Elewana Tarangire Treetops

Elewana Tarangire Treetops offers a completely different way to stay near Tarangire National Park. Rather than the usual safari rooms on the ground, the lodge has elevated treehouse-style rooms built among mature baobab and marula trees. The main lodge is built around an old baobab, while the swimming pool, dining area and lounge look out towards a waterhole where wildlife comes to drink. The setting is a big part of what makes Treetops special. The lodge sits within the Randilen Wildlife Management Area, a community conservation area bordering Tarangire National Park. You can spend the day on game drives in Tarangire, then return to the lodge for activities that are not possible inside the national park, including night drives and guided walks. Tarangire is best known for its large elephant herds and striking baobab scenery, but there is much more to see, including buffalo, lions, leopards and more than 550 bird species. During the dry season, animals gather around the remaining water sources, making this a particularly good time for game viewing. If you are travelling through Tanzania’s northern safari circuit, Treetops is a good choice when you want to give Tarangire more time rather than treating it as a quick stop before continuing to Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro or the Serengeti. You get the classic Tarangire game drive, but also the chance to enjoy the bush around your lodge through night drives and guided walks

Location and Setting of Elewana Tarangire Treetops

Elewana Tarangire Treetops sits on the edge of Tarangire National Park, surrounded by the beautiful Tarangire landscape of baobab and marula woodland, open bush, and natural wildlife areas. One of its biggest draws is the waterhole below the main lodge, where animals come to drink while guests watch from the lodge. The lodge is designed to keep you connected to the bush throughout your stay. The reception, lounge, and dining areas open towards the swimming pool and waterhole, giving you a clear view of the surrounding landscape even when you are relaxing between safari activities. The elevated rooms take this a step further, with private balconies looking out across the woodland and open bush. This is what makes the setting at Treetops special. You do not have to wait for the next game drive to enjoy the safari atmosphere. Wildlife can be right outside the lodge, and the waterhole gives you another opportunity to sit back and watch the bush come alive.

Treehouse Rooms at Elewana Tarangire Treetops

Elewana Tarangire Treetops has 20 elevated rooms built among the baobab and marula trees, each raised above the surrounding ground. At approximately 65 m², the rooms are remarkably spacious for a safari lodge, giving you plenty of room to settle in after a day in Tarangire. The rooms open naturally towards the surrounding landscape, with large private balconies providing a comfortable place to sit above the bush. Rather than closing yourself away indoors between activities, you can step outside and take in the views from your own elevated position. Inside, the design combines natural materials with contemporary African styling. Each room has a double-shower en-suite bathroom, bathrobes and slippers, an electronic safe, internal telephone, laundry service and a private viewing balcony. The elevated setting is what really sets these rooms apart. Your room becomes more than somewhere to sleep between game drives. Early mornings and late afternoons are particularly rewarding, when you can sit on the balcony and watch the changing light across the surrounding bush.

Dining at Elewana Tarangire Treetops

Dining at Treetops goes well beyond sitting down in the main restaurant for every meal. You can enjoy meals around the lodge, by the pool, out in the bush or beneath the lanterns of a traditional boma, giving you different ways to enjoy your time in Tarangire.

Restaurant and Poolside Dining

The main restaurant opens towards the swimming pool and waterhole, keeping the surrounding landscape in view while you eat. Breakfast and dinner can be enjoyed with animals coming down to the water, turning an ordinary meal into another opportunity for wildlife viewing. For a more private setting, poolside candlelit dining can also be arranged. It offers a quieter alternative to the main dining area and works particularly well for a special evening during your stay.

Boma Dinner and Bush Meals

A traditional boma dinner brings the evening outdoors, with lanterns, Maasai singing and dancing creating a lively atmosphere around the meal. Bush breakfasts and lunches can also be arranged, allowing you to eat out in the Tarangire landscape rather than returning to the lodge between activities. You do not need to make every meal an elaborate occasion, but adding a boma dinner or one bush meal to a two- or three-night stay gives the experience a welcome change of pace.

