A safari junction
Karatu Tented Lodge
Karatu Tented Lodge is situated on Rhotia Valley Road, on the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, fifteen minutes from Karatu town. Most guests sleep here between visits to Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire, and Lake Eyasi. Ten luxury en-suite cottages, a garden pool, and an open fireplace make each night comfortable. In addition, our team arranges day trips and complete safaris directly from the lodge.
- 10 en-suite cottages
- 30 minutes to Ngorongoro Gate
- Children of all ages welcome
- Full board dining
- Safaris arranged on site
The Lodge
Welcome to Our Lodge in Karatu
Overlooking the Rift Valley and the Lake Manyara plains, Our luxury Karatu lodge keeps things simple and warm. We include a swimming pool, Wi-Fi, en-suite rooms, a family suite, and an on-site bar and restaurant.
The cottages sit back in the gardens, arranged around a central restaurant and an outdoor barbecue. There is also a pool with loungers for the quiet afternoons.
Most people arrive in the late afternoon, dusty after a long day in a park. The day here is built around that arrival. A warm towel and a glass of hibiscus juice wait when the vehicle pulls into the courtyard. Dinner is served early. While you eat, someone quietly goes into your room, closes the mosquito nets, and puts hot water bottles under the blankets.
We take couples, families, and small groups, and we have hosted parties of eighteen. This is not a remote bush camp. Karatu town is close. However, after a week under canvas in the parks, most guests find that this is exactly what they were hoping for.
Rooms
Rooms and Accommodation at our Karatu Lodge
All ten cottages are en-suite. We built them with solid walls and ripstop canvas to give the rooms a safari feeling. You will sleep under a tent roof with a plumbed bathroom and a hot shower.
Each cottage has a private deck/verandah facing the gardens and the farmland. Inside, you will find mosquito nets over the beds and bottled water. One bottle is for drinking and making tea. The second is for brushing your teeth. All rooms are non-smoking.
Standard Cottage (9 rooms)
Our standard cottages take two guests in a double or twin setup. A third bed fits on request for triple occupancy. Furthermore, every room has electricity, charging points, and Wi-Fi.
Family Suite (1 room)
The family suite sleeps up to six people, making it ideal for parents or adults traveling with children or together. It is configured with a queen-size bed and two to three single beds. Children of all ages are welcome at the lodge.
- En-suite bathroom with hot shower
- Electricity and charging points
- Wi-Fi throughout the property
- Mosquito nets and bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- Private terrace
- Free private parking
- Security on the property twenty-four hours a day
Facilities & Dining
Facilities and Dining at Karatu Tented Lodge
Enjoy a refreshing swim in our garden pool, relax at the poolside bar, or unwind around the open fireplace at our central restaurant. Our meals showcase fresh Tanzanian ingredients, with dinner served buffet-style and breakfast offering both a buffet and freshly cooked dishes. When the weather is right, we also fire up our outdoor barbecue for a relaxed evening dining experience.
If you are spending the day exploring the nearby national parks, we can prepare a packed lunch or picnic hamper for your adventure. We are happy to accommodate dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan and lactose-free diets. For more specific or special requests, just let us know at least one day in advance.
Your stay at Karatu Tented Lodge is on a full-board basis, meaning breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your accommodation rate. Drinks and beverages from the bar are available at an additional charge.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
Karatu Tented Lodge is proud to hold a Travelife Better Places certificate, recognising our commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism.
During your stay, you will see our sustainability efforts in practice. We minimise the use of single-use plastics, source construction and décor materials from local artisans, and work with local suppliers to provide fresh ingredients for our meals. By staying with us, you are also supporting local businesses and communities while enjoying an authentic Tanzanian hospitality experience.
Location
Our Location, Lodge Near to Karatu, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater
The lodge is on Rhotia Valley Road, between Lake Manyara National Park to the east and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the north. This is the stretch of the Northern Safari Circuit that most itineraries pass through twice, once going in and once coming out. Consequently, a safari lodge in Karatu earns its place on the route rather than being a detour from it.
Arusha is 130 km away, with a tar road the whole way, so any vehicle can make the drive. The nearest airstrip is Lake Manyara (LKY), about twenty minutes from the lodge. We can arrange transfers.
Karatu town, fifteen minutes away, has a market with interesting local vendors who love welcoming guests. You will find vegetables, spices, and fabric, as well as wood carvings, paintings, and jewelry from local artists.
