The Best Eco Lodges in Tanzania

Manyara Green Camp enjoys one of the best locations in the park, with tree-climbing lions, hippo pools and huge flocks of pink flamingos all nearby. The scenery here is breathtaking, with waterfalls, expansive views of the park, and rock pools ideal for a cooling swim during the hot afternoons. This sustainable mobile eco camp offers homely comfort deep in the bush, and being located on the banks of the Endabash River in the south of the park it's the perfect spot for wildlife spotting right on your doorstep. Here you can see fish eagles swooping down to catch their supper, and elephants and buffaloes often trundle past on their way to drink. Giraffes are frequent visitors, and the area is home to the world's largest concentration of baboons. During some parts of the year, the river is the only water source for miles, attracting thousands of animals to its banks. Lake Manyara National Park is known for its tree-climbing lions, hippo pools and thousands of flamingos which give the lake a hazy pink tint. Here you can spot fish eagles, elephants, giraffes and the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world. We feel that Lake Manyara Green Camp is the best location within this park. Activities here go far beyond the classic safari experiences. As well as game drives and bush walks, guests can enjoy forest hikes in the Great Rift Valley, go mountain biking through the vibrant farming village of Mto Wa Mbu and along the shores of Lake Manyara, and take canoeing excursions on the lake where paddlers can get up close to wildlife grazing on the shoreline. For a rather different perspective of the park, try night game drives or go on a sky-high adventure through the forest on the suspension bridges of Tanzania's first treetop walkway - keep an eye out for monkeys, butterflies and birds. read more read less

Singita Sasakwa Lodge is built in the style of a stately Edwardian manor house with nine private cottages, each with its own infinity pool. From the vantage point of Sasakwa Hill, panoramic views of the Serengeti plains merge with the horizon and provide a sense of immense space and freedom. The spacious cottages offer expansive en-suite bathrooms, dressing areas, four-poster beds, fireplaces, living rooms and French doors opening onto welcoming verandas. Polished parquet floors, vintage collectables, Persian carpets and comfortable furnishings all add to Sasakwa’s unmistakable elegance, while contemporary interpretations of classic dishes underpin the culinary offerings in the grand dining room. read more read less

Set on a remote, picturesque beach on Pemba Island, this rustic and boutique resort is paradise personified. Award-winning barefoot beach luxury on the African shores of the Indian Ocean. Unwind and discover the peace of Pemba Island. Nicknamed the ‘The Spice Island’, Pemba is known for its aromatic clove harvests which perfume the ocean air with a sweet floral fragrance. It’s a great spot if you’re travelling as a couple. Fundu Lagoon oozes romance with its quaint African tented-style lodgings, cerulean sea and private dining by the shore. ACCOMMODATION The rooms at Fundu Lagoon vary in size and category – from 12 standard rooms to two suites and two ‘superior’ suites – but all share very similar features. All are large walk-in tents set on wooden decks, with a veranda, small lounge area and en-suite bathroom. The dark wooden floors, huge beds and crisp cotton sheets make the rooms feel stylish and comfortable, reminiscent of a tented safari lodge. Yet canvas walls add a rustic feel, resulting in a cosy room that has character and comfort rather than a luxury. Sandy paths and wooden walkways lead through Fundu's tropical forest, linking the rooms to the various parts of the lodge, where there are plenty of places to relax, all – like the rooms – with views out to sea. The main bar and lounge are set slightly above the beach on a wooden deck, under a high thatched roof. Natural fabrics and wicker furniture add to the rustic style – Fundu feels very in keeping with its surroundings. This is often a sociable and friendly spot before dinner and can become quite lively at times. The managers and dive team are usually around to chat with guests in the evenings and to discuss activities for the following day. read more read less

Simba Farm is a working farm and lodge situated on 5000 acres of rolling hills in West Kilimanjaro with breathtaking views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Maasai steps and Mt. Meru. They are able to cater for all guests, from honeymooners on a romantic getaway, families on their annual vacation, or large cycling or trekking groups, all are welcome to Simba Farm. At Simba Farm Lodge, they provide a different choice of rooms. From the cosy, rustic rooms in the Old Guest House, to the new Jacaranda Cottages surrounded by lush flower gardens, perfect for family getaways. Enjoy the variety of produce on offer at Simba Farm Lodge, from home-grown vegetables to locally raised meats and farm-fresh milk. You can simply taste the freshness of the food, which will make you want to go back for seconds! There is plenty for everyone so don’t be shy! read more read less

Gibbs Farm is located in the Ngorongoro Karatu area of northern Tanzania, one of the most wildlife-rich areas in the country and about an hour from the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set on a beautiful historic coffee estate in the Ngorongoro Karatu area, Gibb's Farm is the original and best accommodation in the area, a genuinely charming boutique hotel, with guest accommodation in 19 rooms and providing access to a good range of cultural and safari activities. Elephants often wander over from the crater to take a sip from the farm’s water reservoir. Gibb’s Farm has been around for quite some time, starting as a coffee plantation, it has now been transformed into one of the country’s best Eco-Resorts. The farm is a relatively large establishment consisting of 17 cottages and about 20 hectares of farmland and magnificent gardens. There is a ‘no tin can’ policy, so all drinks are served from recyclable glass bottles. This is also a working farm where visitors are encouraged to experience life on a farm from observing cows being milked, to bread making, coffee roasting and veggies being harvested, as well as visits to a nearby village or guided walks in the lush surrounding forest. Guests at Gibb’s can also visit ‘Fundiland’ to observe carpenters making the furniture for their rooms, tailors crafting leather items and paper products being made from the farm’s waste paper and elephant dung!   read more read less

