Finest Lodges

Description & Location

The history of Mt Meru is ancient. Momella has been part of it for the last 100 years. In 1906 Margarete Trappe arrived on an ox wagon from the coast. Her courage and pioneering spirit set the tone when they travelled the picturesque Meru-Pass, at which her new home - Momella - was situated. Fittingly her last tribute was from her beloved elephant herd as they gathered around her house in 1957 when she passed away.

Margarete’s son Rolf leased the property to Paramount Pictures as the setting for the classic movie “Hatari”, starring John Wayne.  Hardy Krüger bought the property in 1960.  He wanted a farm in Africa – a dream came true, for 13 years!

Hardy Krüger’s former home was transformed much later into the small and privately managed Ol Donyo Orok Lodge, which closed in 2002. Today this house is part of Hatari Lodge, and is inhabited by the Gabriel family. Jim Mallory’s former house is now the main building of Hatari Lodge. The name was chosen in memory of the classic Hollywood movie “Hatari”, parts of which were filmed in the immediate surrounding areas.

A long cherished wish of Africa enthusiasts came true in September 2004:  The former private homes of actor Hardy Krüger and his farm manager, Jim Mallory, are at the centre of an extremely comfortable new lodge located at the edge of Arusha National Park, close to the setting of the legendary movie "HATARI!" and overlooking the world famous Mount Kilimanjaro and its neighbouring dormant volcano, Mount Meru.

Hatari Lodge is located adjoining one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse national parks, where the worlds highest free standing mountain, Kilimanjaro rises majestically 5,892 metres into the blue skies above.  Hatari Lodge is situated in a malaria free altitude above 5.000 ft on the northern edge of Arusha National Park, with its unspoilt views of lakes and craters, its magical rain forests, and the 4,566 metre high dormant volcano Mount Meru, rising elegantly in the background.  At the very heart of this “luxury bush hotel”, managed by Marlies, Jörg and their staff, are the traditional farm buildings, which were used by the legendary actor Hardy Krüger, and his former manager, Jim Mallory.

Hatari Lodge consists of three buildings beautifully situated in acacia woodland with breathtaking views onto the Momella swamp, rich with wildlife, and across to the majestic Kilimanjaro.

The quite unique “Hatari-Lodge” offers 9 extremely comfortably furnished rooms, each with an open fireplace and a spacious bathroom en suite.Each room has been lovingly decorated by Marlies in a retro style, evoking the 60’s and 70’s - the time of "Hatari!" and the beginning of safaris in Tanzania.

The oldest building serves as a large central living and dining room where guests will enjoy Claudia's and Johnny's delicious cuisine. Here you will find a cosy lounge area and bar with a veranda and viewing deck, as well as a library. Sitting around the open fireplace, which Krüger and Mallory enjoyed so much guests are entertained with information and stories about the flora, fauna and history of Arusha National Park.

The breakfast terrace, bordered by sweet smelling acacias, as well as the viewing platform onto the Momella swamps offers impressive views of Mt. Meru, Kilimanjaro and the wildlife from close by. Here you enjoy classic sunsets over the snows of Kilimanjaro.

Shu'mata Camp (former Kilimanjaro Safari Camp) is located at the foot of Kilimanjaro, deep in Masai land, in an area known as South Amboseli. Large East African tents, in true Hemingway style, line along a leopard hill from which magnificent views lead in all directions. At the front of the camp bush savannah melts into the slopes of Kilimanjaro, towering above into the blue skies of Africa. So close that on a moonlit night details of the glaciers can be visible. Seasonally the surrounding savannah bush teems with wildlife - large herds of elephant, eland, zebra and wildebeest and Oryx as well as Grants and Thompson Gazelle. Lion and Cheetah rub their paws! In addition this area is great for birding. From Hatari only a three-hour comfortable and scenic drive away; the lodge takes guests through our “private Serengeti” to this special bush experience as an add-on to your stay at Hatari. The seasonal Shu'mata Camp lies within a private concession and is only offered in combination with Hatari for guests that stay a minimum of 4 nights in total.

