Bougainvillea Safari Lodge

Top-tier service and cuisine and all the post-safari comforts in beautiful surrounds.

Retreat from the bump and trundle of a 4x4 at this fetching lodge, shielded by a lush tropical garden and full of locally-flavoured amenities. Built at a handy midway point between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, there is an impressive...

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Jonty

Eve

Kristin

4.9 out of 5 stars Average guest rating

About Bougainvillea Safari Lodge

Retreat from the bump and trundle of a 4x4 at this fetching lodge, shielded by a lush tropical garden and full of locally-flavoured amenities. Built at a handy midway point between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, there is an impressive catalogue of wildlife to spot and culture to experience. The colourful, musical and often comical birdlife is on full display as you wander the well-groomed lawns and sip on iced cocktails by the pool. Not a bad place for a siesta, eh?

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From $90 person/night

Lodge

32 Rooms

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

What you'll love

Many of the staff grew up in surrounding villages and will happily offer riveting and historical anecdotes. Make sure to ask!

Insiders tip

Families will be more than at home here with the option of triple rooms and a 'baby pool'.

Something to think about

10 of the rooms are in double cottages so you might find they lack the same levels of privacy.

The property

The main hub is a large, stone-walled structure with a rustic bar and well-stocked 'house' of drinks. Just next door is a lounge full of leopard-print armchairs, and a dining room decorated with pots filled with signature bougainvillea bouquets. Whipped up by legendary Chef Reggie and his team, meals are a medley of family favourites and reinventions of the classics. Dinner is always a five-course affair and a lunchbox can easily be packed for a picnic under the trees. Across the lawns, there is a large and inviting pool, and for those tired feet, a massage room.

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The rooms

Tucked amongst the fan palms, there is a collection of 32 cottages with ochre-hued floors, fireplaces and enormous beds draped in heavy, plum comforters and mosquito netting. The bathrooms are functional more than anything, but they have a large shower and plenty of shelf space. Inside, the sitting area is decked out with rustic, rattan furniture and woven rugs, whilst the veranda has slouchy chairs for taking in the view over a morning cup of Tanzania's best beans.

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Activities

Pick your preferred direction and drive. Choose from the epic wilds of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where there are incredible numbers of black rhino, black-maned lion and elephant, or the great, shimmering Lake Manyara. You could even make it a nighttime excursion to catch the more elusive cats and critters. Revel in the chance to meet members of the Hadzabe tribe and pick up hand-stitched items at the village of Mto wa Mbo, or truly keep it local with a wander across a coffee plantation or through the eye-catching markets of Karatu.

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Reviews

Susan Kostrzeba

a month ago

This lodge was the most luxurious of the 3 camps in which we stayed. Food and staff was excellent! They had a gift shop and I was able to get a card to send to my son for his birthday. Pool and hot tub are provided. Beautiful grounds and really nice people.

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5 out of 5 stars

Cathie Chomcy

2 years ago

This is a little oasis right in the middle of town. The food service was wonderful and the room was beautiful. They also had a pool and lovely garden for relaxing.

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5 out of 5 stars

Frank Cox

6 years ago

The room was far better than I expected, plenty of food was offered, and it was good. Staff decent. The thing I didn’t like was we didn’t eat with our guide. I did pack up my plate at breakfast and went to where he was eating, but he should have been allowed to join us at the dinner table. I would have felt differently if I had my wife our girlfriend with me, but I felt Mosha was part of my team, and I would have liked him to join my son and I at dinner.

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3 out of 5 stars

About Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater

The jewel in Tanzania’s crown where the Big Five roam free and there’s an animal around every corner.

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Wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater

Elephant

Abundant

Giraffe

Rare

Hippo

Occasional

Black Rhino

Occasional

White Rhino

None

Lion

Abundant

Cheetah

Occasional

Leopard

Occasional

Hyena

Occasional

Wildebeest

Abundant

Buffalo

Abundant

Zebra

Abundant

Warthog

Abundant

Wild Dog

Rare

Meerkat

None

Show all wildlife

The Ngorongoro Crater, also known as Africa's Eden, is a place of remarkable beauty and diversity, with a mix of forest, savannah and grassland providing the perfect environment for wildlife to thrive. On the crater floor, experience the Big Five with great black rhino encounters, dense numbers of wildebeest, zebra, eland and exciting lions and cheetah sightings.

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