Chumbe Island Coral Park is one of the most state-of-the-art, eco-friendly lodges in East Africa and a diver's paradise. Situated in a Marine Protected Area off the coast of Zanzibar, Chumbe Island Coral Park is set in the heart of an award-winning private nature reserve. This boutique eco-lodge in Tanzania offers accommodation in unique bungalows situated right on the beach. Upon its inception, Chumbe Island Coral Park recruited former fishermen from neighbouring villages and provided them with training to become park rangers. They played a vital role in early outreach programs to raise awareness within the local communities about marine ecology and the sustainable management of natural resources. Today, Chumbe’s strong ranger team patrols and monitors the reserve using non-confrontational and educational approaches to deter poaching and guide visitors. The nature reserve includes a coral reef sanctuary – the first gazetted marine park in Tanzania – and a forest reserve. Thanks to its protection, the reef is home to 90% of East Africa’s hard coral species, and over 400 fish species, and is a vital feeding ground for green and hawksbill turtles. The forest reserve harbours highly specialised flora that has developed to survive without any groundwater – the bedrock of the island comprises fossilised coral that is unable to store rainwater. It’s also a sanctuary for a plethora of birds, rare and endangered species like Ader’s duiker, and a healthy population of coconut crabs (the world’s biggest arthropod). The coral reef is next to the island and you can experience a cornucopia of wildlife and their beauty is enough to catapult you into a higher state of consciousness. The interior of the island holds one of the last remaining coral rag forests in Zanzibar: an ancient coral reef that was raised from the sea by tectonic movement. Exploring the island is a blissful and peaceful experience and overhead flies a multicoloured sky of birds. The reserve includes a fully protected Coral Reef Sanctuary and Forest Reserve that harbour rare wildlife, a Visitor and Education centre, a small eco-lodge, nature walks and historical monuments. All buildings and operations are based on state-of-the-art eco-technology aiming at zero impact on the environment (rainwater catchment, photovoltaic energy and solar water heating, composting toilets, vegetative greywater filtration etc.).   read more read less

Little Chem Chem – also known as “sunrise camp” - offers the raw drama of the East African bush in a very private setting. It offers an authentic vintage safari in an elegant, supremely comfortable tented camp, accommodating a maximum of 14 guests in a game-rich location. Little Chem Chem is all about getting as close to nature as possible, without sacrificing comfort. This intimate camp offers six elegantly decorated vintage tents, each with a large bedroom (three have king-size beds, two offer twin beds), and 1 larger Family Tent. Each is complete with a rocking chair and study desk, a vanity area with dressing room and an en suite bathroom with a shower and flushing toilet. Embrace the ‘Out-of-Africa’ atmosphere and listen as the sounds of an African night come to life all around to you. The camp is solar powered and unfenced allowing for game to move freely through the area which features a main tent complete with a lounge, viewing areas and magnificent dining. read more read less

Nomad Greystoke Mahale offers the ultimate luxury experience, set in the remote wilderness of Western Tanzania. Greystoke Mahale is a unique, high-end camp that sits on a white-sand beach overlooking Lake Tanganyika's clear waters inside the remote Mahale Mountains National Park. The lodge is named after the legend of Tarzan and much of the experience here revolves around life in the forest, particularly chimpanzee tracking. With its charismatic Robinson Crusoe atmosphere, Greystoke Mahale radiates an undeniable air of romance and adventure. It is located at the foot of the densely forested Mahale Mountains, home to a thriving population of chimpanzees. The six rooms at Greystoke are entirely in keeping with the setting. Built of thatch and salvaged dhow wood, each of the open-fronted rooms is tucked into the treeline, almost invisible to the passing fishermen in their small canoes. A dressing area leads to an ensuite bathroom with running water and a flush loo. The rich foliage that gives the camp such character can be enjoyed while you are showering in privacy. The rooms all have verandas and an upstairs chill-out lounge with views across the white sand to the vastness of Lake Tanganyika. A ROMANTIC RETREAT SPRAWLED ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE TANGANYIKA read more read less

Located in the heart of the Serengeti, in a pristine area that offers unparalleled game viewing, Serengeti Wilderness Camp is open all year round and is located to the east of the famous central Seronera region. Comprising just ten spacious tents, including a family tent, our focus is on your comfort and enjoyment. There is nothing better than being lulled to sleep at night by the sounds of the bush, safely inside your well-appointed ‘safari bedroom’. The tents are en suite with flushing toilets and a bush shower. A private verandah offers a shady place to relax. A large central dining tent complements our comfortable lounge tent which has a small reference library, maps, some games for children, a charging station for cameras and WiFi. Our safari chef will prepare sumptuous meals for your enjoyment and evenings offer a campfire around which our guests enjoy sundowners and snacks, and share the day’s experiences. read more read less