The Best Safari Lodges in Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania): Built right on the lip of the crater, this is Africa's most over-the-top lodge, a wonderful mix of hobbitlike styling and baronial splendor famously described as "Versailles meets Maasai." As such, it is a destination in its own right, and every vantage quite stunning -- the view of the vast crater below is an added bonus. It's a real exercise in pampering, too: Return from your game drive, and you're likely to find a crackling fire lit in your room (it's cold up on the crater rim) and a rose-strewn bubble bath; settle in and drink in the view, along with a glass of bubbly.

Serengeti Under Canvas (Serengeti, Tanzania): There's little to beat the romance of having nothing but canvas between you and the bush (hence "The Best Tented Camps" reviewed below). The semi-permanent tented camps that follow the Migration offer great game viewing with a level of luxury -- carpets, plush sofas, table lamps, and small libraries -- not normally associated with camping. There are four excellent operators, but only &Beyond comes with the luxury of a private butler to see to your every need, from delivering piping hot water, warmed over a fire and carried to your private bucket shower, to remembering that you like your G&T with crushed ice and mint.