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 last night of a safari.
Arusha Planet Lodge sits in quiet, well-kept gardens in the Moshono area, about ten minutes’ drive from downtown Arusha, with Mount Meru rising to the north. Rather than a single hotel building, the lodge is made up of African-style chalets spread through the grounds, linked by garden paths. The result feels more like a small village than a city hotel — calm, green and unhurried, with birdsong in the morning and an outdoor fireplace in the evening.
For most of our guests, Arusha is the first or last stop of a safari. After a long-haul flight into Kilimanjaro International Airport, the hour-long transfer brings you to a lodge where you can sleep well, swim, have a massage and eat a relaxed dinner before your guide collects you the next morning. At the end of a safari, it is just as useful: a place to shower off the dust, repack, and enjoy one more slow afternoon before your flight home or to Zanzibar.
The chalets come in single, double, twin and triple layouts, each with a private bathroom, air conditioning, a mosquito net, tea and coffee facilities, Wi-Fi and a TV. Some have a balcony overlooking the gardens. Families are particularly well looked after: interconnecting chalets allow parents and children to have their own space while staying side by side.
Outside the rooms you will find an outdoor swimming pool with a sun deck, a spa offering massage and wellness treatments, a small fitness centre, a gift shop and a restaurant and bar with indoor and garden seating. Two rooms are listed as wheelchair accessible, and the grounds are watched over by 24-hour security.
The location is also practical for exploring. Arusha Airport — used for light-aircraft flights to the Serengeti and Zanzibar — is about 20 minutes away, the road to Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater runs west from the city, and Arusha National Park, with its walking safaris, canoeing and colobus monkeys, is less than an hour’s drive.
African-style chalets set among the lodge gardens, each with its own private bathroom and an outdoor space to sit with a coffee in the morning. Some chalets have a balcony with garden views. They are comfortable rather than showy — a quiet, well-equipped room for a good night’s sleep before or after the parks.
Pairs of chalets joined by a connecting door, so a family can stay together while children and parents each have their own room and bathroom. The lodge lists four interconnecting chalets — we recommend booking them early, especially in the July–August and December holiday periods.
Two rooms are listed as wheelchair accessible. If you or a member of your group has mobility needs, tell us when you enquire and we will confirm the exact layout and access to the restaurant and pool with the lodge before you book.
An outdoor pool with a sun deck in the gardens — a welcome way to stretch out after a long flight or a dusty day on safari, with Mount Meru visible on clear days.
Spa and wellness treatments on site, including massages that ease the stiffness of long journeys. Treatments are charged separately and are best booked on arrival.
A small gym for guests who like to keep up their routine. Useful at the start of a safari, when most of the following days are spent in a vehicle.
Local and international dishes served indoors or outside in the garden, with a bar for a cold drink as evening falls. Packed breakfasts can be arranged for early departures.
Arusha’s altitude makes evenings cool, especially from June to August. The garden fireplace is the natural place to gather after dinner and talk through the days ahead.
Free Wi-Fi in the rooms and some public areas — handy for letting family know you have arrived safely and for downloading anything you need before heading into the parks.
The lodge restaurant serves a mix of local and international dishes, with tables indoors and outside in the garden. It is a relaxed, unfussy place to eat — exactly what most travellers want on their first night after a long flight, or on the last night before heading home.
A tea and coffee station with homemade cookies is a welcome touch when you arrive tired from the airport. Vegetarian, gluten-free and halal meals can be prepared on request; let us know about any dietary needs when you book and we will pass them to the kitchen in advance. If your safari begins at dawn, we can ask the lodge to prepare a packed breakfast so you can eat on the road to the parks.
Arusha Planet Lodge is in the Moshono area on the eastern side of Arusha, about 7 km from the city centre. Arusha Airport, used for light-aircraft flights to the Serengeti and Zanzibar, is around 16 km (about 20 minutes) away, and Kilimanjaro International Airport — where most international flights land — is about 55 km, or roughly an hour by road.
We meet every guest on arrival and transfer you privately to the lodge, whatever time your flight lands. When your safari begins, your guide collects you directly from the lodge; Tarangire is about two hours’ drive and Lake Manyara around two and a half.
Arusha sits at around 1,400 metres above sea level, so the climate is pleasant all year — warm days and cool evenings. June to October is the dry season: days are sunny and nights can be chilly, especially in July and August, so pack a warm layer for dinner in the garden.
The short rains usually arrive in November and December and the long rains from March to May, when the gardens are at their greenest. Rain tends to fall in afternoon showers rather than all day, so a garden lodge remains comfortable in every season. Because it is a stopover rather than a game-viewing base, Arusha Planet Lodge works well whenever your safari is planned.
Open: All year
Chalets spread through quiet gardens rather than a busy city-centre building, so your first night in Tanzania feels peaceful from the start.
On clear mornings the lodge looks towards Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second-highest mountain — a beautiful first glimpse of the country.
Interconnecting chalets, a pool and a relaxed atmosphere make it one of the easier Arusha stays for parents travelling with children.
About 20 minutes from Arusha Airport and an hour from Kilimanjaro International, keeping arrival and departure days short and simple.
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Details are provided by the property and can change. We confirm everything in writing before you book.
Have another question about this property? Our team in Moshi can help.
About 55 km, or roughly an hour by road. Arusha Airport, used for flights to the Serengeti and Zanzibar, is around 20 minutes away. We arrange private transfers in both directions as part of your itinerary.
Yes. There is an outdoor swimming pool with a sun deck in the gardens, along with a spa, a small fitness centre and a restaurant and bar.
Yes. The lodge has four interconnecting chalets designed for families, so parents and children can stay side by side with their own rooms and bathrooms. We recommend booking these early in the school holidays.
Very much so. It is quiet, close to both airports and on the right side of town for the roads to Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. Your guide collects you directly from the lodge.
Vegetarian, gluten-free and halal meals can be prepared on request. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book and we will let the kitchen know in advance.
Yes, free Wi-Fi is available in the rooms and some public areas — useful for checking in with home before your safari, as connectivity in the parks varies.
Tell us your dates and we will check availability and build a personalised Tanzania itinerary around your stay.
