Excursions

Because of its comfort and location, the Highview Hotel is the ideal gateway to several top Tanzanian safari hotspots, such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and Lake Eyasi. It is conveniently located on the way between Arusha and the Serengeti. Many guests however also decide to stay for a couple of days in the Karatu area and take part at our attractive day excursions and hikes. Ngorongoro Crater (22 km) The Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest unbroken volcanic caldera is one of Africa's top attractions and often called “Africa’s Eden” and the “Eighth Natural Wonder of the World”. Its steep rim decends 610 m deep and the crater floor has a size of 260 km2. Within the crater rim, large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze the grassy plains while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick vegetation of the crater rain forests after grazing the dew of the morning mist. But there is more to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area than just the crater. The crater highlands with alkaline soda lakes and a series of peaks and volcanoes make the Conservation Area a unique and beautiful landscape. Lake Manyara National Park (25 km) Lake Manyara is famous for its impressive ground water forests where tree climbing lions and diademed monkies can be observed. During certain times of the year thousands of flamingos make the surface of the lake shining pink. Tarangire National Park (65 km) This National Park, named after the Tarangire River retains a real air of undiscovered Africa, particularly in the South of the park. The river is an aorta for herds of thirsty animals that have wandered hundreds of parched kilometres knowing that there is always water. Lake Eyasi; Bushmen community (100 km) The Hadzabe bushmen are East Africas last tribe of hunter-gatherers. Still today they live like in prehistoric times. The Hadzabe can be visited and they demonstrate how they make fire, how they live in caves and simple huts and how they hunt with bow and arrow. Day excursions and hikes in the local Karatu area See our day excursions & hikes price list. Some guests decide to spend some days in the local area around Karatu. Highview Hotel offers a couple of interesting excursions: * Karatu is not much more than a very big village. Although there is a market every day in Karatu, the huge auction of cattle and everything else that is needed for rural life in Africa is a major attraction for the population of the whole area and tourists alike. It takes place on the 7th of each month - so if you have the chance to be around Karatu at that day, don't miss it! * Karatu is mainly inhabited by the Iraqw people, a tribe that several hundred years ago worked its way South from Ethiopia, through Kenya, to settle in the neighbourhood of the Ngorongoro. In order to protect themselves and their cattle from Masaai raids, they build an extensive system of underground settlements. Today, there is the Iraqw Cultural Centre in Karatu, and locals can show visitors around explaining the traditions and culture of the Iraqw people. * There is an interesting 2 hours hike on a buffalo trail of the Endero Route through the Southern forests of the Ngorongoro Conservation area. You will first reach an impressive 40 metres high waterfall and then a cave that has been carved out of the soil by elephants and buffaloes, as the red earth is rich in calcium which helps many herbivours to strengthen their bones, teeth and shell. Many wild animals and birds inhabit the forest; as buffalos are particularly unpredictable in their behaviour, an armed ranger is required for this walk. * You can make this walk a 7 hours full day hike from the Endero Gate to the Ngorongoro Crater Rim. On the way you will not only see the elephant caves and water falls, but also many birds, trees like Quinine trees, which are used as an effective treatment of different diseases and also used for making a local brew. * You can do a mountain bike safari or you can opt for a hot bush lunch in the Ngorongoro Conservation are or in the Lake Manyara National Park - a very special culinary experience. * You can also visit a coffee plantation which has its own processing plant where the coffee beans are separated from the husk, dried and then packaged. * Visitors to Highview are also welcome to visit the small Karatu Orphanage which is supported by the Highview Hotel. There are about 35 children being looked after here - most have lost their parents through AIDS and some are HIV positive themselves. The Highview Hotel has established a link with the orphanage and now contributes a dollar of every hotel bed night towards the running of the orphanage. All day excursions and hikes can be booked directly at the hotel, please see our price list. Distances from/to Highview Hotel: * Serengeti National Park - 165 km * Serengeti Wildcamp - 210 km * Springland Hotel Moshi - 225 km * Arusha - 145 km See full-size pictures of excursions here.       Ngorongoro Crater     Wildlife on the crater floor     Ngorongoro Crater Highland with Masaai village     Baboon at Lake Manyara     Elephant family in the Tarangire     Safari in the Tarangire     Bushmen hunting     Karatu auction market     Iraqw underground settlement     Iraqw lifestyle     Following buffalo trails     Waterfall     Near the elephant cave     Coffee plants     Karatu Orphanage     Excursionists at Highview Hotel