Arusha Coffee Lodge
Location
- Arusha town outskirts
- Base of Mount Meru
- Northern Tanzania
Arusha Coffee Lodge offers a charming and peaceful retreat set on a lush, working coffee plantation on the outskirts of Arusha Town in the shadow of Mount Meru.
Arusha is the point of entry for most travelers embarking on a Northern Tanzania tour and the majority of those will spend a night or more in this charming town located close to Tanzania's second-tallest peak, Mount Meru.
Overland safaris (which travel by road in 4x4 vehicles) depart from Arusha Town and head west towards Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti.
The bar at The Bistro Café - Arusha Coffee Lodge.
Arusha Coffee Lodge was once the original coffee plantation homestead (dating back to the early 1900s) that has since been converted to a tourist lodge with 30 spacious guest rooms and suites that are spread out amongst the evergreen coffee bushes and verdant gardens. The estate still produces coffee and is one of Tanzania's largest plantations. Guests at the lodge can enjoy coffee tours to learn how the production process works.
The aroma of coffee permeates the grounds and the lodge's colors and textures reflect its rich coffee-growing history. The main lodge includes several dining establishments, including the Grill Room, The Bistro, and the Swahili-themed Jikoni Restaurant. The on-site Traders Walk Boutiques offer diverse shopping, including Shanga, a workshop run by Tanzanians with disabilities who produce beautiful arts and crafts and the Tanzanite Centre, which sells jewelry and raw Tanzanite stones. Kahawa Coffee Shop offers freshly brewed coffees and fresh baked goods.
Activities at or near the lodge include coffee tours, wellness treatments at the Peaberries Spa, quad-biking on the plantation, cultural visits, Arusha town, market, and museum tours, and day trips to Arusha National Park and Mount Meru. The lodge welcomes families with children and offers a swimming pool, child-friendly activities, and children's menus.
Guest room at Arusha Coffee Lodge.
About ARUSHA TOWN
Arusha town is located very close to the region's main gateway airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), and is almost always the first overnight for travelers to Northern Tanzania.
Despite being a growing city with a population of over 420 000 (plus 330 000 in the surrounding Arusha District), the town itself has a distinctly relaxed atmosphere. Tourism is the main focus of the town and Western culture is evident, but with a mixture of Maasai people in their traditional dress.
Arusha offers numerous accommodations, ranging from very basic to high-end guest houses. The leafy, eastern suburbs of Arusha have some of the nicest choices for overnight stays. On clear days, one can view nearby Mount Meru, which stands watch over the town and offers a lovely backdrop.
Higher elevation areas near the town are home to farmers growing coffee, bananas, cabbage, potatoes, and other vegetables. Beans, corn and wheat are also grown in the lower lying outskirts.
Outdoor dining at Arusha Coffee Lodge.
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK & MOUNT MERU
Located just north of Arusha Town, Arusha National Park and the adjoining Mount Meru Forest Reserve is a seldom-visited reserve offering volcanic peaks, lovely rainforest, and plentiful wildlife.
Tanzania's second-highest peak, Mount Meru, which rises to an elevation of 14 977 feet (4 565 feet), is the dominant feature of Arusha National Park. Appearing as a near-perfect cone when viewed from the town, the eastern side was literally ripped apart by a cataclysmic eruption some 250 000 years ago. The explosions sent lava boulders flying over 40 miles (64 kms) away to the east.
Prior to this event, Mount Meru was even taller than Mount Kilimanjaro. Today Meru is considered dormant, but tremors still occur and a mini-eruption last occurred in 1910.
Mount Meru rises just north of Arusha Town.
The national park (established in 1960) and the surrounding forest reserve protects most of Mount Meru, including the 2-mile wide Meru Crater and Ngurdoto Crater in the eastern foothills. Ngurdoto is a 2-mile wide caldera with diverse wildlife and is sometimes referred to as "Little Ngorongoro". The Momela Lakes are known for their birdlife, in particular flamingos.
Wildlife in the forest reserve and national park include buffalo, elephant, hippo, warthog, zebra, various antelopes, blue monkey, black-and-white colobus, and others. Giraffe can be seen around the Momela Lakes. Leopard and spotted hyena are present but rarely seen.
