Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Perched high on the rim of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment Luxury Lodge is a serene haven overlooking the wonderful Lake Manyara below. It is only 25 km from the iconic Ngorongoro Crater National Park and a 90-minute drive to Tarangire National Park. For travelers heading for safari in Serengeti, our lodge is a perfect gateway and resting point after days of safari burnout. Offering 16 private, tastefully decorated chalets, this luxury en-suite accommodation provides visitors with breathtaking views of the picturesque biosphere around Lake Manyara National Park. The main lodge area features a uniquely designed lounge bar just off the restaurant serving exquisitely crafted dishes. A selection of soothing massages, along with an array of activities such as walking safaris, cultural tours, game drives, bush dinners, and breakfasts, make this a truly idyllic destination to escape the stresses of daily life! And that's the essence of our business slogan ...Escape the World…
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Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara receives commendation for its friendly staff and efficient service, albeit with occasional lapses noted by some guests. The lodge's amenities, including its cultural offerings and stunning views, are a hit among travelers, though issues with maintenance and Wi-Fi are sporadically mentioned. Its remote location is valued despite the logistical hurdles it presents.
Guests frequently enjoy the culturally rich atmosphere and the cleanliness of the spacious rooms, with special mentions of traditional Maasai dances and the lodge's welcoming ambiance. While views on value for money differ, the comfortable and well-decorated rooms are generally appreciated, although minor maintenance and wildlife encounters in rooms have been reported.
Location
Remote
Atmosphere
Cultural
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We recently had two stays at the resort on our way to and from the Serengeti.
It was lovely to be greeted by the local Maasai people and to be entertained with traditional dancing in the grounds, with great views over the escarpment. The resorts restaurant also overlooks the escarpment and has a lovely relaxed vibe after a heady day out on safari.
The food was wonderful with lots of fresh ingredients, all produce sourced from their own home grown garden. The salad bar buffet was extremely extensive and hard to believe it was all grown here, but walking in the garden you can see the crops sensitively planted behind a hedge, supporting the local community with employment.
As we stayed on two occasions, we had two different rooms. Both were great but I must say the views from #9 were outstanding. The rooms are rustic, in keeping with the remote environment and everything was of good quality.
There was an incident with the hot water on our first night, but it was rectified after a little time. The timing was bad, being when many guests were checking in and wanted a shower. However, the manager personally came around to every table taking time to explain the issue and what was being done to rectify the problem. It sounded complex, requiring the tank to be drained and the power turned off, which had flow on effects, implications for the internet etc.
Being in a remote location it is not always possible to get everything working as it might in a city location. In fact in our 10 days in Tanzania this was one of the few places I actually got a hot shower (after the problem was rectified) and the internet was probably the most responsive as well!
Probably the best thing about the resort was the staff. All were extremely pleasant, efficient and doing all they could to make our stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible. I would highly recommend staying here.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Mallya, Marketing at Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara
Responded Jun 28, 2024
Dear Williams, Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a heartfelt and detailed review of your recent stays with us. We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your time at our resort both before and after your safari adventure in the Serengeti. It’s wonderful to know that you appreciated the warm welcome from our local Maasai community and the traditional dancing against the backdrop of our beautiful escarpment views. We're glad the relaxed atmosphere in our restaurant and the fresh, home-grown ingredients in our meals made your dining experiences memorable. We are especially pleased that you found our efforts to support the local community and our sustainable gardening practices noteworthy. Our team takes great pride in creating a harmonious and sustainable environment for our guests and the local community alike. We apologize for the inconvenience with the hot water during your first night. We appreciate your understanding of the complexities involved in maintaining amenities in our remote location. It’s reassuring to hear that our manager’s personal attention to the issue made a positive impact and that you were able to enjoy a hot shower and responsive internet afterward. Your kind words about our staff mean the world to us. Our team strives to provide the best possible experience for our guests, and it’s rewarding to know they succeeded in making your stay pleasant and comfortable. We hope to welcome you back to our little oasis on your next journey to Tanzania. Thank you again for your glowing recommendation. Warm regards, Michael.