Highlights

• consists of three buildings beautifully situated in acacia woodland with breathtaking views onto the Momella swamp, rich with wildlife, and across to the majestic Kilimanjaro
• each room has been lovingly decorated by Marlies in a retro style, evoking the 60s and 70s
• offers 10 extremely comfortably furnished rooms, each with an open fireplace and a spacious bathroom en suite
• situated about 400 miles south of the equator at an altitude of 4650 feet above sea level
• former private homes of actor Hardy Krüger and his farm manager, Jim Mallory
• located adjoining one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse national parks
• a variety of half or full-day activities can be arranged to suit the preference of each individual guest
• new as of 2007 is Tanzania´s Eastern Safari Circuit in which Hatari stands at the beginning of a unique safari experience to new destinations.
• Shu'mata Camp (former Kilimanjaro Safari Camp) is located at the foot of Kilimanjaro, deep in Masai land, in an area known as South Amboseli. Large East African tents, in true Hemingway style

Location and Travel

Hatari Lodge is located adjoining one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse national parks, where the worlds highest free standing mountain, Kilimanjaro rises majestically 5,892 metres into the blue skies above.  Hatari Lodge is situated in a malaria free altitude above 5.000 ft on the northern edge of Arusha National Park, with its unspoilt views of lakes and craters, its magical rain forests, and the 4,566 metre high dormant volcano Mount Meru, rising elegantly in the background.

Hatari Lodge is situated at the northern edge of Arusha National Park - the long forgotten secret - in the heart of Tanzania. Measuring roughly 150 square kilometres it combines within its boundaries the vast variety of many other parks in northern Tanzania: craters, lakes, savannah, plains and on top of it a mountain!

Situated about 400 miles south of the equator at an altitude of 4650 feet above sea level Hatari Lodge has mild but still comfortably warm temperatures. The quicksilver rarely exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, however early morning hours during the months of May to October may be chilly, making a warm jacket a necessity. By noon conditions are again "African", with temperatures easily rising above the 20 to 25 degree mark.

Explore the "Little Serengeti" plains in the south, walk to stunning gorges and waterfalls in the north, enjoy the tropical mountain rainforests, experience the diverse fauna and flora along the Momella Lakes with its rich flamingo population and discover the secret haven of the hidden Ngurdoto Crater - nick-named "little Ngorongoro" due to its stunning beauty and rich wildlife. All these highlights are towered by the shining glaciers of Kilimanjaro and the horseshoe-like cliffs and the peak of Mt. Meru – occasionally covered with snow. Arusha National Park is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful destinations in the country.

Momella Lakes

In the north eastern part of Arusha National Park lies the area known as the Momella Lakes. Fringed by green hills seven lakes nestle in valleys and depressions punctuating the post-volcanic landscape. Their sodium rich contents and the formation of algae make the lakes alkaline, especially Big Momella Lake and Lake Reshateni - and therefore year round favourable feeding and resting areas for flamingos.

Ngurdoto Crater

The Ngurdoto Crater is nicknamed the “little Ngorongoro Crater“, alluding to its forgotten beauty. Like a jewel in a crown it is a protected area within a protected area. Its fragile but diverse ecosystem cannot be visited by car or on foot. Only from its crater rim, reached by a steep car track through mountain rainforest, with its various beautifully situated viewpoints may the visitor enjoy this “sunken” Noah’s Ark in its primeval jungle, secluded in the south-eastern corner of the park.
The crater floor, some 300 feet below and measuring about 1,5 miles across is home to interesting fauna and floraFirst gazetted in 1960,

Mount Meru

At 4,566 metres high, it ranks as Tanzania’s second highest, and as Africa’s fourth highest mountain. During the colder months and with high altitude rains its peak can be covered by snow.

Arrivals:

Arusha National Park is located 29 kilometres east of Arusha city and 36 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Arrival by plane:

Hatari Lodge is situated only 45 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), approximately a 1-hour drive. Daily direct connection with KLM from Amsterdam to KIA and a once a week with Thomas Cook/Condor directly from Frankfurt to KIA.  More direct options from Europe with Swiss, British Airways, KLM and Kenya Airways to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam with comfortable connecting flights on local airlines.
Hatari offers transfers to the Lodge and an additional benefit for late arrivals (KLM) will be the night drive through Arusha National Park.

Hatari Lodge

The history of Mt Meru is ancient. Momella has been part of it for the last 100 years. In 1906 Margarete Trappe arrived on an ox wagon from the coast. Her courage and pioneering spirit set the tone......