Highlights
- Lovely grounds
- Excellent Service
- Coffee Plantation
- Spa and pool
Start planning your tailor-made trip by calling one of our specialists on 855 686 7694
EnquireTo the west of the town of Arusha in Northern Tanzania, Arusha Coffee Lodge is positioned between the northern safari routes and Mt Kilimanjaro, ideal for both mountain climbers and safari travellers to enjoy a little luxury en-route.
This pleasant sanctuary on the lower slopes of Mt Meru is only a 10 minute trip from Arusha airport and lies in the sprawling grounds of Tanzania's largest coffee plantation.To understand just how seriously coffee is taken in these parts, you should definitely take the 90 minute coffee tour, which takes you from the field to cappuccino and will help you appreciate why the Arusha Estate is one of the world's finest small scale coffee producers.
The Arusha Coffee Lodge is owned and run by Elewena so the quality and level of service is excellent, it is family friendly and an ideal stop over before heading out on safari. Whilst the lodge is set alongside the main road out to the west the buildings are set back a good distance so there is minimal road noise. The luxury plantation suites (of which there are 18) overlook the neat rows of berry laden coffee bushes in the plantation. The rooms have 4 poster beds, a split-level seating area, an open fireplace, en suite bathrooms and a personal bar.
A large wooden deck leads to the communal areas which host boutique shops, a spa and pool, a cafe bistro with it's own wood burning pizza oven and the Plantation restaurant which serves gourmet food. (There is also a 4-course alfresco buffet hosted daily in the garden).
There are lots of interesting things to do from visiting the Museum of Natural History to a trip to explore the the world's only tanzanite mine. There is also the Masaai market on Faya road and Cultural Heritage which, specialises in African crafts and carvings, gem stones and clothes. There are a number of activities for children to enjoy from splashing around in the pool to a wooden 'Jungle Gym' play area or for older kids perhaps a day trip to the Mt Meru National park for a game drive or you can play tennis and golf nearby. There are no specific family rooms but baby cots are available and extra beds can be made up in the rooms to accommodate children. We would however advise children be accompanied by an adult especially at night.
The majority of visitors stay in the Arusha Coffee Lodge for perhaps 1 or 2 nights, before setting off on a Tanzanian North safari such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara safari or the Kilimanjaro treks.
Trip was great and all the arrangements were excellent so thank you for all the help!
Drivers and transfers were all good - on time and very good service on each trip.
Accommodation was lovely - Douar Samra was amazing (weather could have been better but lovely regardless). Riad in Marrakesh was also great!
All in all a great trip and we loved the variety of the mountains, Marrakesh and the coast.
Thanks you once again!
Hardeep S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 15 April 2024
I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.
Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.
El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.
Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.
So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last
Juhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024
Thank you, we had an absolute wonderful time, and everything was well-planned and as described. Carla was crying on the day of our departure from Ants Nest, she didn’t want to go home and for it all to end, and when I asked how much longer she would want to stay, she responded “four weeks”
Lars B reviewing Best of South Africa for Families on 01 March 2024