The Retreat at Ngorongoro

OVERVIEW:
YZ recommends The Retreat at Ngorongoro for travellers seeking a comfortable property close to both the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. You can visit Lake Eyasi from here too!

ACCESS & LOCATION:
The Retreat is situated in the Tloma area, approximately 140 kilometres south-west of Arusha. Travellers transferring by road from Arusha Airport can expect a journey of about 2 hours 15 minutes. Alternatively, flights from Arusha to Lake Manyara’s airstrip are available.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES:
All of The Retreat’s 28 cottages are positioned within the property’s beautiful gardens. Each offers 100 square metres of floor space, sufficient for a bedroom, an en-suite bathroom, a dressing area, and a private deck with wonderful forest views! The interior décor throughout is chic contemporary, very tastefully styled. Twenty-one rooms are twins, each with one king- and one queen-size bed to sleep a maximum of three adults or two adults plus two children aged under 12 years. Four rooms interconnect to provide accommodation for a small group, for example. Finally, the family suite consists of two double bedrooms and a shared living space! Features common to all rooms include a writing desk and chair, plenty of storage space, wildlife artwork, and a cosy fireplace. Sofa beds are available on request.

The Retreat’s communal facilities are found in the property’s central lodge, a large and rather majestic building. Guests can relax in the pleasantly decorated Nest Bar and Lounge, enjoying its bird theme and convivial atmosphere. The property’s Kipepeo Restaurant provides a delicious continental breakfast every morning, with elegant tables and chairs set up both inside and on an upper-ground-floor terrace. Guests have access to a gift shop too, as well as to a gym and a spa. Keen keep-fitters will love the 1,200-metres jogging trail around the grounds! The lodge’s gardens are also home to a swimming pool and a lovely lake. You can even take a stroll in the orchard and vegetable patch, or watch a cultural performance in the amphitheatre. Staff are on hand throughout your visit, to make sure you feel at home.

ACTIVITIES:
Things to do at The Retreat comprise lodge activities and excursions farther afield. From the lodge, you can head out on a guided walk to Ngorongoro Forest and marvel at scenery including spectacular waterfalls. You can walk around the local village too, or cycle there if you prefer. The birdlife around The Retreat is pretty impressive – it’s well worth putting aside some time to look out for the feathery friends of the area. Excursions are available to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, where you can go on game drives and spot lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo – the famous Big Five! – in addition to numerous other predators and herbivores. Lake Manyara National Park can be visited too – highlights here include vast flocks of flamingos and tree-climbing lions! The Retreat also offers trips to Lake Eyasi, which is situated just south of the Serengeti. For more information, just get in touch with an expert at YZ.