Ruaha Hilltop Lodge is located on top of a hill over looking the vast savannah plains. We are committed to offering exceptional service at an affordable price to bring out the real Tanzanian experience in your safari.
The crew is every time very friendly for the guests. It's very well oranised. The rooms are in separate small houses on a gently slope. Here they provide sleeping ^place for the local driver/guides and the driver/guide sits an the same table as his clients. The lodge is on a small hill. Wifi only in the main place, dining and sitting room and terrace. Nice place to see sunset. It's really a pleasant place to stay, outside the eastern gate in Tunamalenga
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Date of stay: October 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â Without car, the crew pick-ups you at the busstation of Tunamalenga, they provide safari tours
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were in transit from DAR to Ruaha and this Lodge's owners arranged to provide us with a six day, five night package. :Picked in DAR on time and driven to their lodge in Mikumi, (see that review) for three nights then transferred here for two more nights. Price included a day entry to Mikumi NP and Udzungwa plus a full day in Ruaha NP too. The lodge is about 15km from Ruaha main gate so a full day in the NP is good. The lodge as the name implies is built on a hill if not at the top. Views over the plains are superb. Our Banda was very comfortable and set out inside very well. Large bed and usual offices en suite. All services worked. The grounds are well laid out with paved paths lit at night. Escorts are advisable after dark. Meals and drinks are taken at the main rustic Lapa building perched high over the view below. The food was well prepared and very wholesome. The driver guide on Safari was extremely knowledgeable.. Donald the Manager was always on hand to answer queries and all staff were extremely friendly. A very nice place to stay outside the park at a budget price. Of note is that on our last evening the staff held a 'bush dinner' with large open fire and entertained us by singing.
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Date of stay: February 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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There were three of us here for 3 days. What we experienced here in terms of warmth and hospitality was outstanding. Although we had booked a 3-bed room, we were immediately and without further ado offered a solution with 2 separate rooms. Very pleasant for 3 adults. Also in many other small things you noticed that our host tried to read every wish on our eyes. The location is fantastic. One overlooks the plains of the Ruaha from high above (partly because it is much too large). After each day of safari we were greeted with great hello on our return. Just great and highly recommended. Also the food (breakfast, lunchbox, dinner) was quite good.
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Breathtaking views in an incredibly beautiful setting not far from Ruaha National Park. The staff is simply great, very family-like atmosphere, the food was excellent; our bungalows were very spacious, large bed with excellent mattress and mosquito net, couch with table, desk, large bathroom with an additional outdoor shower and a fantastic view from the private terrace. The bungalow is cleaned daily! The lodge also offers its own safaris and organizes walking safaris on request - both are highly recommended!
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Date of stay: August 2023
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Ruaha Hilltop Lodge is the perfect place for anyone who is looking for exceptional tanzanian hospitality, friendly and caring staff, beautiful accomodation, delicious local food and very knowledgeable safari guides. The kind driver collected us in Iringa and drove us back after our stay, which made our journey to the Ruaha Nationalpark very easy and convenient. We very much enjoyed our stay and the safari in Ruaha Nationalpark and can highly recommend the lodge and it's tours. Ruaha Nationalpark is one of the less visited Nationalparks in Tanzania which allows almost private game drives through the park which really improves the safari experience. Should we return to Iringa one day, we will definitely visit the Ruaha Hilltop Lodge again.
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just spent three nights and had an amazing stay. The service was the best - we felt so welcomed by the staff and they made sure we were happy and satisfied. The meals were delicious including cinnamon rolls for breakfast with exotic juice while watching the sunrise over Ruaha NP - life doesn’t get better than that.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really enjoyed our 2 nights at Ruaha Hilltop lodge as part of an excellent value package they offer. The package included return transfers to Iringa, 2 nights accommodation and food plus a game drive. It's a great way to see Ruaha and much cheaper than most safaris.
