The ultimate treehouse to rule them all
Why it’s special: Full-service safari suites within a thousand-year-old baobab trees, perched ten metres above the savanna. You can wake up eye-level with elephants and giraffes.
Getting there: Most travellers land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, connect through Arusha, then continue by road or light aircraft to nearby Kuro Airstrip. The hotel is located next to the northern gate of Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park.
Treehouse hotels evoke a certain kind of childhood charm, but this is not your regular specimen.
Tarangire Treetops build some of their suites right into baobab trees, revered as the tree of life for its ability to store water, provide food, shelter wildlife, and withstand fire and drought.
Inside is a full-service safari suite with a king-size bed, walk-in wardrobe, hot rain shower and 270-degree wilderness views.
The thick branches of the tree frame your private balcony; its hollow trunk supports polished hardwood floors.
With just 20 suites, each wrapped around its own ancient trees (a mix of baobab and marula), every creak, breeze and birdsong feels personal
A day of safari ends end with a fire-cooked dinner in the open-air boma (communal meal setting), after which Maasai warriors escort you back to your nest.
From bed you may hear pearl-spotted owlets muttering overhead. At dawn, unzip the canvas and find yourself eye-level with a procession of elephants marching beneath your balcony.
More than just a room: Things to do
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Sunrise game drives reveal lions lounging in trees and giraffes roaming across the land.
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Guided bush walks showcase the baobab’s secret talents: elephants scratch itchy shoulders on its trunk, and guides whip tart baobab fruit into bush lemonade.
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Night drives pick out aardvarks, civets and bush-babies leaping through pools of head-lamp light.
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Community visits to nearby Maasai villages offer bead-craft classes and stories of cattle-herding life, while conservation talks show how tourism funds the anti-poaching patrols that guard the giants you just photographed.
When to go
- Dry (Jun – Oct): Crisp skies, short grass, huge elephant herds and the clearest game-viewing.
- Short Rains (Nov – Dec): Emerald meadows, newborn animals, spectacular bird-life and lighter crowds.
- Long Rains (Apr – May): Dramatic stormy skies and lush landscapes; some tracks muddy but photographers love it.
