Lion's Paw by Karibu Camps

Eleven en suite tents in total: a single, several doubles and triples, a Forest Suite, and a Family Suite that sleeps four. Maximum capacity around 25 guests.

Year round. The Ngorongoro Crater itself stays open every day of the year, and Lion's Paw operates without seasonal closure.

Either a 4.5 hour drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport via Karatu, or a 45 minute flight from Arusha Airport to Lake Manyara airstrip followed by a 1hr 15min drive to the rim.

Yes. The Family Suite is built for four guests, and children aged 5 and up are charged at 50% of the adult rate. Children under 5 stay free when sharing with a parent.

Full board (three meals daily), water, juices, soft drinks, tea and coffee, daily laundry, and the Tourism Development Levy. Excluded: park fees, concession fees, soft drinks settled directly at the property, the game drive vehicle and driver guide, flying doctors cover, tips, and personal items.

The crater holds wildlife year round; there is no off season. June through October offers drier conditions and cooler weather on the rim. The short rains in November and the long rains in April can make rim mornings misty but bring green grass to the floor.

Yes. Wireless internet reaches the main areas and the tents, and each tent has a telephone for calling reception and the other guest areas. There is also a radio in every tent for service requests and emergencies, which is the more reliable of the two when the weather closes in on the rim.

Cold enough to matter. The camp sits at roughly 2,286 metres on the crest of Leala Hill and rim nights commonly drop to around 6 degrees Celsius. Every tent has a gas heater that the housekeeping team lights during turndown, plus electric blankets, and hot water bottles go into the beds. Bring a fleece and long trousers for the evenings even in the warm months.

Solar, running 24 hours a day, with charging points at 220 volts in the tents and in the main areas. Bring a universal adaptor.

The nearest medical centre is FAME Hospital in Karatu, roughly an hour and a half down off the rim. The camp does not publish its own evacuation cover and flying doctors membership is not included in the rate, so arrange that membership and your travel insurance before you travel. We can help you set both up.

Yes. From 1 October 2026 visitors entering mainland Tanzania must hold the government inbound travel insurance, 44 USD per adult and valid for up to 92 days, covering emergency medical care, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage. Children aged 3 to 17 pay half and infants under 3 are free. It is bought online before you fly or on arrival, and residents of Tanzania and of East African and SADC countries are exempt. If you land in Zanzibar first, the Zanzibar policy covers you instead. It is paid by you directly and is not part of your trip price.