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Best time to go
  • J  
    Excellent time as the Migration is in southern Serengeti. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs.
  • F  
    Excellent time as the Migration is in southern Serengeti. Calving season for plains wildlife, and predators never far away. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs.
  • M  
    Migration still in southern Serengeti. Lots of young and predators around. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs.
  • A  
    Long rains. Low season accommodation rates. Wildlife can still be seen, but travel is more difficult.
  • M  
    Long rains. Low season accommodation rates. Wildlife can still be seen, but travel is more difficult.
  • J  
    Migration in central and western Serengeti. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs, but very cold.
  • J  
    Migration in central and northern Serengeti. Peak season for Tarangire. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good.Good time for Kili climbs, but very cold.
  • A  
    Peak season for Tarangire. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs.
  • S  
    Peak season for Tarangire. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good.Good time for Kili climbs.
  • O  
    Peak season for Tarangire. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good. Good time for Kili climbs.
  • N  
    Short rains. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good.
  • D  
    Migration heading to southern Serengeti. Ngorongoro and Manyara always good.Good time for Kili climbs.

Kirurumu Manyara Lodge

Rating: Mid-range   
A lovely tented lodge with phenomenal views over Lake Manyara National Park.

Kirurumu Manyara Lodge covers 13 acres high on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, with panoramic views eastward over Lake Manyara and Mount Losimingori. The Ngorongoro Highlands rise behind Kirurumu, forming the gateway to Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge and the Serengeti. This tented lodge offers first class service, very comfortable accommodation, delicious home-cooked food and a relaxed atmosphere.

All of the tented rooms and cottages are tastefully furnished with wooden verandahs with armchairs and table, full en-suite facilities (flush toilet, shower, handbasin) and running water. There is 24 hour electricity and each room has plugs for charging batteries. The lodge has a thatched, open-sided dining room serving local and European dishes and a well-stocked bar with incredible views of Lake Manyara from the terrace. Guest rooms and the main areas are linked by stone paths.

The lodge arranges game viewing excursions to Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Guests can be taken on half-day treks and hikes and enjoy a Maasai-led ethno-botanical walk. Visits to local villages are popular and offer insights into the Maasai way of life.

Superb view from Kirurumu Manyara Lodge
Tribes Eco Rating: 
"The impact on the surroundings of this lodge has been absolutely minimal. As a result, bird life around the lodge has increased, and even the tiny shy dik-dik antelope has remained resident around camp. Links with local communities are also very strong. Kirurumu deserves our top eco-rating."
Customer Rating: 93% from 24 reviews
Mr. John Cottingham (18/02/2013)

"In a great position overlooking Manyara Lake (10-15 mins drive away).Accommodation excellent,food superb,staff very friendly - loved to chat.Each lodge very private but does involve some steps and a bit of walking.Cheap laundry.Highly recommended."
Open:  Open all year.

Location:   On the escarpment of the Rift Valley, above Lake Manyara National Park and Mount Losimingori, about 20 minutes' drive from the park gate. The lodge is about 2 hours from Arusha. The nearest airstrip, Manyara, is a 15 minute drive. 

Rooms:  27 tented rooms, plus 2 honeymoon suites and 2 family cottages. All have en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold running water. 

Activities: Ethno-botanical walks with a Maasai, day trips to lake Manyara National Park and to Ngorongoro Crater. Trips to local villages and markets. The lodge can arrange half day treks and hikes. Mountain biking is a good way to explore the area but needs to be booked in advance. There are many walking trails around the lodge.

Facilities: The large bar has a sun deck with stunning views over Lake Manyara and the Rift Valley floor. The thatched restaurant serves local and European dishes. The lodge has a gift shop and there is a laundry service.

Dining:  Meals are taken at individual tables. The food is a good standard with a variety of international and some African dishes. 

Children: Children of all ages are very welcome here. 

Health: This is a malarial area. 

Communication: There is a good mobile signal here. No Wifi, but there are internet facilities.