Best Time to Visit Karatu
June to October
This is the dry season and the busiest safari period. Days are sunny, and wildlife gathers at water sources in the nearby parks of Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater. However, nights get cold, particularly from June to August. Pack a fleece, and let the fireplace and the hot water bottles do the rest.
November to February
Short rains pass through in November and December, usually in the afternoon. The land turns green, and the roads stay open. From late December, the wildebeest calving season begins around Ndutu, within reach for a long day trip. Additionally, this period brings fewer vehicles to the crater.
March to May
The long rains arrive in March. This is the quietest season, and our rates are at their lowest. The gardens and the valley look their best. Some park roads get muddy, yet the crater and Lake Manyara stay very possible.
Activities
Things to Do at Karatu Tented Lodge
Most days here begin and end with a drive into a park. Even so, the lodge is worth a slow morning too.
01 — Biking
Biking
Explore the Rift Valley and the villages around Rhotia by bicycle. Some of the trails are moderately steep, so a reasonable fitness level helps. We provide the bikes and a local guide.
02 — Game drives and day trips
Game drives and day trips
Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and Lake Eyasi are each reachable and back within a day from here. Our own vehicles and guides run these trips. You book them at the front desk, or in advance with your reservation.
03 — Cultural visits
Cultural visits
The villages around Karatu, Mto wa Mbu, and Lake Eyasi offer time with Iraqw and Maasai communities. Coffee estates on the slopes toward Oldeani welcome visitors for tours. Oldupai Gorge is a longer trip, reachable on the way to the Serengeti.
04 — Walking safaris
Walking safaris
Around Karatu, walks pass coffee farms, forest edges, and quiet village paths. Further south at Lake Eyasi, you can walk with Hadzabe hunters and Datoga blacksmiths. These routes suit families and anyone who wants culture along with nature, with the lodge as the base. The minimum age for our standard walks is 12 years. Younger children can join easy nature walks around Karatu instead. For multi-day treks, we recommend a reasonable hiking fitness level.
05 — Doing nothing
Doing nothing
A fair number of guests book two nights specifically to stop moving. The pool, the gardens, a book, and no six a.m. departure.
Rates and Booking
Included
Full board meals (breakfast, lunch or packed lunch, dinner), Wi-Fi, private parking, taxes.
Not included
Drinks from the bar, park and crater fees, transfers, game drives and other activities, gratuities.
Check-in is from 2:00 PM. Check-out is by 10:00 AM. Children of all ages are welcome. Guests aged 17 and over are charged as adults.
Check live availability, or send us an enquiry, and we will come back with dates and a quote.
What Our Guests Say
Flora N, June 2026
Willemijn. May 2026
Meander, April 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Lodoare Gate, the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is about 30 minutes from the lodge. The drive down to the crater floor takes longer, so allow about one hour from us in total. Most guests leave after an early breakfast and are back for dinner.
We are on Rhotia Valley Road, fifteen minutes from Karatu town, in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania. Lake Manyara is twenty minutes away to the east.
Both, honestly. The walls are solid to waist height, and the roof and upper walls are canvas. Inside, you get a real bed, electricity, and a full plumbed bathroom with a hot shower.
One night works as a stopover between parks. Two or three nights let you use the lodge as a base for day trips to Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, and Lake Eyasi.
Yes, for the most part. We sit outside town among gardens and farmland. Occasionally, sounds from nearby village life carry over, which is part of staying in a real place.
Nights on the escarpment get cold from June to August, sometimes below 10°C. The fireplace runs every cold evening, and we put hot water bottles in the beds.
Very much so. We welcome children of all ages, the family suite sleeps six, and there is a kids’ corner in the main house. Easy nature walks around Karatu suit younger children.
Rates are full board, so breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. Drinks, park fees, and activities are charged separately.
Drive west from Arusha for about 120 km on tar road, roughly two and a half hours. Alternatively, fly to Lake Manyara Airport (LKY), twenty minutes from the lodge. We arrange transfers on request.
Yes. We arrange everything from single day trips to complete multi-day safaris across the Northern Circuit, using our own vehicles and guides.
Continue Your Safari With Mawe Lodges
Karatu Tented Lodge is one of five Mawe properties across northern Tanzania. Many guests combine two or three of them in one route.
Your nights inside Tarangire National Park.
The central Serengeti plains near Namiri.
The calving season around Lake Ndutu.
The northern Serengeti and the river crossings.
Tanzania · Northern Circuit
Book your stay with Mawe Lodges
Our own lodges and camps, our own guides, our own 4×4 vehicles. One team from arrival to departure.
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