Close to the Crater
Short drive to the Ngorongoro gate, so you can be on the crater floor early, before the busiest hours.
Tanzania Cities & Coast
Karatu
Rolling coffee estates, red earth and cool highland air make Karatu the perfect base for the Ngorongoro Crater. Stay among the farms and wake to mist on the hills before descending into the crater.
- Location
- Between Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro
- Known For
- Coffee farms & crater gateway
- Altitude
- About 1,500 m
- To Crater Gate
- About 30 minutes
Discover Karatu
The farmlands at the crater's edge.
Karatu is a busy market town in the highlands between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Set at around 1,500 metres, it enjoys cool evenings and fertile volcanic soils, and the surrounding hills are covered with coffee estates, wheat and maize fields and patches of forest.
For safari travellers, Karatu's main appeal is its location. The Lodoare gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is only a short drive away, making it easy to reach the crater floor early in the morning. Lake Manyara is to the east and Lake Eyasi to the south-west, and many itineraries spend one or two nights here between parks.
The town is the heart of the Iraqw people's homeland, and around it you can tour coffee farms, walk through villages, visit local markets and explore forests and waterfalls on the slopes of the highlands.
Why stay
The ideal base for Ngorongoro.
Karatu combines easy crater access with beautiful farm lodges and plenty to do.
Coffee Farm Lodges
Stay at lodges set among coffee estates and gardens, many with views over the highlands.
Coffee Tours
Follow coffee from plant to cup on a working farm, with tastings at the end.
Iraqw Culture
Visit Iraqw homesteads and learn about this agricultural people and their traditional homes.
Walks and Waterfalls
Explore village trails, forest edges and waterfalls on the highland slopes.
Central Location
Lake Manyara, Lake Eyasi, Mto wa Mbu and the Serengeti road are all within easy reach.
Location
Where is Karatu?
Karatu lies on the main road from Arusha to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, about 140 km west of Arusha, a drive of around two and a half to three hours. Mto wa Mbu and the Lake Manyara gate are around 35 km to the east, and the Lodoare gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is about 15 km to the west, roughly 30 minutes' drive.
Kilimanjaro International Airport is about three and a half to four hours away by road, and the Manyara airstrip offers light-aircraft connections. Lake Eyasi, home of the Hadzabe and Datoga, is around one and a half hours to the south-west.
When to visit
When to visit.
Karatu is a year-round base, though its highland climate is cooler than many travellers expect.
Cool Dry Season
Dry days and cold nights in the highlands, the peak season for Ngorongoro; pack a warm jacket.
Short Rains
Brief showers and green hills; coffee plants begin to flower after the rains.
Warm & Dry
Warm days and green landscapes, and the calving season in the nearby southern Serengeti.
Long Rains
The wettest months; farm roads can be muddy, but lodges are quiet and the hills are lush.
Month by month.
What Karatu is like through the year.
Warm and green, a great base for the crater and the southern Serengeti.
Warm days and mostly dry weather, with calving season nearby.
The long rains begin and the hills turn intensely green.
The wettest month, with quiet lodges and muddy farm tracks.
Rains ease and the farms are lush and fresh.
The dry season begins with cool, crisp nights.
Cold nights and misty mornings; fireplaces are lit at many lodges.
Dry and cool, peak season for Ngorongoro crater visits.
Dry and pleasant, a good month for farm and village walks.
Warm and dry, with dusty roads and golden fields.
The short rains arrive and coffee plants start to flower.
Green and festive, a lovely time to stay among the farms.
Explore the area
Exploring around Karatu.
Experiences in and around the town.
Farm estatesCoffee FarmsWorking coffee estates where you can tour the plantations, see processing and taste the results.
TownKaratu MarketA lively local market, especially on market days, full of fresh produce and everyday goods.
VillagesIraqw HomesteadsWalk through farming villages and learn about Iraqw culture and traditional homes.
Highland slopesForest Walks and WaterfallsTrails through farmland and forest edges on the slopes below the Ngorongoro highlands.
West of townNgorongoro CraterThe world-famous caldera, a short drive away through the Lodoare gate.
Spotlight
Coffee among the hills.
Spend an afternoon on a coffee estate on the edge of the Ngorongoro highlands. Walk between the rows of coffee bushes with a farm guide, learn how the cherries are picked, pulped, dried and roasted, and finish with a fresh cup on a veranda overlooking the hills.
It is the perfect way to slow down between game drives, and with the crater just up the road you can be ready for an early start the next morning.
Safaris to 中文
Tours that include Karatu
Safaris that stay in or pass through Karatu on the way to Ngorongoro.
Stay in 中文
Where to stay in Karatu
Farm lodges and highland retreats in and around Karatu.
Silver tier
Karatu, TanzaniaMarera Mountain View LodgeA comfortable highlands lodge in Karatu with warm fireplaces and panoramic mountain views, ideally placed between NgoronMountain-view lodgeView lodge
Gold tier
Karatu, TanzaniaNgorongoro Farm HouseA charming colonial-style farm lodge on a 500-acre coffee plantation at the foot of the Ngorongoro Crater, facing the OlCoffee farm stayView lodge
Platinum tier
Ngorongoro, TanzaniaAcacia Farm LodgeA quiet coffee-plantation retreat in the Karatu highlands, the perfect base before and after Ngorongoro.Coffee farm stayView lodge
Platinum tier
Ngorongoro, TanzaniaNeptune Ngorongoro Luxury LodgeAn all-inclusive retreat of twenty luxury log-cabin suites set in 50 acres of virgin bush just steps from the NgorongoroAll-inclusive luxury lodgeView lodge
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Usually replies within minutesHeritage
History and culture.
Karatu lies in the homeland of the Iraqw, a farming people whose language belongs to the Cushitic family and who have lived in these highlands for centuries. Traditionally they built homes partly into hillsides for protection and warmth, and farming and livestock remain at the heart of local life.
During the colonial period, settlers established coffee and wheat farms on the fertile volcanic soils, and some of today's lodges occupy historic farmhouses and estates. As safari tourism grew, Karatu became the main service town for visitors to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Today the town balances farming, trade and tourism, and many lodges support local schools, farming projects and employment in the surrounding villages.
How far is Karatu from the Ngorongoro Crater?
About 15 km to the Lodoare gate, around 30 minutes, then roughly another hour to the crater floor via the rim.
Should I stay in Karatu or on the crater rim?
Karatu lodges are often better value and surrounded by farms; rim lodges offer crater views and are slightly closer.
Is it cold in Karatu?
Evenings and early mornings can be cold, especially from June to August, so bring a warm layer.
What can I do in Karatu?
Coffee tours, village and market visits, forest walks and day trips to Lake Eyasi and Lake Manyara.
How far is Karatu from Arusha?
About 140 km, roughly two and a half to three hours by road.
Can I visit the Hadzabe from Karatu?
Yes. Lake Eyasi is about one and a half hours away, and an early-morning visit is easy to arrange.
Is Karatu a good stop on the way to the Serengeti?
Yes, it is on the main road and a popular overnight stop before or after Ngorongoro.
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Ready to stay in Karatu?
Let Gip Adventure place you among the coffee farms of Karatu, perfectly positioned for your Ngorongoro adventure.