Like Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru can be climbed without any technical equipment or experience. Round trip treks are either three or four days; two days for the ascent and one or two days to descend. Although not as high as Kilimanjaro, altitude sickness and acclimatization are still an issue on Meru. The route to the summit starts at Momela Gate (which is at 4 900 feet/1 500 meters). Little Meru Peak is slightly lower than the main summit and is also an option.
ROOMS INCLUDES & EXCLUDES CHILDREN FACILITIES ACTIVITIES
Accommodation
30 guest accommodations in total comprising:
- 18 plantation rooms consisting of 8 doubles, 4 twins, and 6 triples.
- 12 plantation suites consisting of 4 doubles, 5 twins, and 3 doubles convertible to twins.
All of the rooms and suites include en-suite facilities, including a double-basin vanity, bath tub, shower, and separate toilet. The rooms and suites are connected to the main lodge by gravel footpaths on the ground.
Guest suite at Arusha Coffee Lodge.
The rooms and suites spill off to the left of the main area, each looking out onto coffee trees and surrounding gardens.
All rooms and suites are constructed of wood and brick, with plaster walls and ceilings that's have exposed wooden beams. The décor is contemporary and elegant and the furnishings are comfortable. All rooms and suites have a wood-burning fireplace and an outdoor veranda overlooking the surrounding coffee plant garden.
The plantation rooms are comfortable and cozy, covering 484 square feet (45 sq meters), while the larger and more spacious plantation suites have an area of 624 square feet (58 sq meters).
Other items and features in the rooms and suites include:
- Lounge area with comfortable sofa and lounging chairs.
- In-room log-burning fireplace (suites have an additional fireplace on the private outdoor terrace).
- Personal bar and fridge.
- Tea and coffee making station.
- Ceiling fan.
- Bathrobes and slippers.
- Hairdryer.
- Safe.
- Iron and ironing board.
- Mosquito netting over the beds.
- 24-hour lighting and charging capabilities.
- WiFi available in the rooms and main lodge.
- Satellite TV (suites only).
- Mobile phone signal available and usually reliable.
Arusha Coffee Lodge can accommodate a maximum of 66 guests in total: 2 persons in each of the 30 rooms and suites, plus 6 additional persons in the 6 triple rooms.
Includes & Excludes
Includes:
- À la carte breakfast.
- Shanga Tour (an on-site workshop run by Tanzanians with disabilities who produce beautiful arts and crafts).
- Wi-Fi access (throughout the entire camp).
- Tourism Levy & all statutory taxes.
Excludes:
- Meals other than breakfast.
- Drinks.
- Additional premium activities (coffee estate tour, cultural visits, museum visit, town and market tours, park excursions).
- Retail purchases.
- Any applicable wildlife fee, park fee, reserve fee, concession fee, other land-use fee (for excisions).
- Airport transfers.
Single Supplement
A single supplement may apply for any room booked by a single traveler; please ask us for pricing.
Children
Children of any age are accommodated at Arusha Coffee Lodge:
- Some of the plantation rooms are convertible to triples.
- Ask us about reduced rates for children sharing with adults or children 12-17 in their own suite.
- Child-friendly activities are offered.
- Children's menu available.
Some of the children's activities include:
- Swimming pool.
- Playground with jungle gym, slide, and swings.
- Build your own pizza: create and bake your own pizza at the outside pizza oven.
- Child-minding services available.
Facilities
Arusha Coffee Lodge is a delightful sanctuary of aromas, gourmet food, and vibrant gardens located on the expansive grounds of a verdant coffee plantation. Arusha Coffee Lodge is made up of a main area incorporating a restaurant, a café bistro, various boutiques at the Traders Walk, a spa, and a swimming pool.
Main guest area facilities include:
- The Grill Room Restaurant - offers a menu that has been crafted with a discerning palate in mind. This menu pays homage to international gourmet and culinary techniques whilst featuring the very finest in fresh, locally sourced produce that in turn enhances each dish with that all-important local flavoring. Good wine list.
- The Bistro - A café with indoor and garden terrace seating. There is a bar serving drinks and a variety of fresh-roasted coffees made from locally-grown beans. The menu includes a rich variety of dishes prepared using fresh, locally-sourced produce. Hot platters include meat, fish, pasta, various pizzas from the wood-fired pizza oven, and a choice of healthy salads.
