Chapter 01
A ridge between two craters.
We took a piece of forested ridge above Manyara Kibaoni — open bush in the hills above Karatu, far from any village — and set eight tents on it. Lake Manyara below; the Ngorongoro Crater rim two ridges away.
The Place
A ridge above the lake. A lodge built slowly.
Touched by Nature is a small tented lodge between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater — set on a forested ridge in the hills above Karatu, surrounded by bush, birdsong and open sky. This page is who we are and how we built it.
Chapter 02
Built by hand, slowly.
Local teak, sisal rope, hand-loomed cotton, canvas stitched in Arusha. Every tent platform was set by a small crew over a year and a half — no two are quite the same.
Chapter 03
100% off-grid, 25 km radius.
The camp runs entirely on solar. Rainwater from the pavilion roof feeds the kitchen garden. Nearly everything you eat starts inside a 25-km circle around the ridge.
Chapter 04
A small lodge, on purpose.
Eight tents, never more. A staff who outnumbers the guests two-to-one. The math is intentional: it is the only way the welcome stays personal.
8
tents · always
100%
solar-powered
25 km
sourcing radius
12 h
reply guarantee
The Guardians
The people who keep this place quiet.
Sixteen people work here — drawn from Karatu, Mto wa Mbu and the Maasai village down the slope. Most have been with us since the camp opened.
Front of house
Manager & Guest Relations Specialist — Agustiono & Jane
On the deck
Service team — sundowners, breakfast, the long lunches
Datoga elders
Cultural visits, partnerships in the village
The whole crew
Sixteen people, mostly from Karatu and Mto wa Mbu
In the press
A short list — we prefer letters from guests.
- Condé Nast Traveller — 2026
- Suitcase Magazine — 2025
- National Geographic — 2025
- Mr & Mrs Smith — 2025
Stay with us
Meet the place and the people who run it.
Our doors are open most of the year. From 259 USD per room per night, half board, two people.