With Lion's Paw Camp, it's ALL about location! The camp is perched on the crest of Leala Hill, on the eastern rim of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater in the volcanic highlands of northern Tanzania. At an altitude of over 7,500 feet, this location offers remarkable views of the sleeping Crater floor below. Being on the Eastern Rim, this venue offers stunning views of the daily sunset over the far western rim... a sight you will not soon forget. An easy access road to the Crater floor maximizes early morning game-viewing. The eastern descent road is relatively easy to pass, and it typically takes half as long as the opposite access road serving the lodges on the Western side.

It can get quite cold at night and in the early morning so make sure to pack appropriate attire. On the contrary, expect highs on the Crater floor where you will be spending the majority of your day in the upper 70s and lower 80s (degrees F) so it's best to layer your clothing.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the centerpiece of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which covers more than 3000 square miles of pristine African wilderness. The Crater floor is a natural refuge for thousands of indigenous African animals and many species of insects and birds. Lush highlands surround the Crater, rolling away to the golden volcanic plains and glittering soda lakes of the Great Rift Valley.

Keeping in theme with Lion's Paw pristine and secluded location, accommodations consist of just fifteen (15) safari suites and two additional 2-bedroom family suites. Describing the rooms as tents is somewhat misleading and a better description might be luxury cabins under canvas. Each of the tents are elevated above the ground being constructed on stilts and all have small verandas that look out over a flat-topped acacia forest that is often shrouded in mist. A delightful blend of lavish details and camp practicality, each room features generous four-poster beds (either one king or two twins), a writing desk, love seat, and power outlets to charge your camera batteries. Each tent is equipped with an ensuite bathroom complete with running water, single washbasins, toilet, shower and a hairdryer.

There is also the sprawling main lodge area, which contains the lounge, library, dining room, bar, and an expansive two-tier deck. The deck offers a sundowner area and partial views of the Ngorongoro Crater down below. The surrounding area is heavily forested but sometimes you can see giraffe, buffalo, baboon and elephant.

The meals at Lion's Paw Camp are a celebration of food! Delicious and attractively prepared, it is obvious that a lot of thought and attention goes into the food preparations here. Menus may be presented in person by the chef or chef's assistant.

Breakfast consists of eggs, sausage and/or bacon cooked to order, as well as a variety of cereals, cold meats, fresh fruit, yogurt, and toast or pastries.

Dinner is served after 7pm and consists of a soup or salad starter, a hearty main meal consisting of a meat (beef, pork or chicken) paired with a starch (such as potatoes or rice) vegetables, and a dainty dessert or fruit salad and tea or coffee to finish the meal. The meals are served in a traditional 'family style' way at each guest's private table.

Soft drinks and bottled water are complimentary here. A wide range of alcoholic beverages are also available here at extra cost.

• Prime location for game drives, with short and easy access to the Crater floor from the Eastern Rim
• Sundowners and roaring evening campfires with popcorn and drinks under the African sky
• In-camp game viewing
• 15 safari suites configured with one king size bed or two twin beds
• 2 additional two-bedroom family suites featuring two bedrooms and one bathroom with a separate dining and sitting area
• Each tent contains en-suite bathroom facilities including a wash basin with hot/cold running water and a proper flushing toilet
• The shower is a safari style or bladder shower that is filled with plenty of hot water upon demand
• Each tent is supplied with limited electricity from solar power and is equipped with a power strip for charging camera batteries and other electrical devices
• Separate dining tent with refrigerator, lounge, library and full bar Talented staff including cooks, camp crew and waiters

• Inclusive of 3 superb meals a day including 4 course dinners with appetizers, soup, salad, beef or chicken, potatoes, rice, several selections of vegetables and dessert (vegetarian meals available on request)
• Soft drinks and bottled water are complimentary
• A wide selection of beer, wine and spirits are available at an extra charge
• Laundry services are available at an extra charge
• Picnic breakfasts and lunches available
• Hot towel greetings upon arrival
• Hot water bottles embedded in your sheets each night
• Bar and sundries cash only policy; no credit card facility available

The real highlight of staying here is the safari itself. Leaving the Lodge by 6am makes you appreciate every golden moment of your morning game drive, and the easy access road from the Lodge to the Crater floor definitely maximizes your time! Within minutes you are fully embarked on an exciting game drive in search of the elusive black rhino, the notorious Crater lion prides, and all the other magnificent wonders to be discovered on the Crater floor!