- Peaberries Spa offering various wellness treatments and massages.
- Swimming pool with loungers.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access.
- Mineral water is supplied in all the rooms and with meals included in accommodation price. Water is available at all restaurants and other dining facilities.
- The property is connected to the national grid and has a generator for backup power. Lodge and rooms all with 24-hour power.
Traders Walk Boutiques
The Traders Walk Boutiques are a collection of 5 on-site boutiques offering food and shopping options as follows:
- Shanga - A heart-warming social enterprise, Shanga is a workshop run by Tanzanians with disabilities who produce beautiful arts and crafts, often using recycled materials such as glass bottles, which are turned into colorful jewelery, beads and glassware.
- Tanzanite Centre - A remarkably precious stone of a deep blue and violet colors found only at Mererani (near Arusha). This boutique sells beautiful Tanzanite jewelry and loose stones.
- Soko Giftshop - Stocked with all sorts of great mementos, keepsakes, and wonderful gifts.
- Kahawa - Coffee shop with freshly brewed coffee and delicious home-baked cakes.
- Jikoni - An open-air dining experience that provides a window into Swahili culture and cuisine. Dining is often accompanied by live music. Hours of operation are seasonal and advance booking is a must.
Activities
Activities included in the rate:
- Shanga Tour (an on-site workshop run by Tanzanians with disabilities who produce beautiful arts and crafts).
- Swimming pool.
- Bird watching in the gardens.
- Child-friendly activities.
Optional activities at additional cost:
- Coffee plantation tours.
- Shopping and cafés.
- Spa treatments at Peaberries Spa.
- Quad-biking on the plantation.
- Cultural visits.
- Museum visits (Tanzanite Museum, Museum of Natural History, Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre).
- Town and market tours.
- Day trips to Arusha National Park with picnic lunch.
- Day trips to Mount Meru with picnic lunch.
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GENERAL TIPS
Most visitors come to Arusha as their starting and/or ending location for a Northern Tanzania safari circuit. For this reason, most travelers spend no more than 3 nights here, but the following information applies to most of the popular safari destinations you will visit.
For most destinations in northern Tanzania, it is advised to avoid visiting during March and April, when heavy rains typically occur. June to mid-October is excellent in terms of the wildlife and the weather, but this is also when accommodation pricing is the highest.
Arusha Coffee Lodge is open year-round.
RAINS
The rainy season in northern Tanzania is from November thru mid-May, with two distinct rain seasons. The "Short Rains" (locally called the "mvuli") fall from mid-November to mid-December and are generally lighter and less impactful to safari activities. The "Long Rains" (locally called the "masika") occur between March and May, brining afternoon showers on a near daily basis.
Short Rains
The short rains occur for about one month sometime during November and December (the exact time varied somewhat year to year). This period is called the 'short' rains because the duration of an individual rain event is short and it is rare to have an all-day rain event. Most rain falls as an afternoon shower, while mornings are typically overcast or clear.
Long Rains
The long rains occur between March and May, with April being the wettest month of the year. During this time, rain should be expected almost every day and the showers can last for hours at a time, although all-day rain is not typical. The roads into and many of the reserves can be quite difficult during the long rains, which can impact your experience. Cloudy skies are typical and temperatures can be chilly at times.
The period between the short and long rains (January and February) also receives rainfall, but many days are clear and the amount and duration of the rain events is unpredictable, with some afternoon showers and the odd long and heavy shower.
TEMPERATURES
The temperatures in the Arusha region do not experience wide fluctuations throughout the year, as the region lies just over three degrees south of the equator. In general, daytime temperatures are comfortably warm and overnights and early mornings are chilly. Bring a fleece and rain jacket regardless of the timing of your visit.
Arusha's climate is generally mild, with the coldest temps occurring between May and August, where days start out at 57-61°F (14-16 °C) and reach a midday high of 78-80°F (25-27°C). November to March are the warmest months (this coincides with the rainy season), averaging lows of 66-68°F (18-20°C) overnight and daytime highs 84-88°F (29-31°C).