Fodor's Expert Review Gibbs Farm

Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tanzania

With the feel of an English country house, this working organic coffee farm sits midway between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The 1929 farmhouse has managed to retain its old-fashioned genteel nature with a wide veranda, intimate lounges, inviting reading nooks, and a bar and dining room that look much as they must have done almost 100 years ago. Intimate, luxurious guest cottages with en suite bathrooms are scattered throughout the gardens and provide a perfect base to explore the crater and Lake Manyara National Park, as well as a perfect respite from exhilarating game drives. Expect excellent coffee and home-cooked food served with organic veggies and fruit from the farm's own gardens by friendly management dedicated to sustaining the land and supporting the nearby communities.

PROS

  • the farm tour and campfire story evenings are a must
  • rooms are spacious and uniquely decorated
  • the horizon swimming pool is exceptional

CONS

  • a rather bumpy hour-long ride out to the Crater
  • food can be a bit lackluster considering the location
  • it's a working farm, so bear in mind there are farm smells around some of the rooms

QUICK FACTS

Resort
$$$$

HOTEL INFO

Phones: 255-272-970--436

HOTEL DETAILS

20 cottages
Rate Includes: All-Inclusive

What’s Nearby