Ndutu Safari Lodge — Hotel in Arusha

This was one of the more unique lodges that we stayed at during our ten-day luxury safari. We were here two nights. The property is off-the-grid like a lot of other safari lodges. Each group / couple has their own little cabin. We had a king-size bed, our own washroom with a hot shower. Their service was basic but we had no problems with this. Our bed was equipped with a mosquito net that we hung ourselves. Basic service means there will be no turn-down service during dinnertime, or similar 'extras.' But tea and fresh water was provided every day in our rooms. The water is not drinkable as the water source in the area is salt-water. We confirmed with the staff that all the drinking water had bee double-boiled and filtered. Because of the saltwater showers, our skin and hair was soft and silky after this portion of the trip. :)

The only blip about our experience was when the shower drain clogged after the first shower. The drain was blocked. There was no threshold or floor drain between the washroom and our bedroom space, so we made sure this was rectified before a real flood happened. My husband went out in the dark to ask for some assistance and the night guard came in to inspect it. After, the guard went and returned with two other staff members and some simple plunger to clear the drain and all was well.

The food was great. No complaints about the service. Dinners were not a long wait and portions were good. Because the property is small, the dining room does not get packed and there is a nice hum to the place. There are lots of places to walk around including a little gift shop with toiletries if you need along with some souveniers. We spent an afternoon on a break from our game drive so it was nice to be able to enjoy the lodge and also a hot lunch in the dining room.

The cabins and main lodge are situated on flat land, so there is no look-out point like the other lodges. But you do hear the animals come close during the night. There is no shortage of wildlife around the cabins! The guards are always on the lookout with their flashlights all through the night to keep everyone safe.

I would recommend this lodge for a true wildlife experience. The cabins are really clean and it's great to have your own separate space with a little porch to enjoy. The stars are bright here and there is a nice campfire every night that makes nice opportunity to meet other safari groups. We'd recommend it and...

And so it came about that I found a place that reminds me of the Africa of my childhood!!!|Ndutu Safari Lodge has retained that charm that is becoming rarer and rarer nowadays.|The decor of the sitting area and the lovely choice of colors is soothing to the soul. From the fireplace outside we watched elephants, giraffes and the most crazy stampede of wildebeest across the garden in beautiful evening light.|The food was very good and as a vegetarian I always got tasty dishes.|The rooms were ok but do need a little bit of upgrading.|BUT, what I really want to emphasize is the amazing service. Every day the Manager or the Assistant Manager was present and attentive. All the staff is well trained and nothing that we asked for was too much trouble. ||We chose to be there at the end of January for the wildebeest calving season and it was well worth it although we hardly had any sun. It was cloudy every day. Not the best light for photography but we did see a lot of game....many lions, elephants, the herds of wildebeest with all their calves and the highlight for...

We had a wonderful experience at the Ndutu Safari Lodge. It’s the Goldilocks of lodges - not too cheap, not too fancy. It really hits the marks in many ways.||The central area is the best of all the places we stayed - super comfortable, always with coffee/tea & snacks and a bar, and the best part - you are very likely to see zebras, wildebeest, and giraffes walking maybe 100 yards away. ||And! The Gent! This beautiful creature lives in the rafters and is one of the many ways you know you are in Africa, ha. ||The rooms aren’t anything to write home about, but they don’t need to be!! You shouldn’t be spending a lot of time in the room.||Oh, and treat yourself to a massage while you are at this property. One of the best massages I have...