Hatari Lodge Arusha | Hemingway style comfort

"Hatari Lodge Arusha"

Traveling to Tanzania in a family-friendly way seems unthinkable for many. Too dangerous, too unsanitary, too risky, too fearful of malaria, too exclusive to bring children. But you can't see it that general. Of course there are malaria-prone areas and lodges in Tanzania that do not accept guests under the age of 18 or take children on jeep safaris. Fortunately, this does not apply to all regions of the country or to all safari lodges.

If you have read my guide to safari trips with children, you already know that the north of Tanzania is particularly suitable for family safaris. Why? The national parks of the Northern Circuit - Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha etc. - are at over 1,500m and therefore too high for most mosquitoes. This significantly lowers the risk of malaria infection! So you have one less worry, so to speak.

My last trip to Tanzania wasn't that long ago. Together with the family I first spent a few days at Fanjove Island Lodge, on a small private island off Zanzibar, followed by a family safari in Arusha National Park. Our choice of accommodation fell on Hatari Lodge, one of my absolute favorite hotels in Tanzania. I can give you 5 reasons why:

Reason 1: The location in the Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania's smallest national parks, but also one of the most diverse. The vegetation ranges from the steppe of the “Little Serengeti” over the dense mountain forest to the beautiful Momela lakes and the Ngurdoto crater. Everything is here in the smallest of spaces - including numerous zebras, giraffes, elephants and leopards, of course. Most safari tourists are drawn to the better-known Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater - also breathtaking natural beauties, but not as remote as Arusha. The national park is a real insider tip, and the Hatari Lodge, which is picturesquely embedded in the national park, is the perfect hostel.

Reason 2: The story of Hatari Lodge Arusha

The farm that is now Hatari Lodge has existed in various forms since 1906. The German-British settler Margarete Trappe had settled here and became famous as the “mother of the Maasai”. The classic Hatari film was later filmed on the old farm - hence the name. The German actor Hardy Krüger, well-known from the film, bought the farm after the shooting and realized his dream of Africa here. His former home still stands and is still used by the lodge to this day. The Hatari Lodge is not only in a top location, it also has the romantic flair of a Hollywood film.

Reason 3: Children are welcome here!

Hatari Lodge Arusha: When I am out with my husbands, the child-friendliness of a hotel is of course a decisive factor for me. The owners of Hatari Lodge, Marlies and Jörg Gabriel, live here with their son themselves, which means that they know exactly what is important. There are only 9 rooms, which maintains a cozy and familiar atmosphere. The program is varied and offers everything from the classic jeep safari to exploration tours on foot to canoe trips. In just two hours by car (or even faster with the safari plane) you can reach Shu'mata Camp from Hatari Lodge, which is also part of the lodge. That means, pure safari without hours of travel and whining in the car.

Reason 4: There is resident wildlife

The importance of resident wildlife goes hand in hand with the child-friendliness of a hotel. Because a lodge in which the safari starts in front of the room door can save you a lot of hair pulling! Directly below the Hatari Lodge is the Momella clearing, a moist savannah with water holes that attract many wild animals. The walk over the wide wooden walkway that leads to the viewing platform in the clearing is like a walking safari light, and much more comfortable than a bumpy ride in a jeep. Levi and Jari could have spent hours watching the giant giraffes eating acacia in front of their noses.

Reason 5: The lodge stands for sustainable commitment

Traveling to a developing country is not always easy to reconcile with personal ethics, but thanks to the variety of sustainable development projects that Hatari Lodge supports, I was able to relax with peace of mind. Marlies and Jörg not only manage the lodge, but also the Momella Foundation, whose projects can be divided into three areas with different focal points: Education & Training, Women Empowerment and Wildlife & Nature Conservation. For example, there is a preschool in the village, where the son is also taught, and the Mama Momella fashion project, where women from the village can let their creativity run free and secure their livelihood.

Do you still wonder that Hatari Lodge is one of my absolute favorite hotels? Regardless of whether you are traveling to Tanzania for the first time or you are an old safari enthusiast, you will spend an unforgettable holiday in this hotel - I guarantee you that!