Travel brand Asilia Africa has reopened its Sayari Camp, a luxury lodge in the Serengeti in Tanzania, after a complete rebuild.
The rebuild of the camp is part of Asilia’s efforts to “slow down” the safari experience. It says it would like to encourage travelers to travel more consciously and spend longer in each camp, reducing the need to move and fly during their holiday in Tanzania.
The new Sayari features an enlarged swimming pool area, the perfect place to spend an additional day spotting wildlife from the rim-flow pool, as well as a spa offering treatments with the eco-sensitive South African brand, Africology.
Sayari Camp is one of the closest properties to the Mara River, giving travelers a front-row seat to the wildebeest migration. The 15 spacious tents (including a family tent sleeping up to two adults and three children) all have views of the plains ahead. Sayari is not fenced, so wildlife moves freely through the camp.
Another exciting change at the camp is the introduction of the first solar-powered microbrewery in the bush, in partnership with Wayout, a Scandinavian brewer. The new brewery will make beer and soft drinks on site as well as purifying water and producing sparkling water, all using solar power.
Sayari Camp started as a traditional mobile camp, moving north to south through the Serengeti, following the journey of the Great Migration. In 2009, Sayari became the first permanent camp to put down roots in the northern Serengeti. The arrival of the camp secured the long-term conservation of this region and created employment opportunities for many in the communities on the park’s boundary.
The camp is entirely Tanzanian run, and of the 55 staff, 80% are local. A $5 per person, per night conservation contribution goes toward local community projects. To date, Sayari has donated $121,500 to assist Honeyguide, a local nongovernmental organization, in its anti-poaching operations through a canine tracker team.
Rates at Sayari Camp start at $815 per person, per night for the remainder of 2020. Healthcare workers from around the world can benefit from additional savings as part of Asilia’s initiative to say thank you for their contribution in fighting Covid-19.