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Mid Range

Mid Range

Mid Range

Marera Valley Lodge

Marera Valley Lodge

Marera Valley Lodge

🌍 Tanzania

📍 Karatu

Marera Valley Lodge is a comfortable, good-value base in Karatu, where rooms typically cost around $250–275 per night in high season. During the low season (March–May), discounts of about 40% bring prices closer to $150–165. For safari travelers, Marera strikes a balance between affordability and comfort: it has fireplaces in many rooms, a pool, and a relaxed countryside feel.

From a safari perspective, being in Karatu means you’ll add roughly 25–30 minutes each way to reach the Ngorongoro gate. Guests usually leave around 6:30 am, reaching the crater floor closer to 7:30 am. That’s still early enough to catch predator activity before the heat sets in, but not quite as sharp as crater-rim lodges like Ngorongoro Serena or Ngorongoro Sopa, where guests can descend even earlier. Compared with other Karatu mid-range options such as Tloma Lodge (slightly more plantation atmosphere) or Farm of Dreams (larger, more hotel-like), Marera feels intimate and rustic-chic. It also undercuts luxury Karatu options like Kitela Lodge, which are typically $375–400 per night, while offering more amenities than the most budget-friendly options like Tanzanice Farm Lodge.

Attributes:

Outside National Park, Large Lodge, Scenic View Location, Swimming Pool

Outside National Park, Large Lodge, Scenic View Location, Swimming Pool

Outside National Park, Large Lodge, Scenic View Location, Swimming Pool

Rooms

  • 14 cottages (28 rooms), each with en-suite bathroom, private veranda, mosquito net, and fireplace.

  • Swimming pool, lounge/bar, Wi-Fi in common areas, and well-kept gardens.

  • Atmosphere: rustic but cozy, with more character than Farm of Dreams, though less manicured than Kitela.

  • 14 cottages (28 rooms), each with en-suite bathroom, private veranda, mosquito net, and fireplace.

  • Swimming pool, lounge/bar, Wi-Fi in common areas, and well-kept gardens.

  • Atmosphere: rustic but cozy, with more character than Farm of Dreams, though less manicured than Kitela.

Meals

  • Early breakfasts available for crater departures; packed lunches for game drives.

  • Dinner is usually served on the veranda with views of the valley.

  • Cuisine blends Tanzanian staples with international comfort food; hearty and consistent, not fine dining but well-suited to its tier.

  • Early breakfasts available for crater departures; packed lunches for game drives.

  • Dinner is usually served on the veranda with views of the valley.

  • Cuisine blends Tanzanian staples with international comfort food; hearty and consistent, not fine dining but well-suited to its tier.

Accessibility

  • Karatu town: 10–15 minutes

  • Ngorongoro (Loduare Gate): ~14 km, 25–30 minutes

  • Lake Manyara NP & airstrip: ~22 km, ~25 minutes (best if dedicating a full day here, not combined with crater)

  • Serengeti (Seronera, central): ~160–170 km; 4–5 hours by road

  • Arusha city: ~140 km; 2.5–3 hours

  • JRO airport: ~190 km; 3.5–4 hours

  • Bush flights: Lake Manyara to Seronera ~35–45 minutes; to Kogatende (north Serengeti) ~1.5–2 hours depending on routing

  • Zanzibar: 1h10–1h40 direct flights from/to Arusha

  • Karatu town: 10–15 minutes

  • Ngorongoro (Loduare Gate): ~14 km, 25–30 minutes

  • Lake Manyara NP & airstrip: ~22 km, ~25 minutes (best if dedicating a full day here, not combined with crater)

  • Serengeti (Seronera, central): ~160–170 km; 4–5 hours by road

  • Arusha city: ~140 km; 2.5–3 hours

  • JRO airport: ~190 km; 3.5–4 hours

  • Bush flights: Lake Manyara to Seronera ~35–45 minutes; to Kogatende (north Serengeti) ~1.5–2 hours depending on routing

  • Zanzibar: 1h10–1h40 direct flights from/to Arusha

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

Karatu Tours

Karatu Tours

Karatu Tours

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes

Best Companies, Best Prices, 10+ Years Experience

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes

Best Companies, Best Prices, 10+ Years Experience

Get 3 TANZANIA Safari Quotes

Best Companies, Best Prices, 10+ Years Experience

Get Best Safari Quotes

Get Best Safari Quotes

Get Best Safari Quotes