Karatu Region | Ngorongoro Highlands
Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge
★★★★★ 4/5
Rhotia Valley Lodge is located in the highlands near the town of Karatu, just a few kilometres from the famous Ngorongoro area. Perched on a hill, the lodge offers stunning views of the forests of the Ngorongoro, the surrounding villages and the terraced fields of the local farmers.
There are 15 spacious tents built on stilts located on a hilltop in an authentic African landscape. Each tent has a small wooden porch, an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water, a toilet, and a shower. Meeting point of the guests is the cosy open restaurant with large terrace with breath-taking views. Here you can enjoy the good cuisine of the lodge, with lots of vegetables and herbs from the private garden.
Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is more than just a lodge. Your stay contributes directly to the well-being of the local children because part of the proceeds goes to two local schools and an orphanage. You can gain a good insight into everyday Tanzanian life on a guided walk to the village of Rhotia or a visit to the children’s home.
Gibbs Farm
★★★★★ 5/5
One of the most famous properties in the Ngorongoro Highlands, Gibb’s Farm was once the family home for the Gibb’s family and is a true sanctuary after the heat of the Serengeti or the national parks to the east. Comprising a series of quirky cottages, set amongst stunning flower gardens, this is
certainly one of the best choices if you are staying in the highlands. Gibb’s Farm is located approximately a 45-minute drive from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, off the main road past the town of Karatu.
Consisting of the main house – dining room, lounge, open fire, bar – and 20 rooms, Gibb’s Farm is largely a stone and wood build. The farmhouse is a large bungalow, and is characteristic of a certain upcountry style – white stone exterior, chimney, corrugated roofing – and its wooden floors, open
stone chimney breast and mixed furnishings are very much in keeping with country frontier styles.
The sleeping rooms at Gibb’s Farm – a mix of bungalows and cottages – are spotted around the gardens. Each is individually themed, individually named, and stands as a monument to a particular slice of the farm’s history. Surrounded by plants and lawns, most of the cottages are a wood and corrugated iron build, simply and elegantly furnished. Depending on its size, each has comfortable double/twin bed, a seating area, veranda, and a seating area. Much emphasis is placed on art – it has its own studio and artists-in-residence – and on literature, and the rooms, which house small libraries and original pieces, are designed to reflect and encourage this interest. The bathrooms are spacious, well-lit and have giant sized baths.
Country Lodge Karatu
★★★★★ 3/5
Located on the outskirts of Karatu, a small country town in the Ngorongoro Highlands, midway between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Country Lodge is situated in the centre of Northern Tanzania’s green belt district and farming community.
Country Lodge Karatu embodies simple country comforts, providing pleasant and affordable lodging in the heart of Tanzania’s rich and scenic northern highlands and coffee estates. The lodge sits within five lushly landscaped acres nestled on the edge of Karatu town, surrounded by rolling hills reaching up to the coffee growing area of Oldeani and the forest of Ngorongoro. Garden paths lead to twelve double cottages surrounded by green lawns, hedged by brightly flowered bougainvillea, tropical plants and trees. Birds and butterflies feel right at home in the garden, as will you.
The rooms, situated around the swimming pool, are tastefully furnished with soft lighting, inviting and comfortable beds, mosquito netting and bedside tables. Drinking water is provided in the rooms along with a torch. On chilly nights in the highland setting, request your fireplace to be lit and return from dinner to glowing warmth. The bathroom has been uniquely designed with beautiful local stone and there is a small dressing area with hanging space and shelving. Complete your safari journal and postcards at the writing desk, whilst looking out at the extensive garden of green lawns and colourful, tropical flowers or relax on the comfortable veranda.
