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Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro
Entamanu Ngorongoro

Entamanu Ngorongoro


3°6’3.8"S 35°31’0.0"E

Reviews of Entamanu Ngorongoro

Wildlife sightings and reviews

23 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Entamanu Ngorongoro and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Sep-2018, 16 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Entamanu Ngorongoro.
Lion

100% success

Leopard

8% success

Wild dog

0% success

Buffalo

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Black Rhino

81% success

Eland

62% success

Striped Hyena

33% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 1-10 of 23
Duration
Arrival date
Mr C
north London

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2023
"The camp at Entamanu is very comfortable; the rooms are large and well appointed with all amenties. The rooms have efficient heaters which are turned on in the evening to heat them, which made the room a little too warm for us, but following our request, the heater was not turned on the next day.

The manager, Mohammed, runs a great team and the food and service in the camp was excellent. The location on the crater rim is perfect; the views across the crater at dawn and dusk are truly spectacular and the proximity to the descending road allows you to get down to the crater floor before the crowds arrive." See all these reviews: 10n in Tanzania; 4n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

1 sighting

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

JMKPBJ
USA

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 28 Sep 2023
"Entamanu Ngorongoro was a unique and wonderful part of our Tanzanian safari journey.

The drive from the airstrip to the lodge was eventful as we meandered our way along the park road that ascended the crater. The view from the rim of the crater was magnificent and only a microscopic prelude to the wildlife we saw the next day during our game drive through the crater. The lodge was stunning - a view of the crater and vastness of the country. Staff and accommodations were superb with the art of attentiveness and kindness at every corner.

Our guide was knowledgeable and personable with a quiet and respectful nature to his personality. We saw many, many animals and learned a great deal about animal behavior from him. The nature walk with a Maasai and ranger got us out in the bush for a much-needed walk with stories of the bush and discoveries of skulls. Our visit to the local Maasai village was a highlight as they welcomed us with dances and contests inviting us to join them. Kind and welcoming people...I would have enjoyed meeting the children and seeing more of their village and way of life.

Overall, our few days here were very enjoyable." See all these reviews: 13n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr & Mrs C
Bucks

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 21 Aug 2023
"We were pleased to get to Entamanu after the drive from Tarangire and be welcomed into our next home for 2 nights by the team there.

We had been expecting tents but the accommodation had been recently changed to wooden cabins. These were stylish and comforatble .... and quiet. The communal lounge and dining area is still a semi solid structure so the wind was much more audible there.

As this is another Nomad property, some of it felt familiar (friendly faces, great food and service) but the location and design was a contrast to Kuro. Nevertheless we were very content with our choice. The meals were good. The camp manager was around to speak to guests at meal times.

We had a day to explore the crater and it was nice that Felix our guide from Kuro remained with us and we again benefitted from his extensive knowledge. Making an early start in the morning meant we were ahead of the crowds and we were rewarded with lion sighting almost as soon as we reached the crater floor. As well as the wildlife, we were taken with the scenery and changing terrain and landscapes. The picnic breakfast beside a lake, was delightful." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

1 sighting

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

1 sighting

Lion

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

R&G from Seattle
USA

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review - a hidden gem!"

2 nights Arrived 5 Aug 2023
"Entamanu completely took us by surprise. At the time of our booking this was a tented facility that looked very nice but rustic. By the time we arrived they'd renovated much of the lodge and to our great delight the rooms were some of the best we found in both Kenya and Tanzania. At night the crater rim is quite windy and cold but the rooms were so comfortable, the modern fireplaces so warm and the views so spectacular that we enjoyed the benefits of life on the crater without the drawbacks. The common areas are still tended and blow a bit in the wind but the staff do a great job of keeping it warm and comfortable inside.

It's a reasonable drive from the entry to the crater, meaning we were able to be one of the first cars entering the park when it opened. This made a big difference as the early part of the day had some of the best - and least crowded - moments in Ngorongoro. The driver we had was simply world class; every detail was thought of in advance, his knowledge of the crater was limitless, and what must have been a long and exhausting day and drive for him were handled with ease.

The lodge itself puts you in short distance to Masaai villages and other experiences of note, but the crater is a highlight and not to be missed. It's also worth noting that Entamanu has a few surprises up its sleeves; our final dinner was authentic local cuisine and some of the best food of the trip, even though they don't heavily advertise or promote their dining. And the management and staff took excellent care of us from the moment of arrival until departure. For anyone visiting the crater this is a place I'd easily recommend, particularly given their recent upgrades." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 8n in Kenya; 3n in Zanzibar
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Lion

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Jamie B
Palo Alto

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 1 Aug 2023
"Okay, so I knew I would to write this and I'm not fond of writing bad reviews, but to be fair, this was least favorite camp. I don't think it's all on Nomad, it's more about the location than anything, but also it's about the service and rooms and management.

