Gibb’s Farm: stay in a Secret Garden cottage

Stay at a 100-year-old farm and Arabica coffee plantation on the fertile outer slopes of Ngorongoro Crater. Gibb’s Farm was first established in the 1920s by a German Duke and later bought by British soldier James Gibbs and his wife, Margaret, who planted beautiful gardens and vegetable plots on the 80-acre estate. There’s a real sense of peace and tranquillity here – it’s a wellness escape where you can simply reconnect with nature.

Since the farm is placed half way between Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, it’s become a key stop on the safari circuit. Visitors stay in our 22 cottages nestled among the gardens. About half face east so are great for sunrise views accompanied by singing birds – there are over 270 species here year-round, as well as migratory birds. Meanwhile, the cottages on the other side look out over the coffee plantations towards the Great Rift Valley. The views are endless and often compared to Australia’s Blue Mountains or Provence, with rolling hills and natural forest.

When I first walked into Gibbs Farm, it reminded me of The Secret Garden. Winding pathways lead through the grounds to secluded cottages, each one set in a private, flower-filled garden with an outdoor shower. The cottages are very warm, with wooden floors and homemade cushions and linens, African artwork and a fireplace in the bedroom and bathroom, which you can enjoy while soaking in the tub. Elsewhere on the farm we have a pool and spa, as well as studios for our resident artist programme.

Gibb’s is known for its fresh, farm-to-table cuisine. About 80 percent of the food featured on our menu comes directly from our organic farm, be it eggs from our chickens, butter, cheese and milk from our cows or a variety of home-grown vegetables. We bake our own bread and create daily menus, with options for vegetarians and vegans. Guests are encouraged to get involved with daily farm life by joining the morning egg collection, horse riding or taking guided walks through our coffee plantation.

Following in Margaret Gibbs’ footsteps – she was instrumental in getting Ngorongoro listed as a conservation area – we’re passionate about protecting the environment and run on solar power. As well as using sustainable farming techniques, we preserve an additional 30 acres of land as a green corridor for wild animals to access the Ngorongoro conservation area. We also work with a not-for-profit that runs projects to uplift the local community, primarily through education and providing women with job training. You can even donate $75 to have a desk made at Gibb’s Farm and deliver it to the nearby Tloma school.