The Highlands Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Highlands Lodge is tucked into the highlands of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, about 40 kilometres north of Ngorongoro Crater, on the edge of the forest around Olmoti Volcano. Instead of staying right on the busy crater rim, you head deeper into the highlands, where mountain forest, open grassy slopes and volcanic scenery surround the lodge. At around 2,710 metres above sea level, the setting feels distinctly different from the lower safari areas. From the lodge, you can look across towards Ngorongoro Crater, Empakaai Crater, the Gol Mountains and the rim of Olmoti. The high position also gives you a chance to enjoy both sunrise and sunset from the property. The accommodation keeps the same sense of place. Just eight domed suites are tucked among the vegetation, with canvas and glass designs inspired by traditional Maasai bomas. Inside, wood-burning stoves make the cool highland nights comfortable, while broad glass fronts and private decks open the rooms to the surrounding landscape.
Where Is The Highlands Lodge Located?
The Highlands sits beside the forest surrounding Olmoti Volcano, within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its position puts the lodge about 40 kilometres north of Ngorongoro Crater, taking you deeper into the highlands rather than placing you directly on the crater rim. This location gives the stay a different character. From the lodge, the highland landscape opens towards Empakaai Crater, the Gol Mountains and the rim of Olmoti, with mountain forest, grassland and marshy areas surrounding the property. The setting also feels quite different from the open plains found around many northern Tanzania safari lodges. Here, the cooler highland environment, forest and rolling grasslands become part of the stay, with the landscape changing as you move between the different areas of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The wider conservation area is home to more than 25,000 large animals and hundreds of bird species. Around the region, you can encounter wildlife such as lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, hyena and black rhino, while flamingos add colour to the crater lakes and wetlands.
Domed Suites at The Highlands Lodge
The Highlands Lodge keeps its accommodation small and private, with just eight domed suites spread across the highland slopes. Canvas and glass form the main structure, while the rounded design draws inspiration from traditional Maasai bomas. The individual guest suites sit in the smaller domes, while a larger central dome brings everyone together with the lounge, bar and dining areas. Large windows open each suite to the highland scenery, while the en-suite bathroom comes with hot and cold running water. A wood-burning stove keeps the room warm when temperatures drop in the evening.
Standard Guest Tent
The Standard Guest Tent sits at approximately 2,710 metres above sea level on the slopes of Olmoti Volcano. Its full glass front opens up around 180-degree views across the surrounding highlands towards the Gol Mountains. You can choose either a king-size bed or twin beds, while timber panelling and safari-style furnishings give the interior a warm, comfortable feel. The en-suite bathroom has a double-headed shower, and the wood-burning stove is particularly welcome on cold highland evenings. Outside, a private deck with a table and chairs gives you a quiet place to sit and enjoy the mountain scenery.
Guest Tent with Mezzanine
The mezzanine option works particularly well for families or small groups who need extra sleeping space while staying together in one suite. The lower floor can be arranged with either a double or twin beds, while two twin beds sit on the mezzanine above. Floor-to-ceiling glass keeps the wide highland views at the centre of the room. The suite also has an en-suite bathroom with a shower and flush toilet, a wood-burning stove and a private outdoor deck overlooking the surrounding landscape.
Family and Honeymoon Accommodation
Families have their own accommodation option at The Highlands. The Family Suite combines two connected dome tents joined by a walkway, giving parents and children their own sleeping spaces while keeping the units connected. The main dome has a double bed and mezzanine, while the children’s dome has twin beds and its own attached shower. The accommodation is suited to families travelling with children aged five and above. Like the other suites, it also has bathroom facilities, a wood-burning stove and an outdoor deck overlooking the highlands. There is also a dedicated honeymoon tent with a hot tub, giving couples a more private setting within the lodge.
Restaurant and Dining at The Highlands Lodge
Meals are served in the large communal dome, alongside the main lounge and bar. The kitchen uses fresh ingredients sourced from the Karatu region, while the setting allows meals to remain closely connected to the highland surroundings. Breakfast can be enjoyed outside with views across the forest and mountains, and lunch can also make use of the outdoor setting. If you have dietary requirements, it is best to let the lodge know before arrival so the kitchen can make the necessary arrangements.
