1. For night drives and walking I think you want Manyara Ranch Cons. The time of year would be good for Manyara too. (I personally have not been to either.)

2. You mentioned a mix of LODGE, mobile, perm, etc. Crater is a chance for a LODGE with a good location and lower price than Lemala. Why not Sopa Lodge, which has same location advantages as Lemala. Granted, Sopa is a bigger facility, not as intimate as a tented camp. (Only been to Sopa, not other places you mention.)

3. With herds so unpredictable I like the 2/2. It is the strategy I am using in March in the Serengeti, splitting my time between regions.

Since you mention the tight availability, that trumps other considerations.

Thanks, atravelynn. I am glad to know I am not way off base in my thinking here. I thought about Sopa for location, but is it too big, impersonal, meh? Or is it actually very comfortable and lovely, etc... I was sort of turned off by it, but maybe I was too hasty? Did you like it?

Definitely going to go with the 2n/2n combo for Ndutu/Kusini (Olakira not available). Almost certainly going with Manyara Ranch. Unless someone can tell my why Tarangire would be "better" or more special for some reason I'm missing.

Other thoughts and "votes" welcome.

Just my two bits...We visited Swala in June. Beautiful camp with a resident herd of impala, lots of vervet monkeys and an early morning lion visit. Garth and Liz were exceptional hosts as were the rest of the staff, the food was delicious and the accommodations were very comfortable.

We enjoyed our stay there very much.

I stayed at Lemala Ngorongoro two nights. The first my friend and I were the only ones there, the second night some other guests were present. It's set in a beautiful acacia forest. The tents are very comfortable but not what I would call luxury (although you are looking for a mix of lodgings). Food was very good. It's chilly and there is a heater in the tent that someone comes and lights early in morning while you're still in bed. Its access to the crater is excellent - especially when going into the crater in the morning when you want to be one of the first vehicles in. I loved it there and would definitely stay again.

Why Tarangire better? Probably more eles, even in Feb. But night drives and walking would sway me toward Manyara.

Sopa or Lemala-Check the difference in cost. If minimal, then you may want Lemala. Catseye mentioned "chilly." Sopa has more infrastructure between you and cold (plus a fireplace that is attended to for you) while Lemala is tented. I liked Sopa and it's where I'll go in March, but mostly from a cost standpoint. I have not been to Lemala.

Do both Sopa and Lemala have availability?

Lemala is considerably higher than the Sopa, from what I understand. I've stayed there a couple of times and think it would be fine. The Crater rim is the one place I'd prefer to NOT stay in a tent because of the cold and fog.

I always enjoy Tarangire, even in February. The only advantage I see in Manyara Ranch is the possibility of a night drive or walk. That said, you might have more wildlife within the park by the Tarangire River.

I think you'd be fine with either the 4 only or 2/2 split in the Serengeti. I'd probably choose the 4 night option myself... less time packing and unpacking. If the Migration herds aren't in the Ndutu area then (should be but you never know), an all day drive to wherever they are located is always a possibility.

My DH and I have stayed at Lemala Ngorongoro twice, both times for three nights - August 2009 and most recently in August 2012. It is one of our favourite tented camps. The tents are comfy (and heated - important on the rim in the winter, when it is very cold!), the setting very pretty (in a stand of ancient acacias), the food is very good, the staff very professional and friendly, and the camp is located inside the gate, so there is no delay at the gate in the morning. As a Lemala guest, you receive all of your crater permits (at the gate) on the day of your arrival, so you get up in the morning and drive straight into the crater (with or without a guide - we were self-driving, but most Lemala guests are with a guide - either their own or a guide from Lemala) - no delays for paperwork. We were first into the crater each morning, and felt as though we had the crater to ourselves - very special. The packed breakfasts and lunches provided by Lemala were huge and delicious - far beyond the typical boxed meals that are so popular in Tanzania. I would not hesitate to recommend Lemala Ngorongoro! A bit pricey, but worth every penny! CR

CR, are the heaters on all night? Just curious...

No, the heaters do not run all night. The staff turn them on while you are at dinner, so you return from dinner to a lovely warm tent. The staff then come and turn the heaters off (apparently) about half an hour after your lights go out - I never stayed awake long enough to know when our heater was turned off. The staff can turn off the heaters from outside the tent - they do not come into the tent to do this. The staff then turn the heaters on again about half an hour before your wake up call - at the same time that they fill your hot water container. I was always rather relieved that the staff turned the heat off after we were in bed. It was always very warm in the tent when we returned from dinner, and the duvets are very warm. They also put hot water bottles in the bed. We have never been cold in the tent. CR
I should add that the communal areas, such as the dining room, are also heated.

