Maasai culture, game drives and walking safaris at Tarangire Treetops

When you stay at Tarangire Treetops, you’ll get to explore the area on game drives and walking safaris, as well as get an insight into traditional Maasai life. The lodge lies on a private reserve on the edge of Tarangire National Park, which is the sixth largest in the country and famous for its impressive baobab trees. We’re proud to have a close connection with the local culture and many of our guides, like me, hail from the Maasai community.

During your stay, you’ll experience our Maasai Boma evening with traditional BBQ and welcome songs and dances. To delve deeper into our heritage, a guide can take you to a nearby village where you’ll get a tour and learn all about the Maasai culture, history and how we care for our sacred cattle.

Guests are often surprised by how much wildlife they manage to see just around the lodge, from elephants at the watering hole to lions hunting. However, you’ll also spend plenty of time exploring Tarangire National Park on game drives with our experienced guides. The park has some of Africa’s largest elephant herds, as well as other members of the Big Five and rare tree-climbing lions. There’s plenty more to spot, from zebras to wildebeest, giraffes, baboons and over 550 species of birds.

To get even closer to nature, let us take you on a walking safari. You’ll leave at 6.30am for the walk, which can last up to two hours. Experience the sounds, smells and textures of the landscape as you walk, looking out for animal tracks and indigenous plants that we use as natural medicine along the way. We’ll usually come across animals too – it’s a much more intimate experience than seeing them from a safari vehicle.

Sunset is a magical time of day in Tarangire, especially at Sunset Hill. From here, you can sip a cocktail or a beer and watch the sky change colour over the National Park and Lake Manyara. When darkness falls, the sky lights up with stars – you can even see the Milky Way. Guests love finishing the day with a night drive, where you might spot nocturnal species like owls, jackals, honey badgers and big cats. My most memorable night safari experience was watching a leopard hunt after dark.