Bar, Lounge and Fireside Evenings
The main communal dome brings together the bar, lounge and dining area. Cushioned seating, coffee tables and double doors opening onto the outside deck create a comfortable place to spend time between activities. The fireplace becomes the natural centre of the room as evening temperatures fall. At this altitude, the cold is part of the setting, and gathering around the fire with a drink after a day of hiking or game viewing fits naturally into the rhythm of a stay at The Highlands. Sundowners, pre-dinner drinks and conversations around the fire round off the evening before guests retire to their warm, wood-fired domes.
Facilities at The Highlands Lodge
The Highlands Lodge keeps its facilities simple and well suited to its intimate eight-suite setting. Guests have access to a comfortable communal lounge, bar, restaurant, library, and conference room, with Wi-Fi, electricity, running water, laundry service, in-room safes, and 24-hour security adding to the convenience of the stay. The library has its own indoor fireplace, while the main lounge is centred around a larger fire where guests can settle in and warm up after a day in the Ngorongoro Highlands. With the cooler temperatures at this altitude, these indoor spaces provide a natural place to relax, enjoy a drink, read, or spend time together in the evening. The lodge’s facilities are therefore less about having a long list of extras and more about creating a warm, comfortable base in the highlands.
Things to Do at The Highlands Lodge
The Highlands offers a different side of the Ngorongoro experience because your stay is not limited to game drives in the crater. Set farther into the highlands, the lodge puts you close to volcanic landscapes where you can walk, hike and spend time outdoors before or after your crater safari.
Olmoti Crater Nature Walks
Olmoti Crater is one of the highlights of staying at The Highlands. Instead of viewing the highlands from a safari vehicle, you can set out on foot and walk through the surrounding landscape, taking in the vegetation, mountain scenery and quieter side of the Ngorongoro area. With the lodge located close to Olmoti, the walk fits naturally into a stay here and gives you a chance to see a very different side of the region from what you experience on a crater game drive.
Empakaai Crater Hikes
For travellers who enjoy hiking, Empakaai Crater adds another rewarding day in the highlands. The trail takes you down towards the crater floor, bringing you into another volcanic landscape away from the busy routes around Ngorongoro Crater. Combining an Olmoti walk with an Empakaai hike gives you more time on foot and makes the Highlands particularly appealing if you want your Ngorongoro safari to include more than wildlife viewing from a vehicle.
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drives
The Ngorongoro Crater remains an essential part of the safari. Game drives take place in custom-designed 4×4 vehicles with experienced guides, giving you time to search for the crater’s abundant wildlife and predators. Because The Highlands is located farther north of the crater, game-drive days usually begin early. A full day in the crater can include a picnic lunch on the crater floor, with snacks and drinks carried in the safari vehicle so you can spend more time enjoying the wildlife without rushing back to the lodge. The crater is home to the Big Five and supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife, making the game drive the main vehicle-based safari activity during your stay.
Maasai Cultural Visits
A stay at The Highlands can also include visits to Maasai communities in the surrounding highlands. These visits offer a closer look at rural life in the Ngorongoro area and add a cultural side to the safari. After spending time walking through the volcanic highlands and watching wildlife in the crater, meeting local Maasai communities gives you another way to understand the landscape and the people who live around it.
How Far Is The Highlands Lodge from Ngorongoro Crater?
The Highlands Lodge sits about 40 kilometres north of Ngorongoro Crater, so you are not staying directly on the crater rim. Getting down to the crater floor takes more time than it would from a lodge positioned along the rim, and this is one of the main things to consider when choosing where to stay. What you gain is a quieter highland setting with a stronger sense of being away from the main safari routes. You can also use the lodge as a base for visiting Olmoti and Empakaai, giving you more to do in the Ngorongoro Highlands beyond the crater itself. The difference is particularly noticeable outside the busiest travel periods, when the surrounding highlands feel even more peaceful. If your main priority is being as close as possible to the crater for an early descent, a rim-side lodge makes more sense. The Highlands is better suited to travellers who want to spend time in the wider Ngorongoro Highlands and enjoy a more secluded setting, with the crater forming part of the safari rather than the entire focus of the stay.
