Lemala Osonjoi Lodge is the latest addition to the Lemala portfolio and completes a remarkable circuit of lodges. The world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater and its surrounding highlands are universally recognized as some of the continent’s best, most reliable wildlife areas.
Osonjoi is conveniently located close to the quiet Lemala crater access road on the eastern side of the Crater Wall; a key advantage of staying at Lemala Ngorongoro is the quick and easy drive down onto the crater floor in the morning. Lemala guests usually have an hour ahead of others descending via the far busier Seneto crater access road on the western rim. And, of course, I can stay later in the afternoon before returning to camp. As Africa’s game is most active in the early morning and late afternoon, this means better wildlife experiences for Lemala guests.
Game drives from camp may start as early as 6.00 am, and guests can be down among Ngorongoro’s abundant wildlife on the floor within 10-15 minutes, which is crucial for photographers who demand the best light conditions. Escorted walks are also available into the forest and along the crater rim with an armed ranger and Maasai guide. Osonjoi is an easy and enjoyable scenic drive for guests arriving by road from an arrival overnight in Arusha or from safari camps in Tarangire or Manyara National Parks or a thrilling landing at the Manyara Airstrip perched above a towering escarpment wall for those arriving by air.
Located on a hill just back from the Crater rim, Lemala Osonjoi Lodge is named for the trees that characterize the area. Osonjoi trees have both symbolic and medicinal significance for the Maasai. Chosen by the Lemala staff, we are proud to use a name that signifies bringing multiple benefits to the land and people of East Africa—a central tenet of all that Lemala stands for.
