Deep in Arusha National Park, Koroi Forest Camp is a positively joyous place to bookend a northern Tanzania safari. At the base of Mount Meru, the tiny camp is tucked into a cool cluster of leafy trees. You can choose to unwind or go wild – from forest bathing on your private deck while the colobus monkeys hurl themselves through the treetops to hiking to the Ngurdoto volcanic crater, a swampy, two-mile-wide habitat for elephants, buffalo and waterbirds.
Nesting arrangements
There are eight thatched-roof huts – five overlooking the glade and three by the seasonal stream. Additionally, there’s a treehouse suite tucked into the forest. The interiors are snug, with wooden floors, sisal mats, gloriously comfy beds, and throws and cushions in earthy deep reds and light browns.
Forest bathe from a canvas chair on your deck, listening to the colobus monkeys shouting as they swing through the trees while you sip your morning coffee. In the evening, the room service team lights your wood-burning fire and slips hot water bottles into your bed to make everything lovely and cosy.
Food philosophy
Depending on how your day looks, you can either take breakfast with you on the morning game drive (sausages, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, biscuits, etc.) or have it in the camp’s communal dining area – a buffet spread of cereals and fruits with cooked options to order.
Lunch is usually light – salads, fresh bread, a pie or a quiche, that kind of thing. After evening drinks on the outdoor deck, dinner is three courses served family style, featuring lots of veggies and dishes such as beef stews or fish cakes.
Secret sauce
For most people, Koroi Forest Camp will be the first or last stop on their Tanzanian safari – and the camp really elevates the idea of a layover night, especially for visitors who want to spend their whole trip ensconced in nature.
Arusha National Park, in which Koroi Forest Camp is located, is under an hour’s drive from Arusha, the gateway city to northern Tanzania safaris. The park protects an array of landscapes from alkaline lakes to montane forests to Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth-highest peak.
It’s bursting with life, including the black-and-white colobus monkeys that you’ll see around camp (Koroi is their Maasai name), giraffes strutting across the plains and flamingos flocking around the lakes. Birders can cross more than 400 species off their checklists, including jazzy Hartlaub’s turacos and African paradise flycatchers with their copper-coloured wings and extra-long tail feathers (shake it!).
One more thing…
If you opt for the “adventure package”, you’ll have access to the whole array of awesome activities available, from the Ngurdoto crater hike to birding walks to nighttime game drives. Ideal if you’re staying a few nights and want to maximise your time in the underappreciated Arusha National Park. Hike to the waterfalls, visit surrounding communities and enjoy brunch in the forest. You also get a private vehicle for your stay, which is a nice perk.
