Gibb’s Farm
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Meet Felix
My rating
Classic
Price guide
£££££
$$$$$
Why we love it
Gibb’s Farm is one of Northern Tanzania’s oldest guesthouses. Located half way between Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, it’s surrounded by tropical gardens and has great views over a coffee-plantation.
On arrival, guests are led from the reception area, through the gardens, to the original farmhouse. Here, there are couple of separate lounges furnished with sofas, armchairs and coffee tables. Some boast a wood-burning stove and open fires to create cosy areas to unwind after a busy day on safari.
The recently extended dining room is split over two levels and has green painted floors and high-beamed ceilings. Large windows make this area light and airy and offer fantastic views of the coffee plantations and hills beyond. Most of the fruit, vegetables and herbs provided at Gibbs Farm are freshly picked from their own ten acres of organic gardens.
The outside areas at Gibb’s Farm are extensive. There are various well-tended gardens, including a herb garden, a cactus garden, a rose garden, a medicine garden and an enormous vegetable garden. Birdlife is abundant as a result and so expect to see (or hear) tropical boubous, African pygmy kingfishers and golden-winged sunbirds
Stone pathways lead from the main house, through the gardens, to the 20 cottages. Although the rooms are fairly close together, careful planting ensures they’re completely private. The cottages are spacious and bright and fitted with high-quality furniture. They have been designed to reflect the history of the farm, with polished eucalyptus-wood floors, tongue-and-groove boarding painted a pale green, beamed ceilings and stone walls.
Each cottage has an entrance lobby with a vase of freshly picked flowers, a lounge area with comfortable armchairs in front of a fireplace and two queen-size beds with blue-and-cream linen. French doors lead out onto a private balcony with views over the gardens. There is a central stone fireplace which is built into the wall separating the bathroom and the bedroom; this keeps the cottages really cosy.
The bathroom has green polished cement floors, a large indoor shower, a separate bath, double basins and an enclosed toilet. A huge carved stone bath sits in front of a large window with lush planting outside. Double doors lead from the bathroom to a private outdoor shower.
Gibb’s Farm makes a great base from which to take part in various activities.
Hike through the Ngorongoro Forest to the Elephant Caves and discover bones and footprints amidst beautiful birds and wildlife.
Join a Maasai healer or horticulturist for farm walks around the extensive grounds, exploring coffee fields, vegetable gardens and nature.
Take a trip to visit tree-climbing lions and flamingos at Lake Manyara National Park or the Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater
Amble through the local villages by bicycle, or for the adventurous, explore rural Tanzania with a trip to Rhoatia by mountain bike.
Get involved in local farm life and visit the coffee plantations. Engage in bread making, vegetable harvesting and coffee roasting.
Wander through Ngorongoro Forest with a Maasai healer and spot more than 20 medicinal plants used in the farm's healthcare centre.
Relax within the privacy of your cottage, with naturally derived treatments from indigenous plants and traditional healing techniques.
Start planning your truly bespoke itinerary by contacting one of our destination specialists.
Call +44 (0)203 137 1247
Call +1 (0) 800 635 8124
OR
Macarena & Ariel
We had an amazing honeymoon trip in Tanzania – we really enjoyed every moment and cannot wait to be back! The TLT team is really willing to create the perfect trip customized to your needs. All the partners they had in Africa were top quality and we did not have any problems. The team members have been in the places they recommend so it is easier to choose the perfect place for your holiday. Thank you very much for all the work all the way to the end of our trip, and hopefully next year we can plan another trip with you guys.
Start planning your truly bespoke itinerary by contacting one of our destination specialists.
Call +44 (0)203 137 1247
Call +1 (0) 800 635 8124
OR