Aloise and the staff all came to welcome us when we arrived with a warm towel and a cold drink. Everyone was so helpful and friendly allowing us to relax and enjoy ourselves. The food was excellent with great vegetarian options for us including a delicious peanut soup that I had never had before.
Patrick was our driver and Moses was our guide for the full day Safari and he was very knowledgeable about the animals, birds and trees. We saw Lions, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, zebra, Kudu and so many birds. The beauty of Ruaha is that it is so much quieter than the Serengeti. We only saw 2 other cars the entire day and when we were watching the Lions, we were by ourselves, unlike the Serengeti where there can be so many cars around.
The views from the Lodge are beautiful and it's a lovely way to spend a few days off the beaten track in Tanzania. The roads are paved and there are good express buses to Iringa from Arusha and Dar es Salaam as well as flights if you prefer.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was a long journey from Mikumi to the lodge with a variety of roads for our driver to navigate. From the moment we got out of our jeep we knew we were in good hands. We were met by Aloise and some of his team who gave us a thoughtful welcome. We were guided through a tastefully decorated lounge area onto the balcony. Wow! The views were amazing. We were also offered a glass of tamarind juice and given time to soak up the view. Breakfast was taken on the balcony where again you can enjoy the views and the antics of the local monkeys ( at certain times of the day). Our room was on a hill with a number of steps to reach it ( which would be difficult for some travellers ) and was comfortable and nicely furnished. The views and setting are amazing but for us the staff made the experience even better; whether that was being guided by torchlight to our room or served at the bar. However, special mention to Aloise who is an awesome host !!! Only 15 mins from Ruaha National Park entrance.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The terrace overlooking endless savanna with a spectacular African sunrise and sunset where you can enjoy your food and drinks. The unique accommodation built in local style is experience for itself. Spacious lodges with all the amenities, mosquito nets and comfy beds. Cleanliness was 10 out of 10.
And the staff... One of the most amazing groups of people we have ever met. Heartwarming, hardworking, extremely pleasant people that are there for you day and night. This trip was a birthday present for my significant other, and they have made a birthday surprise party with a cake, bottle of wine and traditional Masai Shuka as a gift for my partner.
Manager Donald and chief staff Alois with the rest of the group have made our stay there unforgettable!
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This will be the hardest review to do from our 10 day safari of the southern circuit. Let’s start with the Good. The main building which is the bar, restaurant and viewing balconies has awesome views out over the national park. It’s quite a drive in the Landcruiser to get up there but very worth it. The place itself is located about a 15 minute drive from the park entrance. The staff here are fantastic. Super friendly and start and finish the day with them waving you off and welcoming you back. The food was pretty good and the balconies were a great place to watch the sun set each evening with a cold Kili. We stayed in one of the newly built houses at the very top of the property. You should know to get there by car even 4x4 is quite demanding and you may have to walk up or down to the main building if your driver isn’t going to take you up or down. As a 50+ year old I can tell you I lost my breath going up. In the evening a Masai will accompany you. The only down side of these houses is that I think only 1 is finished and all the others a bit of work in progress it seems meaning it does feel a little like a building site up there. The houses themselves are big airy places with lots of space for bags, big beds, nice bathroom and a big balcony to enjoy the views, although I do think the main building has the best uninterrupted views. There’s also an outside shower with a view to look out. In the end we did enjoy this place for the view and friendly staff.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, there are 3 airports that are mostly used to get to Ruaha Hilltop Lodge. The first is Mwalimu Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam) it’s about 610 kilometers away. The second option is Iringa Airport which is 110 kilometers away. The other option is Ruaha National Park Airstrip which is about 45 kilometers away. Hope this is helpful
Hello, so people travel by renting 4by4s from Iringa Town to take them to the lodge or others use public transport which might be unreliable. I’d suggest you write them an email for more info and rates info@ruahahilltoplodge
There are more places to choose from in the Ruaha National Park area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
ruaha hilltop hotel ruaha national park
LOCATION
TanzaniaIringa RegionRuaha National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
35
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