Bougainvillea Safari Lodge

On the western edge of Karatu town, about one and a half kilometres from the centre, on the main road towards Ngorongoro. The lodge sits roughly midway between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater.

About eighteen minutes to the Loduare gate, the shortest run of the Karatu lodges on this side of town, and roughly an hour more down to the crater floor depending on the descent road and the queue at the gate. Most guests leave very early to be on the floor at first light.

By road it is around three and a half hours from Kilimanjaro International Airport and about two hours forty from Arusha, on tarmac the whole way through Makuyuni and Mto wa Mbu. Flying in, the nearest airstrip is Lake Manyara, roughly half an hour away by road.

Thirty two, set in detached and semi detached cottages through the gardens. Ten of them stand in the lodge own coffee garden, and two of the cottages connect so a family can take both.

A mosquito netted king or twin bed, an open stone fireplace the staff will light on request, a dressing area, a writing desk, woven reed ceilings and polished floors, a large bathroom with a shower, and a private veranda onto the gardens. There is a mini fridge and no television.

The published rate is full board, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are covered, and it includes the Tourism Development Levy and VAT. Park and conservation area entry fees, drinks, massage treatments, activities and anything else taken at the property are settled separately.

Yes. Two of the cottages connect so a family can take both, the rooms can be set as triples with notice, and there is a separate smaller pool for children. Children between six and twelve sharing with adults are charged at a set child rate rather than a share of the adult price.

One of the two founders is the executive chef and has cooked here since 2005. Breakfast is a buffet with eggs to order, lunch is a buffet with Tanzanian dishes once a week and packed boxes for guests heading out, and dinner is five courses served at the table. Vegetarian mains and dietary requirements need a little notice.

Wifi is free and reaches the common areas, so it is best used there rather than in the rooms. The lodge lists solar power and reports electricity around the clock.

There is a pool with a smaller one beside it for children, a massage room by the pool, a curio shop, and the gardens and coffee garden to walk through. Guided walks reach neighbouring coffee farms, and the town is close enough to walk into.

June to October is the dry season and the most reliable window for the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire. December to March brings the calving herds onto the Ndutu plains within reach. April, May and November are the quiet months here and the lowest season.

No. This is a garden property on the edge of a working town, and the lodge is a touring base rather than a game property. The wildlife is in Ngorongoro, Manyara, Tarangire and the Serengeti, all reachable from here.