Savannah&Sands
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Lodges & partnersArusha City

Green Hills Lodge

A long pool under old trees at Usa River, half an hour from the Kilimanjaro runway.

01 / 06
Tier
Comfort
a new lodge in mature gardens
Location
Arusha City

About

About Green Hills Lodge.

Green Hills Lodge stands in Usa River, in the belt of shade trees and smallholdings between Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport. The grounds are the first thing a guest notices: tall old trees left where they stood, mown lawns running down to a brick fire pit ring, and gravel paths lit at ankle height, so walking back to your room after dinner is a pleasant few minutes rather than a job for a torch.

The rooms are new and plainly done, in a way that wears well. Dark hardwood four poster beds under mosquito netting, white walls, navy and white linen, a patterned rug on a wooden floor, a ceiling fan, a safe, a wardrobe and a walk in shower with hot and cold water. Windows look onto the garden, the pool or an inner courtyard. Wifi is free throughout and reception is staffed around the clock, which matters when a Kilimanjaro flight lands at midnight.

The pool runs the length of a flagstone terrace under the trees, with loungers along one side, and it is long enough to swim in properly rather than stand about in. The Watering Hole restaurant serves international dishes built on produce bought locally, and breakfast is served early for guests leaving on safari. There is a wellness room for massage, a space for small events, and the lodge arranges day trips to Lake Duluti, a nearby coffee farm and a stingless bee project.

Usa River is a practical base rather than a destination. The Momella gate into Arusha National Park is about fifteen minutes away, Kilimanjaro International Airport a little over half an hour, Tarangire around two and a half hours and Lake Manyara about three. Most guests use Green Hills for the night before a safari starts and the night it ends, and the lodge is set up for exactly that.

Signature experiences

Why guests choose it.

  1. The pool under the trees

    A long pool on a flagstone terrace shaded by old trees, with loungers down one side. It is a proper swimming length rather than a plunge, and it is the reason most guests stay a second night instead of one.

  2. Evening in the gardens

    The paths are lit at ankle height and the lawns hold a circular brick fire pit, so the grounds are usable after dark. It is a quiet place to sit on the night before an early start.

  3. The Watering Hole

    The lodge restaurant, open to the garden, serving international dishes built on produce bought locally. Breakfast goes out early for guests leaving on safari.

  4. A day out from the gate

    The lodge arranges a cultural walk in Usa River, canoeing and a birding walk at Lake Duluti, a coffee tour and a visit to a stingless bee project.

Room types

Where you will sleep.

Double or Twin Room

A room for two with a hardwood bed under netting or twin beds, a walk in shower, a ceiling fan, a safe and a wardrobe.

Family Room

A large bed under netting with two single beds in a second sleeping area, priced for two adults and two children.

At a glance

The essentials, in brief.

Amenities

  • Outdoor swimming pool on a flagstone terrace
  • The Watering Hole Restaurant
  • Lounge
  • Mature Private Gardens
  • Garden Fire Pit
  • Wellness Room With Massage Treatments
  • Free WiFi Throughout
  • Reception Staffed Around The Clock
  • Early and late check in by arrangement
  • Day trips arranged by the lodge
  • Space For Small Events
  • Room Safe And Wardrobe
  • Mosquito Nets
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Walk in showers with hot and cold water
  • Eco Friendly Toiletries
  • Wake Up Service
  • Secure Parking

Best for

  • First and last night of a northern circuit trip
  • Families
  • Late Arrivals Into Kilimanjaro
  • Guests who want a pool rather than a city hotel
  • Small Groups Travelling Together

Wildlife and nature

  • Garden Birding In Mature Trees
  • Arusha National Park and Mount Meru about fifteen minutes away
  • Lake Duluti and its waterbirds close by
  • Colobus monkeys in the forest around Lake Duluti

Best time to visit

When to go.

  • January: not a best month
  • February: not a best month
  • March: not a best month
  • April: not a best month
  • May: not a best month
  • June: best
  • July: best
  • August: best
  • September: best
  • October: best
  • November: best
  • December: best
Best months

Best months: June to December.

