The Camp

Location: Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Number of Rooms: 15

Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge offers15 en suite tented rooms built with indigenous hardwoods in traditional African style. Simple but attractive, they incorporate private verandas, bright linens, and plenty of comforts: hot and cold showers, flush toilets, comfy beds, even hot-water bottles at night. The lodge, in complete harmony with its surroundings, is wrapped by an open veranda that affords broad territorial views of the Ngorongoro forest, nearby villages and terraced fields of local farmers. Its spacious layout, warm decorative details, cozy wicker sofas around the fireplace, and attentive service ensure a comfortable and relaxed experience. Enjoy afternoon tea, sundowners as the sun slips below the horizon, and romantic dinners under the stars. The lodge’s capable chefs use the very freshest vegetables and herbs in their creative fare, grown in the garden on the premises, while other items are purchased from local farmers.

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom
• Central swimming pool
• Wi-Fi in dining area

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Wildlife Viewing & Activities

Each morning guests are greeted with bird songs, piping hot coffee, and a delicious organic breakfast in view of the sunrise over Mount Meru. Just 30 minutes’ drive from both Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the lodge is ideally situated for diverse wildlife viewing. Game drives in Ngorongoro Crater reveal an amazing array of species in one of Africa’s most densely populated wildlife regions. Expect to see lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, wild dog and possibly rhino. Nearby Lake Manyara is host to scores of migratory birds, including flamingos, eagles and kingfishers. The lodge offers guided safari walks into Ngorongoro Forest and cultural walks to Rhotia Village for insight into local family and farm life. The immediate area is perfect for mountain biking. Guests may also visit the Rhotia Valley Children’s Home on the adjacent hilltop to join in a soccer game or to help with schoolwork.

Lake Manyara has varying concentrations and species of wildlife throughout the year, and the below chart helps to illustrate major wildlife sightings often experienced in the area. Other typical sightings may include flamingo on the lake when there is water and a number of other smaller mammals, birds and reptiles. Exact sightings will depend on weather and wildlife movements.

Climate

Conservation

Environmental initiatives abound at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, from solar thermal and photovoltaic installations to an organic garden that provides the vegetables for the lodge restaurant. A stay at the lodge contributes directly to the wellbeing of the children at nearby Rhotia Valley Children’s Home. In a venture that functions as an integrated operation, Rhotia Valley’s owners set out to create a community development project with a tourism component. Most of the time, the opposite is true. As a result, the primary focus of all aspects of Rhotia Valley’s operation is the Children’s Home and the benefit of the local community. With the profits from the lodge, community members strive to guarantee that these orphaned children have a safe home and happy youth, with healthy food, clean water, adequate clothing and quality education – and an appreciation, for the future, of the interconnectedness of community and conservation in sustaining a healthy Africa.

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