THE RETREAT AT NGORONGORO

Double cottage between 320 US$ and 540 US$ depending on the season in full board.

Welcome to The Retreat at Ngorongoro!

Our humble beginnings in the hotel industry date back to 2004, when we first considered building a hotel in Arusha. Many of our clients had been saving money for years in anticipation of their first trip to Africa. "Why," they asked us, "do so many hotels in Arusha opt for a Western-style decor, with nothing to showcase Africa and providing barely the bare minimum of comfort?" With their questions and suggestions, we created "The African Tulip", now ranked the #1 hotel in Arusha on Trip Advisor for over 9 years, with a brilliant team at its helm. Our mission was accomplished!

Soon after, we embarked on a new challenge: to create a lodge in the rural, but breathtakingly beautiful, area of Karatu. On the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The barren land inspired us to develop the existing raw natural beauty into something more: a retreat, an oasis of sorts. This is how the idea for "The Retreat at Ngorongoro" was born.

We wanted to showcase the beauty and bounty of Africa - areas that are not always shown to the world - and we embarked on the first step: bringing this place "to life" with a serious tree planting project that would also serve to offset our carbon footprint. Planting over 40,000 native trees was not an easy task, we often lost many saplings to elephant trampling and lack of water in the area, but we persisted, replanted, bought water to water the trees during the dry seasons.... and success followed. The planting of trees has done more than beautify an already beautiful land; it has brought in many species of birds (hence the bird-themed lodge concept), insects and other small animals. It has dramatically changed the climate here....., which you will experience as you drive along the dry, dusty roads and through the villages to this beautiful oasis.

Native plants and flowers continue to flourish while our natural garden and orchard produce fruits and vegetables that are served at the lodge's Kipepeo restaurant. We take pride in harvesting our own honey, roasting our own coffee, making our own jams and juices, and using firewood from the pruned branches of trees we have planted. Drought resistant plants and grasses have been used in most areas and the planted trees attract rainfall which keeps our gardens lush. Solar panels are used to heat water at the Lodge.

We have trained and created a livelihood for many people in the surrounding villages (from security staff to gardeners to housekeepers, waiters and cooks). Buying fresh milk, local eggs, ..... The education of the youngest, in the surrounding villages, is ensured in a school that we have built and which is 5 minutes walk from the lodge.

The Retreat is located near the eighth wonder of the world, the famous Ngorongoro Crater. Also nearby are Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Eyasi, Endoro Falls and the Elephant Caves. Activities at the lodge range from day trips to the national parks, walking safaris, mountain biking, quad biking, cultural visits to the local Iraqw tribe and tree planting.

We are truly proud of our achievement and warmly invite you to experience our piece of paradise... Welcome to The Retreat at Ngorongoro!