Hatari Lodge

Hatari Lodge sits within Arusha National Park in northern Tanzania, on the slopes below Mount Meru and around an hour and a half by road from Arusha town. Its name comes from the 1962 Hollywood film Hatari!, starring John Wayne, which was shot on this very spot, and the lodge has a playful retro style that nods to that era. It is a small property with deluxe rooms and suites, many with fireplaces for the cool highland evenings, and it runs on solar power. Arusha National Park is often overlooked on the northern circuit, which is exactly its appeal. Giraffe, buffalo, zebra, antelope and colobus and other monkeys are regularly seen, and the birdlife is rich. Activities include private game drives, guided walking safaris, canoeing on the Momella Lakes, picnics at waterfalls, bush breakfasts and longer treks to viewpoints or into Ngurdoto Crater. With Kilimanjaro International Airport under an hour away, it makes a peaceful first or last stop on a Tanzanian safari, and it suits walkers, birders, families and anyone wanting a quieter park.