Abercrombie & Kent is giving one of its signature safari addresses a fresh start. A&K Sanctuary — the boutique collection of luxury lodges, camps, and riverboats from A&K — has relocated its longstanding Ngorongoro Crater Camp to a new setting within the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area, pairing the move with a top-to-bottom redesign.
The new location sits on a hillside with sweeping views across the Serengeti plains, just 25 minutes from the crater descent road. That puts guests within easy reach of one of Africa's most iconic safari destinations — the largest inactive volcanic caldera in the world, home to more than 25,000 animals, including all of the Big Five — while opening the door to experiences beyond the traditional crater game drives. Among them: seasonal visits to the Great Migration calving grounds at Ndutu Plains, the ancient rock art site of Nasera, the Shifting Sands, the Olduvai Gorge Museum, and encounters with local Maasai communities. The setting also makes the camp a natural fit for both fly-in and overland itineraries.
"The relocation of Ngorongoro Crater Camp presented an opportunity to thoughtfully reimagine the guest experience while remaining true to the essence of the destination," said A&K Sanctuary Operations Senior Vice President Vasco Baselli. "From the carefully chosen setting to the craftsmanship woven throughout the camp, every decision was guided by a respect for the landscape, the local community and the enduring spirit of Ngorongoro."
The redesign, a collaboration with East African studio JPN Interior Design, leans heavily on local craftsmanship — 97 percent of the interiors were locally made and custom designed, with furniture handcrafted in Arusha and decorative elements sourced from artisans and social enterprises across the region. Female-led businesses got particular attention, including Women Craft, whose fair-trade basket collections support more than 600 Tanzanian artisans.
The design language takes its cues from the landscape itself, with a palette of earthy grays, warm browns, charcoal tones, and muted sage greens, and curved architectural forms that echo both the crater's contours and traditional Maasai design. Standout details include a three-meter-wide chandelier made from painted jacaranda seed pods, handwoven sisal screens created on site, and sculptural wooden artworks inspired by East African forms. The ten newly built tented suites have been upgraded in size and design, each with polished hardwood floors, muslin-draped king beds, ensuite bathrooms, and private viewing decks.
Sustainability shaped the move as well. Materials from the previous camp were repurposed wherever possible, existing furniture was restored and reimagined, and locally sourced materials such as hand-cut Tanga stone from northern Tanzania were worked throughout the new design. Maasai community members played an integral role in construction, an approach that aligns with the community-led conservation work of A&K Philanthropy.
The reimagined camp is part of a broader growth push for A&K Sanctuary, which recently opened Kitirua Plains Lodge bordering Kenya's Amboseli National Park on June 1.
Nightly rates start at $855 per person (based on double occupancy) and include all meals, beverages with premium spirits, game drives, airstrip transfers, emergency medical evacuation, and laundry. The camp can be booked as part of an A&K Tailormade journey or Small Group Journey, including the ready-to-book A&K Sanctuary Tanzania Safari and the Ultimate Tanzania Safari.
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