I won't get too into....I'll just say that it felt like a camp in transitional phase, which it is. They are in the process of updating the main area, which desperately needs to be updated with a stone structure of some sort. Right now it's a tent. And if you didn't know this, Ngorongoro camps located on the rim are exceptionally windy camps.

I was moved from a tent to one of their newer private bandas, which was a good thing, but even these rooms are less than inspiring when compared to the other camps I stayed at.

On the plus side- The food was very good, and the small Masai Village experience was pretty cool and did not feel exploitive." See all these reviews: 16n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Average
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
Mr DG
New Hampshire

"Entamanu Ngorongoro- a fabulous place to stay"

3 nights Arrived 12 Dec 2022
"Everything about our stay at Entamanu Ngorongoro was fabulous. It was just such a wonderful experience. My wife and I have stayed at many lodges/camps in Kenya and Tanzania (and I have stayed at many in South Africa and Mozambique) and this is one of the best.

The location definitely sets the tone for the whole experience. The camp is located on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater at the end of a long, rough road. As a result, it has an isolated feeling to it. The views over the rim of the crater, with the mountains on the far side of the crater, are spectacular, especially at sunrise. Our tent was sited such that you felt that you were in your private wilderness, with only views over the crater. This feeling of being in your own wilderness was reinforced one morning when a giraffe walked in front of our tent, not more than 20 to 30 meters away from us. How awesome!

The tent itself was spacious, tastefully furnished, and very comfortable. A portable gas heater and hot water bottles placed between the sheets (amazingly, they were still warm in the morning) were very welcome as it became quite chilly at night due to the 7,500 feet elevation of the crater. Even though the Expert Africa web site indicated that the crater rim would be cold at night, we were surprised by how cold we felt, especially because it already was winter when we left home.

The lounge and dining areas also were comfortably furnished - we especially liked the local art displayed throughout - with fireplaces in each room. The lounge/living room was very inviting with comfortable couches, the art on the walls, and the warmth emanating from the fireplace.

The tables in the dining area were comfortably spaced, reflecting the challenges created by Covid. The food was excellent at all of our meals - a selection of very interesting, healthy salads at lunch and a choice of excellent entrees at dinner. I was especially pleased that the chef prepared tasty options - including bread products - to accommodate my need for a gluten-free diet.

Staff throughout the camp - the wait staff at dinner, the people assigned to clean our tent, and the security guards - all went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The manager set the tone by greeting us every morning as we set off on our activity and greeting us when we returned, He also joined us for a few minutes every night as we sat in the lounge with a pre-dinner drink.

Finally, the activities offered in addition to the game drives were excellent. We went on a 12 kilometer round trip walk to the crater rim - accompanied by a Maasai guide and an armed park ranger - which provided an opportunity for exercise and to see the local flora and the view over the crater. An added bonus during the walk was a chance encounter with three Maasai men who were returning a large group of cattle to their village and four giraffes who walked within 60 to 70 meters of us. We also took a 6 kilometer walk one-way (we drove back in a safari vehicle) to a local Maasai village where relatives of the camp's Maasai guide lived. We greatly enjoyed learning about the Maasai culture and their traditions. Their welcoming dance was fun to watch.

The Maasia guide - Kiseka - was especially helpful during both of our walks with him. He brought a walking stick for my wife, who was unaccustomed to walking on uneven terrain, pointed out very interesting facts about many of the plants that we saw, explained aspects of the Maasai culture, and described how he had become a guide. We greatly enjoyed talking with him." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Buffalo

10 sightings

Eland

1 sighting

Elephant

6 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

5 sightings

Lion

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs G
St. Louis

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 6 Oct 2022
"Entamanu was a beautiful camp set on the ridge of the crater! The staff were amazing! They were incredibly kind, attentive, and accommodating. The rooms were incredible. They were appointed with king beds, a sitting area, heated room, a separate bathroom with vanity, hot running water at both shower and vanity, proper toilet, and closet area to store your baggage.

The food was amazing! We were incredibly impressed by how delicious every single meal we had at Entamanu was. Just spectacular!

From the entrance gate of the crater to the camp it was an hour and 15 minute drive on bumpy dusty roads, so be prepared. We would do it again and it's totally worth it! Also, the only drawback we could see with the whole camp was the soft-sided tent. It's very windy on the ridge of the crater so the tent is pretty noisy at night because it's flapping quite a bit in the wind.

That being said, the staff let us know that this season they are replacing all of the tents with hard-sided walls so that will fix the problem of having trouble sleeping due to the noise. Honestly, if you just wear ear plugs (which the camp provides) it wasn't bad at all. There were a few guests complaining about it, but we didn't find it to be as big of an issue as they made it seem.