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This resort is high above the lake and on top the mountain. It has an amazing views of the lake and the mountainside from the main lodge though not much view from our room. Our room was large, well stocked and private, each cabin being a separate structure with no adjoining walls, and had a tub and shower. Though the room was well furnished it was showing its age. The bathroom door was hard to own and close and some fo the furnishing were definitely worn. The dinner was generally good but not amazing. The best part was the fresh vegetables served in various preparations. The entrees themselves were average. Breakfast was disappointing. Minimal selection and the bread and pastries were stale. We booked this months ago through a comprehensive safari company which sets up our entire 17 day safari so we do not know how much they charged us but did look up prices on the internet for the dates we visited and they were around $1000 a night. This is a great choice for a mid to upper level lodge but at that price we would expect perfection and this resort did not deliver.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Fantastic food and food service for both dinner and breakfast. Staff was so kind and helpful, you could really feel that they cared. The rooms were spacious and gorgeous inside - freestanding bathtub, outdoor shower, seating area and canopy bed. The mattress was firm and the sheets were 100% cotton and cool. The views from the balcony were unreal and it was such a special treat to have the Maasai perform around dinner time - what a great experience in a beautiful setting. We definitely want to return and stay for a few days next time.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lusinda Nortje, General Manager at Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara
Responded Aug 19, 2024
Dear Christine Thank you so much for the "Simply Stunning" review and how you have experienced your stay at Escarpment Luxury Lodge. At ELL, we have produce fresh organic vegetables from our own garden with our farm to table concept. Our chef is meticulous in preparing scrumptious meals for our esteemed guests. Our staff really strives to make you feel AT HOME & WELCOME at Escarpment. The room is designed with comfort in mind with the large area with the beautiful freestanding bathtub and the great views of Lake Manyara down below. Every night our Maasai team performs for our guest to ensure that you feel part of the culture and diversity of the land. We enjoyed hosting you as much as you enjoyed staying with us and therefore we thank you and hope to see you again soon. KARIBUNI TEAM ESCARPMENT LUXURY LODGE
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We stayed at this accommodation for one night in our 10 day safari trip and it was the worst night by far. To start with, the place looked tired and the staff most certainly did not look happy to be there. The mosquito nets don't even cover the bed which defeats the purpose of having them. However, two other incidents during our stay their was really problematic:
i) My parents and I unfortunately found this lodge to be rather racist. When we arrived we were informed there would be a cultural and acrobatic show, which could be watched from the dining room patio. We left our bags in our room and went to the dining room where it was still empty. We were advised by a waitress that we could not sit at any of the tables overlooking the show, and that “our” table was at the very back corner where the show was not visible. We thought maybe tables were assigned by room and didn’t think much of it and proceeded to go down to the field to watch the show – braving the mosquitoes and waiting to have dinner later after the show. However, as we were walking down and from the field, we noticed guests who arrived later, were being offered all the tables at the patio overlooking the field where the show was, and that there was in fact no assigned seating. We finished the show and came back up to the patio to sit at our table, and found that another family was seated at our table. We asked the waitress, and she said along the lines of “oops I forgot you guys were there but it’s your problem – you didn’t leave any of your personal belongings there”. Initially she asked us to come back later to for dinner (it was already 8:15pm), and then eventually with us being upset, they put together a makeshift table that was incredibly wobbly, in the middle of dining buffet traffic. We couldn’t help but notice, we were the only non-white guests there, and the treatment towards us was incredibly different from the other guests. They walked the other guests through the buffet explaining the different foods and menus, offering drinks, etc. They completely ignored and avoided us.
In addition, every single accommodation we stayed at, it was assumed that our guide would join us for dinner. When we first told the waitress there would be 4 of us, as our guide would be joining us, she was very rude and was adamant that our guide wasn’t allowed to join us, that they have their own food. If we wanted him to join, we had pay for him. Her tone and behaviour aside, I found this policy in general puzzling – first, our guide was part of our group and second, that implicated the quality of food available to the guides were very different.
ii) We originally planned to stay two nights but shortened our stay before arriving as we made other plans. I wasn’t sure who to reach out to, so I did try to reach the lodge to inquire about their cancellation policy by social media and email, but never received a response. I tried to speak with a manager on the premises, and she was quite unhelpful overall, and kept insisting that they never received any communication from me, even when I tried to show her the messages I sent.
