Lake Manyara Tree Lodge offers intimate luxury at its finest. The lodge is a sophisticated blend of intimacy and romance, offering privacy and exclusivity in cool, leafy surrounds. The remotely located Tree Lodge is the only lodge to reside within Lake Manyara National Park although there are several lodges just outside the park. The five star lodge merges seamlessly into the surrounding green forest providing for a very exclusive and extravagant experience. Unfortunately, this kind of luxury accommodation comes with a high price.

Location

The Tree Lodge is situated in the remote southern tip of Lake Manyara National Park, in the heart of a mahogany forest. The isolated location also has the benefit of being far from the park gate, which means you will not likely encounter too many other vehicles in the immediate area.

Accommodation

The lodge consists of ten stilted tree house suites spread throughout the forest to ensure complete privacy. Each Tree House Suite features large windows to invite the lush forest inside. The rooms are very spacious and bathrooms are especially well done with large bathtubs and even an outdoor shower. Furnishings and decorations are contemporary and abstract. Each tree house has its own private viewing deck with a comfortable sitting area and spectacular forest views. Falling asleep surrounded by the noises of the jungle will surely be one of the highlights for many guests. Service is also superb as your own private butler is on call for the duration of your stay to mix martinis or serve dinner on your private veranda.

The main guest area includes the kitchen, lounge, dinning room, gift shop and bar. The lounge and dinning areas are outside and the atmosphere is wonderful. They offer a great place to mingle with other guests and share the safari highlights for the day. For your safety, Askaris (Masai warriors) will accompany you at night when walking to and from the main lodge.

Food and Drink

The food and Tree Lodge is simply excellent. Breakfast is very good and is usually served buffet style in the open dining terrace. Breakfast consists of a large assortment of fruits, cereals, breads, and eggs served to your order. However, if you wish, your butler is happy to serve you either breakfast in bed or on your private veranda.

A gleaming, chrome-accessorised interactive kitchen includes guests in the preparation of delicious Pan-African cuisine. In the theatrical boma (reeded enclosure), tandoori ovens produce heavenly cuisine. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air boma, the dining area, on the decks in the guest area or on the guests’ private viewing decks.

The best option for lunch is to arrange a private picnic down by the lakeshore where hopefully there is lots of hippo action and thousands of flamingos. Alternatively, lunch is also offered at the lodge but we highly recommend opting for a serene picnic. Dinner is quite a production and a fairly formal affair. Once again, you always have the choice to have a more private and romantic meal in the comfort of your room or on your private veranda. There is a good variety of beer, wine and cocktails available and most are included.

Lake Manyara is one of best the places in Africa for birdwatchers. With over 300 species including migratory birds, even the most seasoned bird enthusiast will not be disappointed. The lake itself attracts thousands of greater and lesser flamingos along with many other aquatic species.