Hotel Overview & Hilltop Concept

Highview Hotel stands out for its unique hillside position, offering panoramic vistas that stretch across the agricultural valley to the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The hotel’s architecture blends modern building structures with traditional East African timber and stone accents.

The main lodge features an open, high-ceilinged dining room, a cozy lounge bar, a relaxation terrace, and an outdoor swimming pool set into the hilltop garden. Paved pathways link the main hotel wings and guest rooms to the central facilities, dining areas, and garden viewing points.

Room Accommodations & Features

Highview Hotel offers spacious, solidly built guest rooms configured across double-story lodge wings and garden blocks, all designed to capture natural light and valley breezes.

Room Configurations

• Double & Twin Rooms: Generously sized rooms featuring handcrafted wooden king-size or twin beds draped in custom mosquito netting. Each room includes an indoor seating area, writing desk, and a private balcony or veranda overlooking the valley or gardens.

• Triple Rooms: Configured with three single beds or a double and single combination, providing comfortable lodging for small groups or friends traveling together.

• Family Rooms: Multi-bed room layouts designed to comfortably accommodate parents and children with ample space for safari luggage and gear.

In-Room Amenities

• Private balcony or veranda with outdoor seating facing panoramic valley and hill views

• Handcrafted wooden beds equipped with fine linens and custom mosquito nets

• En-suite private bathroom with flush toilet, vanity sink, and hot-water shower

• Writing desk, seating armchairs, luggage rack, and reading lamps

• Daily housekeeping service and bottled drinking water refreshed daily

Dining, Facilities & Guest Services

Highview Hotel focuses on fresh, wholesome meals and relaxing amenities tailored to safari goers returning from long park visits.

On-Site Activities & Regional Day Trips

Guests staying at Highview Hotel can easily integrate their stay with a range of regional day tours and cultural activities:

• Ngorongoro Crater Game Drives: Depart early in the morning for a short drive to Loduare Gate and descend onto the crater floor for a full-day Big Five safari.

• Lake Manyara Safaris: Explore Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions, large elephant herds, and flamingo-filled shores.

• Cultural Excursions to Lake Eyasi: Arrange a day trip to Lake Eyasi to visit the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga blacksmiths.

• Karatu Coffee Estate Walks: Take a guided tour through neighboring coffee farms to learn about Arabica coffee cultivation, picking, and processing.

Strategic Location & Transit Links

Situated on a high ridge near Karatu town, Highview Hotel offers convenient transit connections across the Northern Safari Circuit:

• Ngorongoro Crater Gate (Loduare Gate): ~15 to 20 minutes drive

• Lake Manyara National Park Gate: ~20 to 25 minutes drive

• Lake Manyara Airstrip (LMY): ~25 to 30 minutes drive (for domestic bush flights to Serengeti, Arusha, or Zanzibar)

• Arusha Town: ~2 hours drive via smooth asphalt highway

• Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO): ~3 hours drive (~150 km)

Why Gnade Safaris Recommends Highview Hotel Karatu

At Gnade Safaris, we regularly feature Highview Hotel in our mid-range northern circuit safari itineraries for several key reasons:

• Spectacular Panoramic Views: The hilltop setting provides some of the finest valley and sunset views in the entire Karatu region.

• Exceptional Mid-Range Value: Offers clean, spacious rooms, a swimming pool, and massage amenities at an accessible price point.

• Strategic Dual-Park Positioning: Ideally situated between Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, enabling easy park access without changing hotels.

• Full-Service Comfort: Combines complete hotel amenities—including a full restaurant, bar, pool, and wellness options—under one roof.