Overall, very disappointing stay, and would not recommend.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Angel Godwin, Sales at Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara
Responded Feb 11, 2025
Dear Victoria, Thank you for reaching out and bringing this matter to our attention. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you experienced during your stay at Escarpment Luxury Lodge. Please rest assured that we strongly oppose any form of racism or discrimination at our lodge. We appreciate your time and effort in bringing this to our attention, and we are committed to addressing the issue appropriately. Following your concerns, we conducted a thorough investigation, including communication with your travel agent, Lion King. We believe it is important to clarify our position to ensure mutual understanding. Regarding the refund issue, we understand that Lion King informed you—without consulting us—that we had refused to refund the cost of one night’s stay. This may have understandably caused frustration and disappointment. However, in the 10 years of our operation, we have never received any complaints related to racism. On the night in question, guests of various nationalities, including White and Indian travellers, dined alongside you. We take immense pride in maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment, and we would never tolerate any form of discrimination. We also have photos and videos from that evening, which capture guests, including you and your family, enjoying the Maasai dance and the overall experience at our lodge. Regarding your request to cancel one night of your stay, Escarpment Luxury Lodge was not informed by Lion King beforehand. We only became aware of your request upon your arrival. As a lodge, we strive to be as flexible as possible with guest requests and had we been informed earlier, we would have explored possible solutions to accommodate you. Upon learning about your request, we immediately contacted Lion King to understand why they had not informed us in advance. We explained that, since the booking was made through an agent, our ability to process cancellations was limited due to our contractual agreement with them. Following your departure, we reached out to Lion King, specifically to Pendo and Naurey, the representatives who handled your booking. We expressed our concern, as we never want our guests to leave unhappy, especially those who have travelled from afar to enjoy their safari experience. We also informed them that we were willing to process a refund for the one-night stay. They advised us that you were climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro at the time and assured us that they would coordinate with you regarding the refund. Our Sales & Marketing team continued to follow up with Lion King to resolve the matter promptly and ensure that all parties were satisfied. However, we were repeatedly told that they were still in discussions with you. It was only earlier this week, after another follow-up call, that we were informed they had already fully refunded you for the one night. We then asked why we had not been informed earlier, especially given that another review had been posted about the situation. It was at this point that Lion King mentioned the refund had been processed before your departure. They also claimed that you had attempted to contact us via social media and email. However, after thoroughly reviewing our inboxes and social media messages, we found no record of any communication from you. To summarize, we want to reaffirm that Escarpment Luxury Lodge does not tolerate any form of racism or discrimination. On behalf of our entire team, we sincerely apologize for any distress this situation has caused. We also acknowledge that there was significant miscommunication between Lion King and us regarding this matter. As a gesture of goodwill, we would like to offer you a discount on your next stay at Escarpment Luxury Lodge. To ensure a smoother experience, we encourage you to book directly with us to avoid any potential miscommunication in the future. Thank you for choosing Escarpment Luxury Lodge. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again soon. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at sales@escarpmentluxurylodge.co.tz or via WhatsApp and normal calls at +255767804856. Best regards,
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We stayed here for just one night as part of a self drive tour. We were a little disappointed with the lodge as we felt there has been little investment in it particular around the pool area. Also the shower was difficult to operate with very little water coming out. Generally the whole place seemed tired. The staff were pleasant and the food was good but it seemed expensive compared to other lodges we have stayed at and not really luxurious as the name of the lodge seems to imply.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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This Lodge was magnificent with a swimming pool with a surprising view of the parks. The staff was very friendly. Every evening someone comes to take your room keys to pass on mosquito repellent. He walks you back to the room as well. And then you can no longer go out alone due to the proximity of animals I think. The only downside is that the food is far too spicy, we reported this because we couldn't eat, but nothing has changed. And you don't have time to eat in peace because the staff comes at least 10 times to ask you if you're okay and if you've finished it, it's very annoying. We have the impression that they want us to go to our rooms quickly. Sometimes we haven't even finished our starter before they bring us the main course. But it was still a great experience experience
