Expert Guide to Karatu Village:  Karatu is a small but lively town on the edge of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Most visitors pass through en-route to safari camps, but if you have some spare time it’s worth slowing down to make some cultural connections. But the town’s main appeal is its proximity to the rolling Ngorongoro highlands and the world-famous Ngorongoro crater. You can easily spend several days here enjoying guided nature hikes through thick forests and coffee plantations and, of course, a visit down to the vast crater floor.

Karatu is ideally situated within driving distance to the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Eyasi and Tarangire National Park. The people in town are friendly and a walk around will get you familiar with life in Tanzania. The dominant tribe in the District is Wairaqw.  

Around the Lake Eyasi you can find camps of the indigenous Wahadzabe, which live as hunter-gatherers. The area is a vibrant and important farming centre and there are many large and small farms and plantations around. In fact, the Karatu area is one of the largest coffee producing areas in Tanzania.