Mount Meru Game Lodge

Set in beautiful and tranquil surroundings, Mount Meru Game Lodge is nestled between the Usa River and an expansive Garden Sanctuary complete with a newly built meandering walkway, allowing our guests to stretch their legs after a long-haul flight while getting up close to bird, plant and insect life under a canopy of acacia and other indigenous trees. The Sanctuary is home to a herd of domesticated water buffalo, birds and monkeys, including the elusive Colobus monkey. Conveniently located just 30 minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), the Lodge is an ideal starting point for your safari.

In the first half of the 1900s most of the area on the southern slopes of Mount Meru was taken up by coffee plantations. The Lodge and Sanctuary date back to 1959 when Hungarian conservationist, Dr Andreas Von Nagy, bought the property as a family home. The main building (today, the site of our bar, lounge and dining room) dates back to the 1930s and was originally a farm manager's house. 

Dr Von Nagy was passionate about animals and he quickly turned his family home into an animal sanctuary and orphanage. He set up the Mount Meru Wildlife Reserve in order to protect the wildlife on Mount Meru, what is now part of Arusha National Park. He also helped the government to establish the Wildlife College and used his animal sanctuary and orphanage as a training facility for the students. His home and passion attracted visitors from far and wide, rooms were added to accommodate his visitors and the Lodge was born.

The Lodge is one of the oldest in northern Tanzania. Great effort has been made to maintain its sense of history while at the same time offering a host of modern day comforts. The Lodge has grown in popularity over the years and our visitors have included numerous presidents as well as members of European royal families.

When Dr Von Nagy retired in the 1980s, the animal orphanage stopped taking on orphaned animals. Until today, Mount Meru Game Lodge remains in family hands. New partners and onsite-managers from South Africa, Harry and Kim Bell, joined the team in late 2021. Together, we look forward to offering you a memorable experience during your stay in Arusha.

Set in beautiful surroundings, Mount Meru Game Lodge overlooks an expansive Garden Sanctuary, home to water buffalo, peacocks, yellow-billed storks, ibis and a variety of monkeys, including the elusive white-tailed Colobus. All can be viewed at your leisure from the vantage point of our alfresco restaurant shaded by giant mature mango trees. Conveniently located just 30 minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), the Lodge is the ideal starting (or end) point for your northern circuit safari. The original farmhouse in which now stands our bar, lounge and dining room, was originally established as a family holiday home in 1959. The past three years have seen extensive renovations: 5 new ensuite guest rooms built to bring our total to 25; a series of accessible walkways added; a brand-new riverside spa; the installation of a view deck under the shade of a magnificent cactus tree overlooking the Usa river; and the complete overhaul of 20 existing rooms to reveal new bathrooms, heightened ceilings and refreshed decor. All while maintaining the historical feeling of our special property, and its hospitable heart. We are a family friendly (and family-run) home away from home, where the comfort and happiness of our valued guests comes first.