The Highlands by Asilia
Ngorongoro Highlands, Olmoti Volcano, Tanzania
Location
Ngorongoro Highlands
The camp sits on the forested slopes of the Olmoti Volcano in the Ngorongoro Highlands — the highest-altitude property in the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area, around an hour from the Crater, with the crowds left behind.
Transfer
A Ngorongoro transfer
The closest airstrip is Lake Manyara, around a three-hour drive away, though a charter can land closer — a light-aircraft hop with luggage limits.
Villas
8 domed suites
Eight canvas-and-glass domed suites, set 15 to 20 metres apart, each with a wood-burning stove for the highland cool and an elevated deck — including one honeymoon dome with an outdoor hot tub and one family dome.
Best For
Who it suits
Couples, honeymooners and active, hiking travellers who want a design-led Ngorongoro camp — glass domes at the highest point, the rarely-walked Olmoti and Empakaai craters and the Crater nearby.
Board Basis
Full board
Full board with house drinks, scheduled game drives and the Olmoti and Empakaai crater hikes, plus immersive Maasai community time.
About the Resort
Maasai-inspired domes at the Ngorongoro's highest point
The Highlands by Asilia is the Ngorongoro at its quietest and highest — a design-led camp of canvas-and-glass domes on the forested slopes of the Olmoti Volcano, the highest-altitude property in the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Eight Maasai-inspired domes, set well apart, each have a wood-burning stove for the highland cool and an elevated deck; there is no pool at this altitude, though the honeymoon dome adds an outdoor hot tub. The Ngorongoro Crater and its Big Five, black rhino among them, are around an hour away, but the camp's own walks are the draw and the crowds are left behind: a hike up Olmoti on an ancient Maasai cattle trail, and a descent into Empakaai to a soda lake of thousands of pink flamingos, with the active Oldoinyo Lengai volcano on the horizon. Maasai community time is immersive, walking the cattle back to the boma. Full board includes house drinks, scheduled drives and the crater hikes. The closest airstrip is Lake Manyara, around a three-hour drive, with a charter able to land closer — an active, design-driven Ngorongoro for couples and hikers.
Accommodation
Domed suites
Eight canvas-and-glass domed suites, Maasai-boma-inspired and set 15 to 20 metres apart, each with a king bed, an en-suite, a wood-burning stove for the highland cool and an elevated deck. One honeymoon dome adds a double-headed shower and an outdoor hot tub; one family dome links to a children's twin dome.
Signature
Dome Suite
Sleeps two. A canvas-and-glass dome with a king bed, a wood-burning stove and an elevated deck, looking over the forest and crater highlands.
Glass domeWood stove
Honeymoon
Honeymoon Dome
Sleeps two. A dome with a double-headed shower, a fireplace, an outdoor hot tub and a large deck — the one honeymoon dome.
Outdoor hot tubHoneymoon
Family
Family Dome
Sleeps four. A king dome linked to a children's twin dome — the one family dome.
Linked domesFamily
Food & Drink
Dining
Dining is gourmet and organic in the dining dome, with a lounge dome holding a library, bar and indoor fireplace, and an open-air breakfast deck looking over the highlands.
Signature
The dining dome
Gourmet, organic cooking in the dining dome.
Lounge
The lounge dome
The lounge dome, with a library, bar and indoor fireplace.
Deck
Breakfast deck
An open-air breakfast deck in the highlands.
Wellbeing
Wellness & domes
Treatments are taken in camp, and the honeymoon dome has an outdoor hot tub — there is no pool at this altitude. The wellness here is in the walking: guided hikes up Olmoti and down into the Empakaai Crater.
In-camp treatments
In-camp treatments.
An outdoor hot tub
An outdoor hot tub in the honeymoon dome — there is no pool at this altitude.
Crater hikes
Guided crater hikes up Olmoti and into Empakaai.
Activities & Experiences
Signature Experiences
An alternative Ngorongoro, built around walking and design. Drive the Crater for the Big Five, hike Olmoti on a Maasai cattle trail, descend into Empakaai to a flamingo-pink lake, and walk the cattle home with the Maasai.
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater game drives for the Big Five, including black rhino in the caldera.
Olmoti Crater hike
A hike up Olmoti Crater on an ancient Maasai cattle trail through forest.
Empakaai Crater
A descent into Empakaai Crater to a soda lake of pink flamingos, with views to the active Oldoinyo Lengai volcano.
Maasai community
Immersive Maasai community time, walking the cattle back to the boma.
High-altitude domes
Sleeping in a Maasai-inspired glass dome at the Ngorongoro's highest point.
Getting There
Location & transfers
By air
To Lake Manyara
Fly to the Lake Manyara airstrip, then around a three-hour drive, or charter closer.
In the highlands
Olmoti Volcano
On the forested slopes of the Olmoti Volcano, the NCA's highest point.
Guest Reviews
What Our Clients Say
★★★★★
“The most extraordinary place I have ever stayed. Nothing prepares you for the depth of the silence, the beauty of the reef, or the sheer generosity of the experience.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“We’ve stayed here three times now. The house reef has no equal. The stargazing was, genuinely, one of the most moving experiences of my adult life.”
✓ Verified via feefo
★★★★★
“I had stayed at Four Seasons, One&Only and Velaa before visiting The Highlands by Asilia. They are all magnificent. But this is different in a way that is hard to articulate.”
✓ Verified via feefo
Good to Know
Good to know
Board basis
- Full board with house drinks, scheduled game drives and the Olmoti and Empakaai hikes.
Made for couples
- A romantic, design-led camp for couples, with one family dome and children five and over welcome.
Altitude
- The highest-altitude camp in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area — domes have wood-burning stoves, there is no pool, and the Olmoti hike is for ages twelve and over.
Getting there
- The closest airstrip is Lake Manyara, around a three-hour drive, or charter closer.
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