WiFi was available, but only at the communal tent." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

5 sightings

Elephant

2 sightings

Giraffe

3 sightings

Hippo

3 sightings

Lion

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Nick & Kate
Sussex

" Very nice, BUT, with a major caveat"

2 nights Arrived 12 Aug 2022
"Stunning views over the crater, giraffes wandering through the camp, friendly and helpful staff, nice food, convivial pre-dinner drinks in one of two drawing rooms, both with cosy log fires, and a nice setting, with a pleasant self-guided birding walk possible around the camp. The decor in the main tent is restrained and has a slightly French feel. Dining is at separate tables, and the food is good.

The lodge is reached via an unmade road, taking about half an hour. Although some have complained about this, this is part of the safari experience, and we saw ostriches mating, and zebra and giraffe on the journey. The access road comes out right by the descent road into the crater, meaning we were the first vehicle down on the crater floor (a 15 minute descent on a paved road, rather different from our 2 hour descent on a bumpy track when we last visited in the 80s!). The ascending road for your return is about an hour away from the access road to the lodge, so about 90 minutes to get back after the safari.

The canvas tent rooms were well-equipped, lovely bed, a heater and hot water bottles at night to keep you warm, attractively designed. The room had a nice Verandah overlooking the crater, but this wasn’t that important - for the reason given below. Be aware there are no shower caps and there is no hair dryer. Morning coffee is brought to your room for your early wake up call.

And so, the caveat - we stayed two nights here. The first night was very windy, and the tent flapped, banged and crashed like a ship in a terrible Atlantic storm, all day and all night, seriously disrupting our sleep (it was the main talking point in our shared vehicle the next morning). This is not just a minor inconvenience, nor is it a romantic selling-point. It was quite miserable being in the room, and far too cold and windy to sit outside. However, the second night was much calmer, and we slept well. The wind does, nonetheless, howl around the camp and makes it unappealing to sit, or even stand, outside to look over the crater." See all these reviews: 11n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

4 sightings

Eland

2 sightings

Elephant

5 sightings

Giraffe

3 sightings

Hippo

2 sightings

Lion

4 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mrs A.
Brisbane

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

3 nights Arrived 7 Aug 2022
"Staff, food, dining, guides, sightings all amazing.

Cold, windy, noisy tents at night.

45-60 minute bumpy drive to and from crater - not good for people with joint issues." See all these reviews: 10n in Tanzania
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Average
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

5 sightings

Giraffe

8 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Lion

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs D.
New York

"Entamanu Ngorongoro review"

2 nights Arrived 25 Oct 2021
"Entamanu was a nice camp on the crater rim that was quite far from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (about 1.5 hours from the gate, if I remember correctly). Similar to other Nomad camps, there are individual tents and a main tent area where you can relax, have a drink, and is also where meals are served. As with other Nomad camps, the staff, service, and food were top-notch. When we were there, our group was the only one at camp so we had it all to ourselves.

Because this is a permanent camp, showers were normal showers (not bucket) though regulating the water temperature was a bit of a challenge with them. The tents were spacious and comfortable and you can charge electronics from inside your own tent instead of the main area like at the Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp. It gets really windy at camp, especially at night, so it does get loud. Luckily, the camp provides some very effective earplugs that helped us sleep through the night. Hot water bottles were provided each night in case you get cold.

During our time there, we did a boma walk to a local Maasai village where we learned a lot about the Maasai and their culture. After the walk, the staff took us to an area to enjoy a beautiful sunset with drinks before dinner. We had a very sweet and kind guide during our time at Entamanu and Kuro named Rowland. He was very knowledgeable about all the wildlife in the two areas and had many jokes. Personality-wise, it was quite the contrast to our guide at the Serengeti Safari Camp where Mussa, our guide there, was more of a cowboy compared to Rowland who was more a stickler for rules :)

Standard Nomad wake-up calls are provided here which include some morning drinks at the time of your choosing. For the game drive, the descent road into the crater is close to camp, however, it was closed for construction when we were there. The ascent road was instead used for descents during the morning hours but that road was far from camp (~1 hour away). We definitely saw a lot more safari vehicles around when compared to the Serengeti but given the enclosed nature of the crater, I suppose that was to be expected.

This camp has a small gift shop where profits get donated to Nomad's projects. Prices are a bit higher than outside camp so if you're sensitive to that, I'd recommend making a stop in Arusha if possible at some point on your trip where you can get similar souvenirs for much cheaper (unless it's Nomad-branded gear you're after).

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Entamanu and it was a well-run camp." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 5n in Rwanda
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Buffalo

10 sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

6 sightings

Giraffe

4 sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

2 sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Showing 1-10 of 23
96%
23 reviews of Entamanu Ngorongoro by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
18
5
0
0
0
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