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spent two nights here in September at the end of our safari. The place is absolutely beautiful with a phenomenal view of the lake. Our room (#9) was spectacular - beautiful wraparound deck and view, great bed and huge bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers. Before dinner, several Masai performed a charming dance for the guests which was a lot of fun. Meals were all excellent. Staff was exceedingly friendly - submitted several articles of clothing to be laundered upon arrival and they were returned perfectly done in less than 2 hours. Also, at breakfast, when I enquired about the delicious pineapple jam on the table, they responded that it was homemade and would be happy to sell me some for my return home. Pool is lovely with same great view (though be on the lookout for baboons dropping by......). Complete endorsement of this wonderful hotel.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Room #9 was gorgeous.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were welcomed in this place in a very welcoming way, with a Maasai group who delighted us with their typical song. Really wonderful lodge, with amazing views and really nice rooms. A small note about the rooms is that, if like me you are afraid of reptiles or similar, the doors and fixtures have drafts large enough that some animal could safely pass through. In my case, I plugged everything with towels I found in the bathroom, to be quiet. Other than that, everything perfect, including cleanliness and food.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful hotel overlooking Lake Manyara. We were welcomed by Upendi who was lovely throughout. Very nice hotel rooms and clean bathrooms. Nice authentic feel to Tanzania. There is also an outdoor shower if someone wanted to use that At night- the guards escort you from your room to the dinner place Decent food variety for meals. The chef kindly visits every table and asks for feedback on the meal which we thought was very sweet. The general manager also came around to see how everyone is doing
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lusinda Nortje, General Manager at Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara
Responded Nov 19, 2022
Dear SLondon Thank you so much for taking the time to share your lovely experience at Escarpment Luxury Lodge. Our team was so pleased with your comments and they say, Asante Sana... Our rooms are really lovely and spacious and to sink into our beautiful Victorian bathtub after a long safari is a must. Our Executive Chef Michael carefully plans the menus to include every palette and incorporate only the freshest ingredients from our farm. We enjoyed hosting you just as much as you've enjoyed staying with us. We wish you all the BEST for the future. Karibu Tena (welcome back) TEAM ESCARPMENT LUXURY LODGE
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The place is stunning. Nested on the top of a cliff overlooking the forest and the lake, offering amazing views both from the common areas and from the rooms. The rooms are beautifully decorated and come with all the amenities. It’s breathtaking to look at, but it lacked in functionality.
We arrived to a very friendly staff and a welcome song from the Maasai, got briefed and taken to our room.
The water coming from all taps was dirty, they haven’t been run for quite a while, so we called them and promptly got changed into another room. On the second room we tried to fill up the tub (which was a decisive factor in choosing the lodge as it looks incredible in the photos. We were very much looking forward to it), the hot water only runs for about two minutes, so even if we did manage to fill up the tub (which would’ve taken hours due to the weak water flow) it would’ve been cold, so we gave up and went for a shower instead. The shower head broke as soon as we turned the tap, so we had a cold, dripping shower. After that the manager came to remind us that there would be complimentary appetizers and cocktails by the pool, both the food and drinks were detestable, so we left them untouched. Back to the room we were surprised by a security guard walking into our balcony unannounced and shining his torch at us on the inside through the windows and glass doors, luckily we were both fully dressed.
At dinner we told the manager Harrison about the issues and he responded very well and quickly changed the shower head while we had our meal and offering us a complimentary bottle of wine as compensation for the issues.
All in all... the place is beautiful, the staff is very professional, friendly and the management is very responsive, but for being a luxury lodge we would expect to have hot water running for the entire duration of the shower, to have a tub that actually works and is not there just for photos. The accessible balcony is a great idea and the floor to ceiling windows are beautiful but not if the staff is not trained as to how to not invade your privacy. Food was average (for dinner we ordered a steak with vegetables and pasta with chicken, the steak and the pasta were ok but chicken was quite bad so we didn’t eat any of it. Breakfast had plenty of options and it was good so if we don’t consider the terrible appetizers, overall food was ok).
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Escarpment luxury lodge gives a delightful experience on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Positioned just outside three national parks (Manyara national park, Tarangire national park and Ngorongoro national park) this modern lodge in the middle of wilderness works well as a base for visiting different parks and attractions in northern Tanzania.
• 3hr and 30min drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport • 2hr and 30mn drive from Arusha International Airport
• 1hr and 15min drive to Ngorongoro Crater gate
• 30mn drive to Manyara Airstrip
• 1hr and 30min to Tarangire National Park
• 30-40min drive to Manyara National Park gate
There are more places to choose from in the Lake Manyara National Park area.
PRICE RANGE
$331 - $704 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
TanzaniaArusha RegionLake Manyara National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara
Which popular attractions are close to Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara?
Nearby attractions include Lake Manyara (2.5 miles), Furahia Tanzania Safari & Trekking Ltd (4.4 miles), and The Tanzanite Experience - Manyara Kibaoni (1.7 miles).
