Mid-RangeMid-RangeArusha
Arusha Planet Lodge
A relaxed garden lodge of African-style chalets on the edge of Arusha, with Mount Meru views, a pool and spa — an easy first or l…
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Accommodation · Lodges, camps & resorts
Tanzania Safari Lodges, Tented Camps & Zanzibar Resorts
Hand-picked safari lodges, tented camps, city hotels and beach resorts — from good-value lodges to exclusive camps on the Mara River.
Accommodation · Lodges, camps & resorts
Where you’ll stay
Where you sleep shapes your safari as much as where you go. A tented camp on the Mara River puts the Great Migration on your doorstep; a lodge on the Rift Valley escarpment gives you sunrise over Lake Manyara; a garden hotel in Arusha lets you recover from a long flight in peace. Choosing well means more time with the wildlife, better sleep and a journey that feels effortless.
The properties on this page are the ones we use for our own guests, across every area of the northern safari circuit and Zanzibar: Arusha and Moshi for the first and last nights, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro highlands, the central and northern Serengeti, and the beaches of Zanzibar. Each has its own detailed page with rooms, facilities, dining, activities, location and practical information, checked against the property’s own published details.
We group them into three comfort levels — mid-range, luxury and ultra luxury — so you can see at a glance what to expect. Most safaris mix levels: a comfortable lodge where you spend one night and a special camp where you spend three. Tell us your budget and travel style, and we will suggest the best combination for your route and season.
How we choose
Stays we trust
- 01
Location first
We favour properties inside or close to the parks, so you spend your time watching wildlife rather than driving.
- 02
Honest descriptions
Every page is based on the property’s own information. If a detail is not confirmed, we leave it out rather than guess.
- 03
Right for the season
In the Serengeti the best camp changes with the migration. We match your stay to where the herds will be.
- 04
Every budget
From Tarangire Simba Lodge to Singita Mara River, each level is chosen for comfort and value.
Hand-picked stays
All 21 properties
Filter by area or comfort level. Every property is one we use for our own guests, with details checked against the property’s own information.
Area
Category
Mid-Range
No properties match — try another area or category.
Where to stay
Where to stay, area by area
A short guide to each region on the northern circuit and Zanzibar, with the properties we recommend in each.
01
Arusha
Most safaris begin and end in Arusha, so the first and last nights matter. Gran Meliá Arusha is the city’s most complete luxury hotel, set among coffee plantations with Mount Meru views. Mount Meru Hotel is a full-service hotel close to the centre, and Arusha Planet Lodge offers peaceful garden chalets and interconnecting family rooms.
02
Moshi & Kilimanjaro
Moshi is the base for Kilimanjaro climbs. Chanya Lodge is a long-established, family-run garden lodge with a pool and spa, and Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel has an open-air bar with views of the mountain. Both store luggage while you climb.
03
Tarangire
Tarangire Sopa Lodge is inside the park, with spacious suites and a gorge-side pool. Tarangire Simba Lodge sits beside the quieter western side of the park near Sangaiwe Gate, and Sanctuary Swala is an intimate camp around a waterhole in the remote south-west, with walking safaris and night drives.
04
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge stands on the Rift Valley rim with an infinity pool over the lake. Escarpment Luxury Lodge is a small lodge beside a gorge near the park gate, and Lake Manyara Tree Lodge — the only lodge inside the park — has treehouse suites in a mahogany forest.
05
Ngorongoro & Karatu
The green highlands of Karatu are the base for the Ngorongoro Crater. The Manor at Ngorongoro is a grand country house on a coffee estate, with horse riding and fireplaces in every suite. Farm of Dreams Lodge offers good-value thatched suites and family suites about 30 minutes from the conservation area gate.
06
Central Serengeti
The Seronera area has resident big cats all year. Serengeti Explorer by Elewana has a photographic hide and resident astronomer; One Nature Nyaruswiga is a stylish tented camp with copper baths and wood-burning stoves; and family-owned Tukaone Serengeti Camp offers comfortable tents at good value.
