The ancient traditions of the Mysigio Maasai tribe continue to flourish in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area. And one luxury highland lodge provides a way for outsiders to gently immerse themselves into this community’s way of life. 

The lodge sits close to the Mysigio Village on a semi-permanent campsite without invasive platforms or plumbing for tents that would damage the surrounding environment. It’s called Mysigio Camp and the spot, managed by low-impact tourism company African Environments, has maintained a long and respectful relationship with the Maasai tribe. Chief Ole Dorop—along with his family and friends—will join guests for dinner or a hike and fascinating conversations. Visitors also can catch a glimpse into the life of a young warrior by joining a Maasai Orpul Ceremony. There, they can try the roasted goat and natural remedies that have long been a staple for the Maasai.

Past guests of Mysigio Camp said in multiple five-star reviews that these interactions with the tribe made their stay special. 

“We got to experience their dancing, where they showed off their impressive jumping skills, as well as a demonstration of some of their traditional cooking methods,” said one review posted on TripAdvisor. “The next day we walked with one of the Maasai tribesmen to the nearby bomas. He spoke at length to us about their lifestyle and traditions and answered all our questions. This gave us such a wonderful insight into this way of life, and the good relationship between the camp and the Maasai tribe was clear.”

The Maasai are an indigenous people who migrated with their cattle to northern Tanzania 400 years ago. They have since struggled to keep their herds, remain on the delicate grasslands, and protect it from the invasive hunting, tourism, and overdevelopment that has – sometimes violently – been forced upon them. 

They are semi-nomadic farmers who value making use of their natural resources to survive with only the essentials. 

To maintain a civil co-existence with the tribe and avoid noisy generators, Mysigio Camp runs 100 percent on solar-powered lighting to keep its paths and rooms illuminated. The lodge cuts down on waste by using wood-burning stoves designed to run on eco-briquettes made from remnants of coconut and cashew husks.

Guests can stay in one of 12 luxury tents that come with en-suite bathrooms and enough solar power to charge camera and phone batteries (but not hairdryers, laptops or shavers). There’s also a dining tent and wood-heated lounge.

Mysigio Camp is rustic, but guests complimented the site for its comfort and staff attentiveness. One reviewer said that the food was “incredible” and that “even though there was no running water there was always hot water available to wash your hands and showers could be arranged on request. … I loved that the camp is sustainable and we didn’t feel like we were intruding or leaving any footprints behind in this little spot of wilderness.”