Destination guide
Karatu
Coffee-farm gateway town at the foot of the Ngorongoro highlands
How to get there
Getting to Karatu
However you're arriving — from overseas, from another part of Tanzania, or just moving around once you're here.
Flying in from abroad
International visitors
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) near Arusha and drive west, reaching Karatu in around three hours.
From elsewhere in Tanzania
Upcountry & other cities
Light aircraft use the nearby Lake Manyara airstrip, and most visitors arrive by road from Arusha via Lake Manyara on the way up to the crater.
Getting around locally
Once you're in the region
Around town, daladalas, bajaji and taxis cover short trips, while safaris continue by 4x4 up to the Ngorongoro gate and beyond.
Want the door-to-door leg handled? Travel with a driver who knows the roads.
Book a driver