Swala Camp is beautiful and they DO have permission, even though located inside the park, to be able to conduct bush walks and night game drives. I'd prefer to be in Tarangire than Manyara.

At Ngo, Lemala will be way more expensive that the Sopa; the Sopa has roof/walls and should be warmer at night than Lemala. These two are practically next door to one another. Exploreans is new and lovely, but located outside the Crater, thus if you have a morning crater tour, you loose time getting from this property to Crater gate, paper handling, then to the descent road to crater floor... better to stay on the Rim.

At Ndutu, the mix of Ndutu and Kusini is good... with Kusini located a bit farther west than Ndutu, so the areas are somewhat different. However, you still never know exactly where the herds will be, but don't sweat it. Your guide will do his utmost to get you where you have to be.

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the input and very happy that I had so many good choices this late in the game. It turns out I don't think Sopa was available, but I didn't double check because I decided against it.

Every choice had pros/cons, and I know everyone makes different choices...
To follow up, I went with 1n Duluti upon arrival, 2 Manyara Ranch, then an unusual pick for me but I am happy with what/why I chose this way...1 night Exploreans and 1 n Lemala Ngorongoro, 2 n Lemala Ndutu and 2 n Kusini. Fly back to Arusha. Day room at Arusha Coffee, and home.

Very excited. Happy travels!

It won't take you long to go between Manyara Ranch and Exploreans. If you have extra time that day, consider visiting the Rift Valley Children's Village, an orphanage near Karatu. The turnoff is near the Ngorongoro Farmhouse. I've been there several times and sponsor a young boy there (even helped to plant the trees onsite.) They help the local village and school, as well, so you might be interested in seeing their programs. You'd just need to contact them in advance: www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org.

I stayed at Lemala Ngorongoro for one night in June, and while nice, I would not stay there again. It was COLD, very cold, which I knew it would be. I stayed there because of the heaters and hot water bottles, as we wanted the tent experience AND wanted to be warm. However, there were 3 issues because of the cold:
1) we wanted to be up at 4:30 AM so we could be out before daylight. The staff do not not come around until after 5 AM to turn on the heaters, so it was cold getting ready in the morning. They offered to try to get there before 5 AM, but it did not happen.
2) because we got in "late" the night before, only one of us got a shower that night before dinner, and it was too late after dinner. Due to the 5 AM wake-up call noted above, the shower also was not ready before 5 AM. And the shower area is not heated by the room heater, and it was FREEZING getting my shower!
3) minor inconveniences for us, given the one-night stay, but the experience our guide had was not minor. The accommodations for the drivers/guides do NOT provide heaters or hot water bottles. Our guide had not been there before, and did not know how cold it would be and did not come prepared with a sleeping bag, as he did not need one elsewhere. Well, he FROZE! in fact, was so cold, he barely slept. I did not know of this until after we left that morning, so did not report this to camp management. I did however send an email upon my return home, expressing my dissatisfaction with the accommodations for the all-important guides, but did not hear back from them.

I am returning to the crater in January, and this time will stay at the Sopa. I prefer tents all the way, but when it comes to the crater, as others said, stay in a lodge if you want to be warm.

kfrisch - What a very different experience you had at Ngorongoro Lemala, and only two months prior to our visit to Lemala, which was so positive and a highlight of our six-week tour of Tanzania.

I find it a tad suspicious that your very negative review of Lemala is your only contribution to this forum, and that you joined the forum specifically to contribute to this thread. CR

"The accommodations for the drivers/guides do NOT provide heaters or hot water bottles. Our guide had not been there before, and did not know how cold it would be and did not come prepared with a sleeping bag, as he did not need one elsewhere. Well, he FROZE! in fact, was so cold, he barely slept."

Something to consider, the guide accommodations. I know there are some spots that guides don't care to go, even though it is lovely for the guests.

Anyway, it is worth asking about.

I would not expect hot showers at 5 am on safari, myself.

Baby wipes!
I never leave home without them. Even at lodges/camps that supposedly should have hot water when needed, you just never know.

And, for your guide to be so inconvenienced, I have to wonder who the tour operator/outfitter was that didn't advise him of this fact. Some lodges and/or camps* provide excellent accommodations for the guides, others not so.... like no soap, duh! But the guys know ahead of time where and what to expect
*some properties even put up the guides off premises altogether.

