Manyara's Secret

Set on a rise above Lake Manyara, the terraces here catch the sound of the water before the view opens: elephants and tree-climbing lions move across the floodplain below, and hundreds of bird species pass close enough to watch from a private deck. The lodge holds 15 rooms across five villa types, from a two-person Private Villa to the eight-person Baobab Villa with its own pool, living room and fire pit. Every villa has an outdoor shower and terrace; most add a plunge or private pool. It is a compact stay, built by local craftsmen from local materials using established Tanzanian building methods. Lake Manyara National Park sits 15 minutes away, Tarangire National Park is a 50-minute drive, and the Ngorongoro Crater is about an hour by road. Kilimanjaro Airport lies two and a half hours away, or a short flight from Lake Manyara Airport nearby. Water for the lodge and the neighbouring Maasai villages comes via pipeline from a spring across the lake, stored through the rains in a 200 cubic metre basin; solar power runs the lighting and heats the water. Guests can take a massage at the on-site spa, cycle across the savannah, or visit a Maasai village or the town of Mto wa Mbu nearby. Each villa comes with a personal host. The lodge also funds a school meal programme feeding thousands of children in the surrounding area.