knew it was a possibility when booking, I’d set my expectations appropriately and not be too surprised when it happened. That seems like a good trade off for lessening the environmental impact of your stay in this precious area.
travelcats Post author
Michele, I think you are totally right. One just have to know that these kinds of things can happen and the camp is set up so that you can still manage just fine (flashlights, etc.). I don’t think this is a regular occurrence but when there is little sun, this is a possibility!
Jen Post author
Looks amazing! What a wonderful opportunity to go camping there! I would love to take our family one day!
travelcats Post author
Africa would be such an amazing trip with older kids. I can only imagine what it would be life for a kid to see their first lion or elephant in the wild!
ClemandMarcella Post author
Looks like such a unique place to camp! I can only imagine how beautiful the view must have been 🙂
travelcats Post author
The campsite has some great sunrise and sunset views through the acacia trees. The next morning the views into the crater were amazing although the lion subs were definitely the highlight for me:)
Meredith Post author
I’m always impressed at how home-y and comfortable tents can be with the right setup! I had a similar thought about a Hemingway-esque outlook before I saw your observations – there must be something to that! Overall it sounds like a pretty good deal comparatively speaking. Also seems that patience and planning goes a long way with these types of travels!
travelcats Post author
Great minds think alike I guess:) Yes, I think it really pays to do planning and research especially for those wanting to do it on a smaller budget. For most people this is the trip of a lifetime and so it is essential to make sure you can have the kinds of experiences you want with a trip you can afford.
Muza-chan Post author
Lovely photos…
travelcats Post author
Thanks!
Britany Post author
Wow, this is something I would love to experience someday. Great shots of those kitties! 🙂
travelcats Post author
Those 5 lions cubs were so cute!! I could have watched them play all day long.
Katie Post author
This looks amazing!! I love camping, but I can really get behind glamping. I’m gonna have to stalk all your Africa posts – it’s so far up on my bucket list and keeps getting postponed (money and time… ugh!).
travelcats Post author
After a week of camping without a shower we very much appreciated glamping:) Stalk away!
Margherita @The Crowded Planet Post author
Looks fantastic. Definitely an experience I’d love to have one day. I’ve recently visited Madagascar and loved it and I’m dying to see more of Africa!
travelcats Post author
We absolutely loved our time in Kenya and Tanzania and would happily return! We are supposed to have visited Madagascar for a week following our Kili climb and safari but we ended up canceling it for a variety of reasons. We’ll have to check out some of your Mada posts!
Corinne Post author
Jessica, I want to go, and we’re contemplating this Christmas. Do you think it’s a good time to go? Thanks again for linking up with Weekend Travel Inspiration.
travelcats Post author
Hi Corinne, How exciting! It’s not considered the ideal time for safari but it is still considered a good time to visit. It really depends a lot on the specific parks and if there are particular types of wildlife you really want to see (e.g., Migration, calving, predators, birds). Check out this link for a good overview of best times for safari at the different parks: http://www.safaribookings.com/tanzania/best-time It looks like some parks like Ngorongoro and the Serengeti offer good viewing at that time whereas others offer fair to poor. If you work with an operator they can help you craft an itinerary best suited to the weather and viewing conditions during your visit. I would advise consulting with several companies and have them provide proposed itineraries and prices based on your sightseeing priorities and budget and then you can pick the best one. We loved working with local operator Amani Afrika as Vivian is very detail-oriented and really paid attention to our requests. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions – happy to share more details, itinerary, etc.!!
Vivian | Amani Afrika Post author
Hi Corinne,
Happy to hear that you’d like to come to sunny Tanzania! December is a fantastic time! The first time I had ever come to Tanzania as a tourist was around Christmas time, actually. In my opinion, mid-December is great for many reasons: 1) Not many tourist. If you can manage to travel just before everyone else does for Christmas, you can expect half the volume (or even less) than what you’d get around Christmas time. So you’d get a lot less human sightings in the parks. 2) Fabulous rates. Many safari lodges have great offers for this period right up to the 19th to 21st of December – and that’s when the peak season prices kick in. If you can travel say from Dec 15th to Dec 22nd, you could be saving a lot of dollars!!! 3) This is another money saving tip. Because the migration animals will have returned from the north comes December, the drive to Southern Serengeti is much shorter than to the north (the July to October period). In other words, while we’d recommend spending say 7 days on safari in the July to October period to view the migration in Northern Serengeti like Jessica did , we can easily put together a 5-day itinerary for the December to March period, because of shorter driving times. A shorter itinerary would obviously cost less than a longer one, but another advantage is that there are many more choices for lodges and camps in Central Serengeti (not far from Southern Serengeti), than there are in Northern Serengeti. Because of the competition, the prices are also lower, compared with the limited choices available in Northern Serengeti. Ha, now I feel like pressing Jessica to write a blog post on Money Saving Tips for planning to go on a safari in Kenya & Tanzania.
jan Post author
I have been thinking about Africa and this looks like an inviting experience, but I guess it will be the Rhino lodge for us for financial reasons only. 🙁
travelcats Post author
The highlight here is the Crater and its wonderful wildlife! Staying at a nice tented camp was a great experience but it pales in comparison to the 6 hours we spent in the Crater! I could have stared at those five baby lion cubs all day:)
Anda Post author
Rooms seem unbelievably expensive, even though they include the meals. Are the prices you quote in US Dollars?
travelcats Post author
Hi Anda, yes, those prices are in U.S. dollars! A friend of mine was recently hoping to go on safari but has put it off as she suffered from “sticker shock”. The prices in and around the main safari parks are really high. At Ngorongoro, the cheapest lodge we looked at near the rim was the Rhino Lodge [$125/person]. But most places here cost $300-$500 per person (Sopa, Serena, and the like) ranging up to a the most expensive at $1,500 per person at the famous Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. For those on a budget, I would recommend planning well in advance to get a spot at the public or special campsites ($30-$50/person), book a room at the Rhino Lodge (reserve well in advance), book at a mid-priced lodge well off season for a good discount, or try one of the guest houses in Kimba Village. You also have to factor in the entry fees as it costs quite a lot to enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and then its $200/vehicle to enter the Crater for up to 6 hours. African safaris can quickly become very expensive although there are certainly ways to do safaris on a much smaller budget if one is willing to plan well ahead and sacrifice some comforts!
Heidi Wagoner Post author
Wow! We are all about experiences and this looks wonderful. It may be a bit out of the family budget for now, but we can save.
travelcats Post author
Yes, the biggest downside to a safari is the cost unfortunately and we could have only done this as part of a press trip ourselves. But there are many ways to make it more budget friendly if one plans ahead and is able to sacrifice a little comfort.
noel Post author
Wow, that looks like pretty nice glamping and very comfortable. A Safari seems so far away for me, if not on the other side of the world. I would love to experience this some day in the future.
travelcats Post author
Yes, very nice glamping indeed! I am sure you’ll make it over to do a safari in Africa someday, so many amazing photo opportunities!
Steve Post author
There’s no glory in camping and being uncomfortable and not sleeping well. I’m for glamping all the way!