Gibbs Farm Safari Lodge
Here, at the entrance to the Highlands, midway between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, five kilometres from the village of Karatu, is Gibb's Farm.
Gibb's Farm is an oasis of green, calm and beauty, in a landscape that can often be parched, dry and dusty. On the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater, the lodge commands huge views of the surrounding farmlands. Whilst behind, the forested slopes are home to an abundance of wildlife, including elephant and leopard.
It is a place which we love and is a shining example of how all lodges should or could be. It is not luxurious, the rooms are simple, the food is not haute cuisine but is made from farm grown organic vegetables and the meat is from the farm animals. The gardens are beautiful and full of flowers, the staff are not over attentive but friendly and sometimes a bit on the slow side but that is as it should be on a coffee plantation in the middle of nowhere. The old-colonial farmhouse, built by German settlers in the early 20th century, still has the character of a well-looked-after-private house with roaring fires and the whole place has a cared for lived in feeling that we love. In fact Gibb's Farm is still owned by Margaret Gibb and her husband Per Kullander. The farm is deeply embedded in the local community and is a real positive influence on the whole area.
Accommodation: There are 20 twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms set among the gardens. Two are linked making them ideal for families. The main facilities, consisting of a sitting room, reading room, dining room (which serves fresh, home-cooked meals), bar and gift shop, are situated in the old farmhouse. For chillier evenings there is a fireplace.
Coffee is grown, processed and roasted on the farm and a vast ten-acre fruit and organic vegetable garden provides nearly all the fruit and vegetables to the guests, who wake up to fresh coffee, a multitude of flowers and breathtaking views.
Even if your stay is short, find time for a gentle walk to the waterfall near the lodge or take a walk around the farm.
|
Northern Tanzania Safari