Arusha Coffee Lodge is nestled among the endless fields of Tanzania's largest coffee plantation. This exclusive lodge exudes a traditional colonial charm. Each plantation house is lavishly equipped with a four-poster bed, fireplace, lounge and private veranda.

Further facilities at the lodge include a swimming pool, garden terrace, safari bar and small shopping boutique. Enjoy a delectable and sophisticated à la carte dinner around the open fire while absorbing the cosy atmosphere of the Coffee Lodge Lounge.

Most of the international flights arrive very late at Kilimanjaro Airport. Arusha Coffee Lodge is a good choice for an overnight stop if you plan to start your safari the next morning. The road to Ngorongoro and Tarangire passes just outside the lodge and the local airport is close by too.

Swala Camp comprises twelve spacious tents, all of which sit beneath shade-giving trees atop a slightly raised platform. Guests are offered the usual comforts of an en-suite bathroom, indoor and outdoor shower, sofa and large, comfortable bed. The rooms are decorated stylishly and boast elegant neutral-toned interiors, adorned with rich African textiles.

The main building, consisting of dining area and lounge, is arranged around a large baobab tree. The wildlife around the waterhole can be perfectly observed from the deck and from the open fire place. The whole camp is built in a clearing where single tall acacia and baobab trees provide shade for the many animals that seek protection in the midday heat.

Tarangire National Park is situated some 120 km south of Arusha and renowned for its huge herds of elephant and many majestic baobab trees. The drive from Arusha to the park entry gate takes about two hours, from where it is a game drive of approximately two hours to reach the camp. The camp can also be accessed by plane from Arusha to Kuro Airstrip (25 min), followed by a 40-minute drive to camp.

Swala Camp is situated inside the National Park, in a quiet, wildlife-rich corner in the southwest of Tarangire National Park on the edge of Gursi Swamp, far from the tourist rush. The location of the camp provides guests with the unique opportunity to witness wildlife and explore the natural beauty of Tarangire National Park right from the start of their safari. Camps that are located outside the park need to pass the main gate each and every time they access the park, which minors the safari experience in our opinion.

Perched high on the Ngorongoro Crater Rim, Entamanu Ngorongor offers sensational views of the crater floor. It consists of Entamanu Ngorongoro with seven rooms and Entamanu Private with four rooms. The two camps are right next to each other, but each has its own main building and they are run separately.

Entamanu's cottages are built elevated on wooden platforms. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms with dressing rooms, a large bedroom and a long terrace with seating. Heating is available for the colder days. Please remember that the lodge is located at an altitude of 2,200m and weather can be chilly. Two of the rooms are family rooms with two en-suite bedrooms each.

Entamanu is situated on the north-western edge of the crater rim, miles from any other lodge and therefore enjoys a very exclusive location. Accessed only by way of a private road that follows the contours of the rim, even the drive to get there is breathtaking, allowing great views of the Serengeti in the west. Shortly before reaching camp, the access road leads steeply up through a secretive forest, at the end of which the Entamanu team awaits you.

Access to the crater is via Seneto Descent, about a 30min drive from the lodge and another 30min drive down to the crater floor. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera with 19km in diameter and walls 600m high. Its floor covers 260 square kilometres and acts like a natural zoo, providing food for a high resident animal population.

Namiri Plains offers 11 safari suites with en-suite bathroom and outdoor bathtub. One of the suites is desiged as a family tent with an additional en-suite bedroom for the kids. The suites are located on slightly elevated platforms and are spanned by large canvas. The interior is solidly built with a wooden roof and stone walls on three sides. Sliding doors which run the full length of the room open out on a full-length viewing deck with lounge chairs.

Namiri Plains Camp is built on a little elevation with views over a permanently green swamp area that is fed by underground water of Ngare Nanyuki river. The presence of water attracts resident plains game in front of camp. The main area compromises a lounge, library, bar, dining area and a swimming pool. Of course the open fire place in front of camp and the mobilie bar that is placed outside is where guests meet before dinner to exchange stories.

We do like Namiri Plains for its remote location with the nearest camp over 45 minutes away. You may be excused for thinking that this stretch of the Serengeti actually does belong to you.

Namiri Plains Camp is situated about 1.5 hour drive east of the nearest airstrip Seronera.

Namiri Plains is located where the southern short grass plains meet the acacia woodland. North of camp a beautiful fever tree forest contrasts with the endless plains of the Serengeti where there is hardly any trees growing.

The founders of Nomad, one of Tanzania's most renowned safari operators, chose this spectacular spot to build this camp because of the unique vantage point offered by the Kogakuria Kopjes - a high rocky outcrop affording supremely beautiful views over the Mara River Valley.

Lamai Serengeti Camp comprises a total of 8 tents of which two tents are family units. Each site has been carefully selected and any rocks, rather than being moved, have been individually integrated into the overall design. The rooms are painted in refreshingly light colours and equipped with wooden floors, comfortable beds, a large bathroom and a beautiful veranda with a view of the plain in front of the camp. In the morning, coffee is brought to your room and a new day begins...

Facilities of the main building include a natural stone pool, a lounge and a bar with comfortable seating area.

An alternative for families and friends is the private Mkombe's House. or Lamai Private Camp which is also offered on private basis only.

Lamai Serengeti sits tucked amongst the rocks of Kogakuria Kopje with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, just a few km from where the wildebeest cross the Mara River in the Northern sector of the Serengeti National Park.

The closest airstrip is Kogatende.