Bar and Sundowners

The lounge and bar sit around the lodge’s large baobab and look towards the pool and waterhole. It is a natural place to relax after a game drive, particularly as the day begins to cool. For sundowners, you can head out to Sunset Hill in the surrounding landscape, where drinks and light refreshments are served as the sun goes down over Tarangire. It is a simple way to finish the day away from the lodge and enjoy the park at a quieter time.

Swimming Pool and Waterhole Wildlife Viewing

The swimming pool sits below the main lodge and overlooks the same waterhole visible from the dining and lounge areas. This makes the pool more than just a place to cool off between game drives. Animals come to the waterhole throughout the day, so you can sometimes sit by the pool and watch wildlife without leaving the lodge. This is particularly useful during the middle of the day, when you may prefer to slow down rather than head out for another activity. Have lunch, settle beside the pool, and watch the waterhole for a while. In Tarangire, you do not always need to be inside a safari vehicle to enjoy what is happening around you

Safari Activities at Elewana Tarangire Treetops

The activities at Elewana Tarangire Treetops are a big part of what makes the lodge special. You are not simply using the property as a place to sleep between game drives. The stay gives you several ways to experience Tarangire, from classic wildlife drives to walking, night drives and cultural visits.

Day Game Drives in Tarangire

Game drives take you deep into the Tarangire landscape, where elephants are one of the main attractions. During the dry months, large elephant families gather around the Tarangire River, Silale Swamp and other remaining water sources, creating some of the park’s best wildlife viewing. The park is also home to buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lions, leopards, waterbuck and many other species. Birdwatchers have plenty to look forward to as well, with more than 550 bird species recorded across Tarangire. Rather than thinking of these simply as Big Five drives, Tarangire is better appreciated for the variety of wildlife and birdlife you encounter across its different habitats.

Night Game Drives

A night drive gives you a completely different view of Tarangire. Once darkness settles in, the landscape changes and animals that are less active or harder to notice during the day begin to reveal a different side of their behaviour. At Treetops, the night drive lasts around 1.5 hours and takes place around the lodge area with a qualified guide. It is a particularly worthwhile addition if you have not experienced a night safari before, giving you the chance to see the bush after sunset rather than returning to the lodge as soon as the day’s game drive ends.

Guided Walking Safaris

Walking through the bush changes the way you see Tarangire. Without the vehicle, you become much more aware of the smaller details around you, from animal tracks and droppings to plants, insects, birds and the sounds coming from the surrounding bush. An experienced guide leads the walk and helps you understand how these smaller elements fit into the wider ecosystem. The focus is on reading the landscape and getting closer to nature on foot, rather than approaching large animals. For guests who want a shorter introduction to walking, shorter bush walks around the camp can also be arranged.

Maasai Cultural Experience

A visit to a nearby Maasai village adds a completely different dimension to your stay. The village is about 20 to 30 minutes from Treetops, making it easy to include alongside your wildlife activities. The visit gives you time away from the game-viewing vehicle and an opportunity to learn about Maasai traditions and everyday life in the area. Treetops also brings elements of Maasai culture into the lodge experience, including its boma dining setting.

Sundowners, Bush Breakfasts and Bush Lunches

These experiences allow you to enjoy Tarangire without making every day follow the same safari routine. A bush breakfast can extend your morning in the park, while a bush lunch means you can stay out on a longer game drive instead of returning to the lodge in the middle of the day. In the evening, a sundowner is a relaxed way to finish the day’s safari as the light fades across the Tarangire landscape. They are simple additions, but they can make a safari day feel much more memorable.

Hot-Air Ballooning

For an entirely different perspective of Tarangire, hot-air ballooning can be added when flights are operating and available in the area. Floating above the landscape at sunrise gives you a chance to see the park from a completely different angle. Availability depends on your travel dates and the balloon operator’s schedule, so this is something to arrange when booking your Tarangire stay.