Return to Africa

At the climax of Green Hills of Africa, Ernest Hemingway realizes that Africa means more to him than just a location to hunt, or even to write: it is the one place left where “it pleased me to live, to really live. Not just let my life pass.” Hemingway was speaking of the vibrancy of life in east Africa, a region alive with sounds and smells that lay pause to the over-active western mind and invite the soul to guide.

And lucky is the soul guided to the lush and spacious grounds of the Arusha Safari Lodge. Perched on a hillside beneath the snow-capped peak of Mt. Meru, Safari Lodge is a countryside residence four kilometers outside of the mid-size city of Arusha. The environs teem with life – fertile fields, acacia trees and clay-colored paths filled each morning with uniform-clad school children and colorful kanga-wrapped women carrying pots of water on their heads.

Tasteful understates the appointed interiors and sharp grounds of this adventure base camp. Its secluded vibe is more akin to an insider’s country home and easily offers a taste of everyday African life. It’s basked in warm sun as you read this, most likely flush with a handful of hip travelers like you who know a good thing when they see it.

Specifically, a spacious swimming pool, spa, tennis court and a fully equipped gym to keep you in shape for the duration of your tour across one of Africa’s most spectacular countries. Outside your poolside cottage, charmed with mosquito nets and a ceiling fan, lays a vista of beauty, including a stable of horses and a manicured polo field, courtesy of the nearby Dutch-owned carnation plantation.

But don’t get too comfortable. Some of Africa’s most famous landscapes and national parks surround, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the legendary Serengeti.

A country of rolling hills and beauty, Tanzania is a jewel of east Africa and the southern neighbor to the safari-star, Kenya, with which it shares the Serengeti. But don’t let Kenya distract you – it’s Tanzania’s turn in the sun. Those green hills exist and they’re waiting for you in Tanzania.

Watch Arusha Safari Lodge video on vimeo.