It always amazes me that someone negatively comments on a new poster's first comment. If the new poster's comment is "negative" you are suspected of being a competitor or a troll, and if it's a "positive" comment, well, then you must be company-"hired" and here only to post just good comments. Either way, the new poster is hardly ever just welcomed to a forum. I have been coming to and reading this forum for almost a year. I did just join because I finally had something to say. You can read my unbiased review of all my lodging choices on the Trip Advisor Tanzania forum.

Yes, apparently I did have a different experience there than some folks. However, not all reviews of Lemala Ngorongoro are positive. I actually liked the camp and would have considered going back again, if not for the deplorable conditions the guides have to endure. I did not expect to get a hot shower at 5 AM, I was commenting that if you try to take one when it is cold outside, you should expect to be cold because the heater doesn't reach the shower/toilet area.

Thanks for the followup. It puts your comments in context.

I'm shivering just reading about the cold shower, being a cold water wimp.

Thanks for all the extra input, information, and perspectives.

I am pretty sure our guide is very experienced and well-prepared for Lemala Ngo, but I will check to be sure. And I will be extra certain now to pack some extra layers for my own comfort...although it will be "summer" and after spending 3 nights along the Inca Trail in an UN-heated tent with no shower facilities at all(sleeping elevation up to 11,000ft and nighttime temps about freezing - there was ice on the inside edges of my tent), I should be fine as long as I pack properly (thanks for the alert).

ShayTay - I love this idea. Thanks for the suggestion to visit the Children's Village and link to it. I'm not sure that we have time that day, but I am going to ask! And, if a visit will not work out, I still plan to donate. I've read all through the website and it looks impressive.

kfrisch - What I found odd about your post was your (admirable) concern for your guide, but your total lack of concern for the staff at Ngoronogoro Lemala. By your own admission, you arrive at camp late, but you are annoyed when the staff cannot then provide hot water for showers for you all before dinner. Then you expect the staff to provide hot water for showers after dinner which, when we were there, ended around 10pm - a little late to expect the staff to be heating water for you, when they are trying to clean up after dinner and put the camp to bed. The following morning, you wish to be up at 4:30am so you can leave before dark. You cannot leave the camp (because the gates into the crater and the rim road are locked) until 6am, but you wish to be up at 4:30am and expect service at that hour. Goodness - do you really need one and a half hours? We were up at 5:30am for departure at 6am, as were most of our fellow guests. The Lemala staff need to sleep too! By 6am, our hot breakfast, thermos of hot chocolate, and lunch were packed and ready for us - the staff had clearly been up and busy for a while.

Most guests arrive or return to camp in time to shower before dinner, when the day is still warm and a cold bathroom isn't an issue. However, for the morning, if you leave the curtain between the bathroom and sleeping area tied back, the heater warms the bathroom somewhat - not enough to shower comfortably, I admit, but fine for a quick wash. There is a reason why the staff recommends that guests shower before dinner!

Like Sandi, I am surprised that any guide would arrive at the camp so unprepared. It is very cold on the crater rim in the winter, and I would expect any guide to know that. The accommodation provided to the guides varies greatly from camp to camp, and your guide should have checked out the situation ahead of time and come prepared. I do not think you should blame Lemala for his lack of preparation and I don' think it is fair to describe the conditions as "deplorable" due to a lack of heater and hot water bottle. We met four guides during our stays at Lemala, who joined their clients for dinner (I assume at the guests' expense), and they all seemed quite content. CR

CR, part of Kfrish's problem of what to expect at the camp may stem from their comment that their guide had never been to the Lemala camp before. Even so, the guides have a responsibility to know the "lay of the land" and surely must have crossed paths with other guides that had stayed there.

Fun4all4, I think you'd really enjoy a visit to RVCV. You should have plenty of time between Manyara Ranch and Exploreans to do the visit. It's about a 30-minute drive off the main road. An hour-long visit would be long enough, although if school is in session, you might get a chance to visit the nearby Geytighi Primary School, as well. So, figure 2 -3 hours for the visit. They just need a "heads up". You could have lunch at the Ngorongoro Farmhouse, which is near the turnoff to RVCV, closer than Exploreans is.

Hi ShayTay! Yes, precisely my point. I had noted that the guide had not been to Lemala before. I felt that some of the criticism of the camp should have been directed at the guide. CR

Agreed, CR. The camp sounds nice, spendy but nice. I don't think most travelers know what kind of accommodations their guides have and most of the guides won't "share" with their guests. I don't know if it was appropriate for this guide to complain to his guests about his accommodations.

Guide accommodations may be something we should be asking about. It's not something we often think about. If guests ask, then some of the places that are subpar may upgrade.

This conversation has brought up a good point.

One of the advantages of self-driving that had never occurred to me!