Location & access

Getting there.

Location

Arusha City

Arriving by air

Light aircraft use Arusha Airport, about 27 kilometres and 40 to 60 minutes from the lodge by road through Arusha.

By road

About 36 kilometres and 40 minutes on the Arusha Moshi road, tarmac the whole way.

On the map

Where it sits.

3.369° S, 36.854° E

What's included

What the rate covers.

Included

  • Accommodation on a full board basis, meaning breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • VAT and government levies, which the contract states are included in the rate
  • Free WiFi
  • Mosquito Nets
  • Use of the swimming pool and the gardens

Not included

  • Anything taken at the property outside the full board arrangement
  • Laundry Service
  • Massage And Wellness Treatments
  • Day trips and excursions arranged by the lodge, and the transport to them
  • Entry fees for Arusha National Park and any other park visited
  • Compulsory Tanzania inbound travel insurance at 44 USD per adult, in force since 1 October 2026
  • Gratuities and items of a personal nature

Frequently asked

Questions, answered.

Where exactly is Green Hills Lodge?

On the Arusha Himo road at Usa River, in the Arumeru district east of Arusha. It is about 36 kilometres from Kilimanjaro International Airport and roughly fifteen minutes from the Momella gate into Arusha National Park.

How long is the drive from Kilimanjaro airport?

About 40 minutes, tarmac the whole way. Arusha town is about 30 minutes in the other direction, so the lodge is out of the traffic without being far from it.

What rooms does the lodge sell?

Its contract prices a Single Room, a Double or Twin Room and a Family Room. The Family Room has a large bed and two single beds in a second sleeping area and is priced for two adults and two children.

What is included in the rate?

Full board, meaning breakfast, lunch and dinner, with VAT and government levies included. Laundry, massage treatments, day trips and anything taken at the property outside full board are charged separately.

Do I need travel insurance for Tanzania?

Yes. Since 1 October 2026 every visitor must hold the Tanzania inbound travel insurance, which costs 44 USD per adult. It is not part of the lodge rate and your Expert will tell you how it is paid.

Are children welcome?

Yes, and they are priced from the lodge own contract: under three is free when sharing, three to twelve pays half, thirteen to fifteen pays three quarters. The Family Room price covers two adults and two children with nothing added.

Is there a pool?

Yes, a long pool on a flagstone terrace under the trees, with loungers along one side. It is the feature guests mention most.

What are the Wifi and the power like?

Free Wifi reaches the rooms and the public areas. Rooms have ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, which at this altitude is rarely missed.

Can I arrive late or leave very early?

Yes. Reception is staffed around the clock and early breakfast is arranged for guests leaving on safari. Check in is from 14:00 and check out is 10:30.

When is the lodge open and what is the weather like?

All year. Usa River sits at about 1,200 metres, so days are warm and evenings cool. March to May is the long rains and November the short rains, when the gardens are at their greenest.

How does Savannah and Sands price this lodge?

At the rate Green Hills Lodge publishes, with no markup added. Nightly rates are not shown on this page; build your trip and the full cost appears itemised.

What's nearby

Worth the short trip.

  • Arusha National Park

    About fifteen minutes to the gate, for the Ngurdoto crater rim, the Momella lakes and the only northern park where walking safaris and canoeing are allowed.

  • Lake Duluti

    A crater lake close by, circled by a forest walk and paddled by canoe, with cormorants, kingfishers and a good chance of monitor lizards along the shore.

  • Kilimanjaro Golf and Wildlife Estate

    An eighteen hole course a short drive away, open to visitors.

  • Tarangire National Park

    About two and a half hours by road, baobab country with the densest dry season elephant concentrations in the north.

  • Lake Manyara National Park

    About three hours away, known for its groundwater forest, large elephant herds and the chance of lions resting in the trees.

Nearby

Other places to stay nearby.

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