07
Northern Serengeti
From around July to October the Great Migration crosses the Mara River. Singita Mara River Tented Camp has just six suites in the remote Lamai triangle; Ole Serai Luxury Camp is minutes from Kogatende airstrip; and Mara Kati Kati is a simple, authentic bush camp close to the crossings.
08
Zanzibar
Baraza Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive boutique resort on Bwejuu Beach with private plunge pools and a kids’ club, while Riu Palace Zanzibar is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort on Nungwi Beach, where the sea is swimmable most of the day. See our guide to Zanzibar’s beaches.
Comfort levels
Mid-range, luxury or ultra luxury?
What to expect at each level. All of our properties offer en-suite rooms and good food; the differences are in space, setting, service and exclusivity.
| Comfort level | What to expect | Typical setting | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Range | Comfortable en-suite rooms or tents, good food, friendly service | Close to the parks or in gateway towns | Tarangire Simba, Tukaone, Mara Kati Kati |
| Luxury | Spacious rooms, pools, spas and more personal service | Prime locations with views | Kilimamoja, Serengeti Explorer, Ole Serai |
| Ultra Luxury | Intimate camps and suites, exceptional service, unique experiences | Remote, exclusive settings | Singita Mara River, The Manor, Swala |
Our help
How we match you to a stay
- 1
Tell us your style
Budget, interests, who you are travelling with and any must-haves, such as a pool or family rooms.
- 2
We plan the route
We choose stays that fit your route and season, so drives are short and wildlife is close.
- 3
Compare & decide
You receive options with clear prices and links to each property page.
- 4
We confirm everything
We book, confirm room types and pass on dietary needs and special occasions.
When to go
When to book
The best-located camps and lodges fill first, especially from July to October, when the Great Migration is in the northern Serengeti, and over Christmas and New Year. For these periods we recommend booking six months to a year ahead if you have your heart set on a particular property.
The green season from around March to May is quieter, and many lodges offer lower rates — some smaller camps close for part of this period. Whenever you travel, we check availability across several properties so you always have good options.
Plan with confidence
Official sources & further reading
Our property pages are based on each property’s own published information. For park rules and fees, these official sources are the best references.
- Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)tanzaniaparks.go.tz ↗Park rules and fees for the Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Arusha national parks.
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authorityncaa.go.tz ↗Official information on the Ngorongoro Crater and highlands.
- Tanzania Tourist Boardtanzaniatourism.go.tz ↗Background on Tanzania’s regions and destinations.
Questions
Accommodation FAQs
Still have a question? Our team in Moshi answers within 24 hours.
Ask on WhatsAppShould I stay inside the national parks?
Where possible, yes — it means more time with the wildlife and less time driving. Some excellent properties sit just outside the parks, such as in wildlife management areas or on the Rift Valley escarpment.
What is the difference between a lodge and a tented camp?
Lodges are permanent buildings; tented camps use canvas tents, often with en-suite bathrooms, proper beds and private decks. Many tented camps are just as comfortable as lodges and feel closer to nature.
Can I mix comfort levels on one safari?
Yes, and most of our guests do — for example a mid-range lodge for a single night and a special camp where you stay longer.
Which properties are good for families?
Many are — for example Arusha Planet Lodge, Farm of Dreams Lodge, Kilimamoja and Baraza. Some camps have minimum ages, which we check for you. See our family safaris.
Is Wi-Fi available on safari?
Most lodges offer Wi-Fi, though in remote camps it may be limited to the main area or slow. Each property page lists what is available.
Can you book a property that is not listed here?
Yes. These are the properties we use most often, but we can book most lodges and camps in northern Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Start planning
Find your perfect stay
Tell us your route, dates and travel style, and we will suggest the lodges and camps that suit you best — with honest advice on each.
- Call us+255 762 032 480
- WhatsAppChat with our team
- Email[email protected]
- OfficeMoshi, Kilimanjaro, TanzaniaEvery day · 08:00 – 18:00 EAT