Lodge website: www.kirurumu.net
Customer rating 4.7 from 24 reviews
Excellent 
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Good 
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"In a great position overlooking Manyara Lake (10-15 mins drive away).Accommodation excellent,food superb,staff very friendly - loved to chat.Each lodge very private but does involve some steps and a bit of walking.Cheap laundry.Highly recommended."
Accommodation review by: Mr. John Cottingham
"We had a tremendous view of Lake Manyara, the accommodation and public areas were nicely appointed, the staff were friendly and professional and all located within 10 minutes of the park."
Accommodation review by: Mr. Ian Nicholas
"our favourite hotel during this trip. The staff were fantastic – very considerate, polite and enthusiastic. The food was good. Mostly, it was magical to wake up with a view on to the park, with birds singing everywhere as the sun was rising."
Accommodation review by: Mrs. Elise Le Mer
"Amazing! the tents were like 5 star hotel rooms and the views breathtaking to wake up to."
Accommodation review by: Sophie
"This was super as our first lodge experience. We had a local walk with a Maasai guide, which was great. I regretted not tipping him better, but it was our first day and I wasn't sure."
Accommodation review by: Ros Oliver
"Food +staff ==Excellent"
Accommodation review by: Peter F
"Loved it !"
Accommodation review by: Mr & Mrs J
"I have stayed here many times and I always like coming back. If you're lucky enough to get one of the front tents you will get a stunning view over Lake Manyara down below, but even if you don't, you can see this from the well-positioned bar. The meals are very good here and shilst it is not a small camp, the tents have pretty good privacy due to the indigenous plants grown throughout the grounds. Birds really like this small haven and so do I."
Accommodation review by: Amanda Marks, Tribes
"Only stayed one night. Would happily have stayed longer. The early morning walk with the Maasai guide was a treat."
Accommodation review by: EJ
"Fabulous views and really peaceful. Only stayed one night but would have happily stayed longer."
Accommodation review by: Heather
"We stayed at 2 Kirurumu sites! Tarangire was very good. A tented lodge and not a classic camp as indicated. Staff, food, lodge good. Location was unfortunately wuite a drive from the park entrance. Manyra was also good. View tremendous. Staff, food. lodge good. More lodges than I had expected."
Accommodation review by: Phil Haywood
"Stunning view from the bungalow and the restaurant. The "most African" accomodation we stayed at, probably because of many Maasai staff and local people with their houses around, good mood and atmosphere. Wonderful food."
Accommodation review by: Ann
"Good tent, great location, decent food , friendly staff"
Accommodation review by: Eldon & Jo
"As above views spectacular sunrises amazing"
Accommodation review by: Leanne
"friendly staff lovely location overlooking the rift valley"
Accommodation review by: Sandra
"Very expensive for what you get but still good."
Accommodation review by: Chris and Kate Pare
"Stunning location at the top of the escarpment with huge views of the valley floor below; unfortunately the views from our tent were limited and obstructed by vegetation. The tent just about large enough, simply but fairly comfortably furnished. The ablutions were brick built rooms with separate shower, wash basin unit and a proper loo: something a little more than a curtain between the ablutions and the living area would have been preferred but this seems to be the East African style as it featured in all three tented lodges.The staff were all good; courteous and caring, had obviously been briefed on our dietary requirements (to the extent that my occasional bad choice was pointed out to me (not in a poor way but as caring people))! The food was simple but very good, well prepared, tasty and in good supply (we were always offered seconds, but always deferred we had had plenty). The walk with a Maasai was an interesting diversion."
Accommodation review by: Mr Baker
"Excellent food"
Accommodation review by: Fiona McNeill
"Wonderful. Could not have asked for more."
Accommodation review by: P Chetwynd, Hong Kong
"The welcome and service we received in all of the places we stayed in was excellent. The accommodation definitely exceeded our expectations."
Accommodation review by: Ms I Howley, UK
"Very good quality food. Veery friendly staff - keen to share language tips. Local choir and band performed at night.Solar panels provided hot water. Maasai guides provided security at night. Slight 'hotel resort' feel due only to paths around site, but endemic plants made up for this."
Accommodation review by: Ms J Davenport, UK
"I love Kirurumu!  The view is great, but it's the friendly staff, good food and comfortable rooms that make it.  Really great showers and you can't believe you are in a TENT!!  There is a huge variety of hiking and game viewing you can do from here, so it's a great place to stay for several nights if you want."
Accommodation review by: Julie Croucher, Tribes
"A spectacular setting, with very comfortable accommodation, handy for Manyara Park. The staff were very helpful, but again the food could have been better."
Accommodation review by: Mrs. Yvonne Chapman
"It was late when we arrived and our tent was a long way away. The food was good though maybe we were still tired from the journey. The bar area is lovely, with views of the lake and the Rift Valley"
Accommodation review by: Mrs. Sue Holloway

This property completed Tribes' audit on their social and environmental responsibility. Water usage, pollution, land use, ownership, commitment to conservation, links with local communities, and staff welfare are all researched.

We awarded them the eco-rating seen here. You can use these eco-ratings to tell whether a property has their heart in the right place or not. Places which care about the impact they have on the people and environment around them will usually go the extra mile for you too!

5/5 = One of the real heroes of the travel industry! This place makes a real difference.
4/5 = Caring for their people and environment is very important to them.
3/5 = Making a real effort in some important areas.

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Hannah Black
Africa Travel Co-ordinator
After years of travelling and charity work in Africa, Hannah has an extensive knowledge of the continent she loves, and is happy to share it.
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