Karatu Simba Lodge

🌍 Tanzania

📍 Karatu

Karatu Simba Lodge is a rustic eco-styled lodge on the outskirts of Karatu, set among farmland and overlooking rolling hills. Rooms here usually cost $300–325 per night in high season, with low-season discounts dropping to about $180–195 per night (Mar–May). Unlike some of the more polished plantation-style lodges in Karatu, Simba Lodge emphasizes a simple, natural feel — more about location and space than refined finishes.

From a safari perspective, the location means you’ll add about 40-50 minutes to reach the Ngorongoro gate, descending into the crater around 7:50 am if you leave at dawn. That’s perfectly adequate for predator sightings, but you’ll still be behind guests at rim lodges who can descend earlier.

Compared with Ngorongoro Farm House (plantation elegance, slightly pricier), Marera Valley Lodge (rustic-chic but more compact), Tloma Lodge (green gardens and plantation feel), and Farm of Dreams (resort-like with big pool), Simba Lodge sits as a more rustic, back-to-nature option.

Travelers choosing between Simba and peers often trade off: Simba offers space and scenery, but Farm of Dreams offers scale and convenience, and Ngorongoro Farm House offers polish.

Rooms

About 20 cottages with canvas fronts and stone bases — “tent-chalet hybrids.”
En-suite bathrooms, solar-heated water, and verandas with views over the surrounding landscape.
Large swimming pool, restaurant, and bar.
Atmosphere: quiet and more rustic compared to many Karatu lodges, with a bit of an “eco-camp” feel.

About 20 cottages with canvas fronts and stone bases — “tent-chalet hybrids.”
En-suite bathrooms, solar-heated water, and verandas with views over the surrounding landscape.
Large swimming pool, restaurant, and bar.
Atmosphere: quiet and more rustic compared to many Karatu lodges, with a bit of an “eco-camp” feel.

Meals

Full-board service with a mix of international and Tanzanian dishes.
Early breakfasts available, lunch boxes for safari days, dinners in a communal dining hall.
Guests praise the hearty meals and the fresh vegetables from local farms, though presentation is simpler than at Farm House or Tloma.

Full-board service with a mix of international and Tanzanian dishes.
Early breakfasts available, lunch boxes for safari days, dinners in a communal dining hall.
Guests praise the hearty meals and the fresh vegetables from local farms, though presentation is simpler than at Farm House or Tloma.

Accessibility

Karatu town: ~20 minutes
Ngorongoro (Loduare Gate): ~14 km; ~25–30 minutes
Lake Manyara NP & airstrip: ~25 km; ~30 minutes
Serengeti (Seronera): ~160–170 km; 4–5 hours by road
Arusha city: ~140 km; 2.5–3 hours
JRO airport: ~190 km; 3.5–4 hours
Flights: Lake Manyara to Serengeti (Seronera) ~35–45 minutes; to Zanzibar ~1h30; Arusha–Zanzibar ~1h10–1h40

Karatu town: ~20 minutes
Ngorongoro (Loduare Gate): ~14 km; ~25–30 minutes
Lake Manyara NP & airstrip: ~25 km; ~30 minutes
Serengeti (Seronera): ~160–170 km; 4–5 hours by road
Arusha city: ~140 km; 2.5–3 hours
JRO airport: ~190 km; 3.5–4 hours
Flights: Lake Manyara to Serengeti (Seronera) ~35–45 minutes; to Zanzibar ~1h30; Arusha–Zanzibar ~1h10–1h40

Karatu Simba Lodge

Karatu Simba Lodge

Karatu Simba Lodge

🌍 Tanzania

📍 Karatu

Rooms

Meals

Accessibility

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Other Mid Range Accommodations in Karatu

Other Mid Range Accommodations in Karatu

Other Mid Range Accommodations in Karatu

Mid Range Accommodations in the rest of Tanzania

Mid Range Accommodations in the rest of Tanzania

Mid Range Accommodations in the rest of Tanzania

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Tour Packages with Karatu Simba Lodge

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes