Hippo Garden Lodge & Campsite | Hotel

March 4th, 2024 by Nick690

They close down during the rain season as there's just not enough visitors!
However, I must have looked cold and desperate after a lot of rain and the friendly lady was happy to give the room a quick sweep and get me some sheets (I used my sleeping bag).

20k asked, got a room for 15k.
don't expect much, it's a bit run down but perfect for one night.

Peaceful spot with the hippos grunting away during the night.

November 30th, 2023 by polarsteps.com

Unfortunately the lady did not have any rooms ready and did not want to prepare one for us. We went to Mpanda instead.

July 28th, 2023 by marc.saperavi

We paid 15k for 2 people and one night. Don't know if its by car but maybe (the lady don't speak proper english). She is friendly though and brought us wood to make a fire without asking. Nice view but a lot of trash everywhere.
Nobody is taking care of this decrepit place. For one night, even 2, it's a nice place to camp and probably the cheapest place in the whole country.
Hippos and girafes around, and probably ellies.

July 24th, 2023 by Des routes & nous

Still here. 15 000 for one night. Rundown lodge but if you need a place to camp with shower (cold) and toilets it's okay. It's quite clean. Wouldn't stay in one of the little hit for a night but for camp it's okay. View trough the river is nice, full of hippos. We olso saw 6 girafes crossing the river. You can see elephant too at the right season.

November 12th, 2022 by we-travel.at

We were sent next door to the River Lodge, as we were too big. So maybe not big rig friendly.

September 30th, 2022 by nickianddave

Stayed 2 nights here. camped right next to the river and a pod of approx 70 hippos. Amazing and hilarious to watch and listen to them, lots of baby hippos too. it is the end of the dry season so water is low and a little smelly but all part of the experience. We had elephants, giraffe, Bushbuck, monitor lizards all in the camp. Awesome. Flora runs the camp and makes a great fire every night. As before we had use of a bathroom which has a flushing toilet and running water, warmish but it was hot so didn't matter. It is very basic here and needs a big face-lift but if that isn't a priority for u it is a great spot to go in and out of Katavi or just drive the free transit road and see what u see. Good value 15,000 tsz shillings per person per night

August 22nd, 2022 by eriknjenga

Very nice location right next to the river and a friendly lady who will organize firewood. If you’re camping, she’ll open a cottage where you can use the shower/toilet. Charged Tsh. 15,000 pppn for camping. Limited flat ground next to the river, so if you’re a big group, you might have to camp a bit more in-land. The lodge itself is quite rundown.
You’re right next to the hippos and they get quite loud at night. Awesome experience though

May 11th, 2022 by Instagram: @savannatales

It's a great place to camp if you don't mind the very low pressure of water in the cottage facilities (which you use as ablution blocks). Also, the hot water pipes got broken by hippos but the water temperature is fine if you shower before night. Hippos and elephants right at the river. Kind owner. 15,000tzs ppn. Excellent mobile internet with Vodacom.

May 2nd, 2022 by my-trip-on-the-wild-side.com

One of two camps on the northern boundary of Katavi NP. Camped in front of a „chalet“ close to the river. No electricity, no hot water, cold water only dripping, no wifi. Place is unfortunately run down, same at River Side Camp next door. Still 15.000,- TSH. More or less payed wildcamping but there’s no other option to stay

January 10th, 2022 by expeditionconservation.org

Better place than the River Side camp. You can have one of the rooms opened for toilet and shower. Very basic, but clean. No hot water from the taps, despite donkeys, so we got hot water in a big bucket for showering and it was fine (just like in the old, Finnish saunas ;) You can park right at the river’s shore where there are loads of hippos. Nice view to the river. The owner lady is very friendly and nice. Still 15.000Tsh/pppn.

July 27th, 2021 by vidardfran

Close to Hippo River, camping in better conditions, cleaner.
15 000 shillings pp.
Giraffes ans elephants cross the river and the camping before sunset.

July 7th, 2021 by budgetbirders.com

Nice peaceful night parked along the river with hippos and elephants. Owner lady very sweet. Hot donkey shower. Lady will open up one of the cottages for use of bathroom. Initially had some issues getting the hot water to flow but in the end managed to have enough hot water flow to take a bucket shower.
15,000tsh pppn. Restaurant on site has been closed due to COVID and lack of guests.

June 25th, 2021 by @ljfletch

15,000pp camping. The lady is lovely, she lit a fire for me even though I was the only guest. Used the shower and toilet of one of the rooms. Just before dark a mob of giraffes walked across the river only 50m from my camp!

June 23rd, 2021 by antoine.warrant

It used to be nicer than the Riverside just next to it but unfortunately they suffered a lot of the Covid crisis and the owner needs to be aware of your arrival in advance so that she can buy food etc... I tried to call her many times but no answer. We went then to the Riverside which was a lot nicer.

September 14th, 2019 by yosibarzam

Good option compared to paying 30$ppn in the NP camp which is not far away

August 8th, 2019 by 4opreis.nl

Last update is still valid. Very nice location and very friendly attendants: brought firewood.

March 13th, 2019 by fernwehafrica

Place is fine for a stop over. We paid 20,000 pppn camping. Had access to a chalet with toilet and cold shower. Very nice location though we camped right next to the river we saw giraffes crossing the river and dusk and dawn and a few hippos. Place is run down and it’s a shame as it has a lot of potential. No bar or restaurant on site.

February 4th, 2019 by evelyn.veringa

Awesome spot to camp, on the river with hippo and lots of birds. Bathroom clean, warm water with donkey makes comfortable shower. No electricity anymore. Hotel is rundown, but the spot makes up for it. When we got up, there were hippos next to the tent and during breakfast a group of giraffes crossed the river.

August 24th, 2018 by thepioneeringspirit.com

Price update for camping: 20,000 Tsh pppn
Comes with key to a chalet for toilet shower which are very clean. She said showers were hot, they were not, rather cold and less cold.

We arrived late, did not want to stay next door, so paid the requested price. When I suggested that was a bit steep, she said “everyone else is charging $10US, my price is less”.

June 20th, 2018 by mytb.org

Although it’s still quite low season and all rooms were empty we got offered a room for Tsh30.000 per person per night and camping for Tsh 15.000 pppn. Tsh60.000 for quite a basic room is not the best value but the location of course matters.

June 20th, 2018 by mytb.org

Price update for rooms at Hippo:

Although it’s still quite low season and all rooms were empty we got offered a room for Tsh30.000 per person per night, so Tsh60K meaning US$26 for a double room which we find not very good value for the quite basic room.

June 19th, 2018 by Warthog&PenguinOnSafari

As described by others, basic camping with access to a simple clean-ish bathroom in a room.
Run by a very lovely lady who can prepare meals if ordered in advance. We paid 15,000 pppn for camping and 5,000 pp for a lovely breakfast (juice, coffee, fruit, eggs, toast, jam).

Certainly the best option for visiting Katavi NP if you aren’t prepared to pay the overpriced park camping fees!

February 11th, 2018 by wanderingofftrack.com

camping for 15 000tsh pppn, gave us keys to one of the bandas to use the bathroom and even said we can pitch the tent inside. cleanish bathroom with hot showers. very friendly lady that looks after the place, made us food for 3000tsh each. definitely the better option between the 2 sites

October 2nd, 2017 by robvoortman

No signage. Next to river side camp. But a bit nicer. Right at the hippo pool. These animals and their elephant friends sometimes come play in the garden at night. Special!

Self contained with nice bed and mozzie net for 30k tsh a night.

Ran by a sweet lady who cooks nice meals and makes sure everything is fine.