Tarangire Ndovu Camp – Accommodation Review

Posted: July 2, 2020 by ingeor

Tented Lodge – Medium – Tarangire National Park

Date of Stay: November 2019 & June 2020, 2 nights.

Intro

A tented lodge, Tarangire Ndovu Camp is part of the Nasikia group. This camp balances between a medium and a luxury experience. This camp is one of the few options inside Tarangire National Park that offers a pool & family tents. Making this the top choice for families who want to stay right in the heart of Tarangire.

The tents are very spacious, and beautifully – if almost a bit sparsely – decorated. Besides a bed, you will find a desk and couch in the main area. Each tent has its own porch – making for an excellent place to have a coffee/tea and to enjoy the sunset or rise. The balcony area of the tent has only one love-seat type of bench – so be ready to get cozy and romantic. Another thing to keep in mind is that there is no shower curtain – although the shower area is a bit shielded from the main area – for co-workers or casual friends, this might not be ideal.

The team is friendly and happy to respond to all your requests. We asked for a breakfast box – because we wanted to be out in the park before sunrise and we were happily obliged. In general, the service and especially the brief feels a bit stiff and misses some of the soul/spark we have experienced in other places.

Tarangire Ndovu Camp - Accommodation Review - Tent

The Facts

12 tents
Family tents available
Pool
WIFI in the main area
Electric power points for charging in tent available 24/7

Location

The camp is located in the western side of the park – on the road to the Sopa lodge. If you drive directly, the Tarangire Ndovu camp is about an hour drive from the entrance. You are also about an hour drive from the famous river circuits: a must visit on your stay in Tarangire. The tents are situated in bush/woodlands – most of the tents are perched between baobabs – the giants so characteristic of Tarangire. The camp misses some of the amazing views of Tarangire Safari Lodge or Mpingo Ridge for example – but you do have the “right in the bush” feeling.

Food

We have stayed here on two different occasions: the second time on a special resident deal after Covid-19. The second time we had a simplified loca styled menu – that was very tasty and well prepared. The first time we were treated to a scrumptious 3 course meal. A very tasty soup was followed by a choice of beef, fish or a vegetarian meal. Your stay will in general include coffee, tea and water. At reasonable extra charges a wide selection of wines and other drinks are available to compliment your dinner.

Value for money

We stayed here on the basis of a special resident offer – right after the corona crisis. We got a ‘“to good to be true” offer, which I doubt will be available in the future. So I will base my opinion on the normal tourist price in high season – which is around $200/$250 per person full board, excluding park fees.

What you pay for is what you get with Tarangire Ndovu Camp: a really comfortable, well run tented lodge. The tent is a step above the simple tented camps – the location is in the woodland – so you miss out on some of the more impressive views found elsewhere in the park. Because of the park fees a stay here will be pricier than just outside the park boundaries in for example Sangaiwe Tented Camp or Maramboi. But inside the national park- this camp delivers value for money. Is staying inside the park isn’t of to much important to you I would recommend focussing on properties just outside the park gates.