The Ngorongoro Crater is a world heritage site, the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and is commonly referred to as the 8th wonder of the world. The 2,000 feet high walls of the approximately 10 mile wide Crater create a natural amphitheater for the densest populations of large animals anywhere. It is a microcosm of the vast Serengeti National Park and in one day it is possible to see a staggering array of East African wildlife including the big carnivores. The Crater lives up to its infamous reputation with abundant and easily accessible wildlife and offers a reasonable chance to see lion, hyena and cheetah in action. The Crater is truly awe-inspiring and will surely be one of the highlights of your safari.

So you've gotten up early and asked the staff to pack a picnic breakfast to not miss any action? Good choice! There is a special atmosphere in the Crater at the light of dawn not to be missed. You'll notice the top of the rim is chilly and clad with mist in the early morning. As your land rover descends the winding road from the top of the ridge to the Crater floor, you'll gradually emerge from the clouds and notice a steady shift in both temperature and scenery.

The leafy forest and morning chill are slowly but surely replaced by sparser vegetation and warmer air. Eventually the landscape melds into the tawny grasslands of the Crater floor, which are teeming with big game. Early morning in the Crater is a time of spellbinding beauty and special solitude (since many of the less ambitious tourists are still sleeping.) Luminous clouds that hung low in the night now roll dramatically above and pile up against the emerald Crater wall, just not quite high enough to escape the rising sun. Shafts of morning sunlight filter through the billowing clouds and create bold shadows that shift and dance below. As the sun rises the air continues to warm. The whistling breeze sweeps down the steep walls and over the grasses at the Crater floor, seeming to whisper of ancient memories of the fiery volcanoes that created this mythical place.

There is dramatic scenery to behold here, and yes the geological history is very intriguing, but the real stars of this show are the ANIMALS! For as far as the eye can see, you will be surrounded by generously sized herds of all types of animals, all taking haven in what has been called "Africa's Garden of Eden." Gazelles and buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, elephant and even the rare black rhino live in concentrated numbers here. There is a realistic chance that you will actually be able to see cheetahs hunting in such a confined area. The lions in the Crater are certainly not tame, but they are somewhat used to vehicles, and you may just find them seeking shade in the shadow of your land rover! Hyenas and other smaller carnivores like the serval cat also make this beautiful place home.

Travel to the western edge of the Crater and enter the magical Lerai forest. Ancient trees draped in vines rise up from a deep leafy carpet of ferns and wide banners of tropical leaves. Look for sly leopards perched high in the tree boughs, hiding in the leaves and dappled light. Also watch for elephants ambling through shady thickets. Emerge from the forest and keep your eyes open for a sighting of the rare black rhino! During a delightful picnic lunch you'll be able to stretch those legs and watch for hippos spouting water in the spring pool nearby. As the sun continues to rise throughout the day, you'll want to shed that sweater and maybe peel off those zippered pant-legs. Get your cameras ready as you journey to the sparkling soda lake and witness thousands of pink flamingoes preening and reflecting in the still waters - a fantastic sight.

The Ngorongoro Crater is sometimes called a microcosm of the Serengeti because there are five distinct habitats located in the relatively small area of the Crater floor (150 square miles) that mirror the major habitats of its enormous neighbor, the Serengeti ecosystem (15,000 square miles).

Lerai Forest is located in the western section of the Crater and here you will find many of the giant tusker bull elephants. Lerai Forest is also known for its resident leopards and there is a realistic chance to see these noble cats here. In the central-western area is Lake Magadi, which plays host to thousands of migratory flamingos. The extreme southern and northern sections of the Crater are home to two large seasonal swamps. These areas are excellent for hippo and many species of water birds. Spread throughout the central area of the Crater is the short grass plains. These plains are home to thousands of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle. Many of the resident lion, hyena and cheetah can be found here close to their prey. In the eastern section of the Crater are the longer grasslands where thousands of buffalo roam. One of smallest carnivores, the serval cat, has frequently been spotted here in the tall grass.