We are excited to showcase our latest additions to our northern Tanzania circuit, The Retreats, catering to multi-generational families, groups of friends, privately guided groups and VIPs.
Located at Sayari and Namiri Plains, these new rooms will welcome their first guests from 1 July 2023. Offering a heightened level of luxury, style and privacy, they offer guests a totally flexible Serengeti safari experience, with their own safari guide and vehicle, chef and host per Retreat.
The Details
At both Sayari and Namiri Plains, we have built two Retreats. There is a shared swimming pool for Retreat guests only, and a central lounge and dining area for use when both Retreats are booked together for a larger group.
A fully flexible safari
Each Retreat comes with its own team, offering a truly flexible safari experience.
The Retreat host is there to ensure all dining needs are catered to, along with a dedicated chef.
The host is also there to assist with booking any extras such as spa treatments, hot air ballooning or walking safaris, make plans for special celebrations and ensure every need is fulfilled.
A private safari guide and vehicle (capacity 6 guests) will plan each day around your clients interests, the pace they prefer their safari to flow at, and can liaise with the chef and host if your clients are out at an exciting wildlife sighting and need the kitchen to change plans at the last minute.
Retreat layout & capacity
Each Retreat has two master bedrooms, each with a king size bed and the option to add an additional bed per room for children, taking the total capacity to 4 adults, 2 children per Retreat. We welcome children aged 5 years and older.
Both rooms have an en suite bathroom with indoor shower, twin basins and flush toilet; at Sayari Retreat there is an outdoor shower, while at Namiri Plains Retreat you’ll find an outdoor bathtub.
A central lounge and dining space forms the heart of each Retreat, along with a full width deck to the front, to maximize the relaxation space when your clients are not out on safari.
Evenings focus around the private fire pit, enjoying pre-dinner drinks while planning the next day’s adventures with your guide.
We welcome bookings of Retreats individually or together for larger groups. At Namiri Plains we have also built an additional guest tent in the main camp.
A simpler rates structure
We are offering a simple price structure, regardless of number of guests staying at each Retreat, the price is per unit.
The Retreats are offered on game-package basis only, as the private safari guide and vehicle is a key part of the experience here.
If your clients itinerary requires a full board stay, this is possible but at the same GP rate.
The rule on non – Asilia FB guides at Namiri remains.
A note on late departures
Due to the privacy afforded by the Retreats, and to ensure the best quality experience for all guests during their stay, we are not able to offer late check-out in high or peak season, and only on request in low and green season.
In this instance guests will need to vacate the Retreats and relax in the main camp lounge or pool areas.
Combine Retreats with:
As well as combining well with each other, the Retreats combine exceptionally well with Jabali Private House in Ruaha National Park, which accommodates 4 adults and 2 children comfortably. With the new 4 passenger inducement June – Sept 2023 between the Serengeti and Ruaha with Coastal Aviation, we encourage families and groups to make the most of this combination to experience two of Tanzania’s most rewarding national parks.
Alternatively, if you fly across the border into Kenya’s Mara Naboisho Conservancy, we recommend booking one of the two newly rebuilt family suites at Naboisho Camp, which comfortably accommodate 4 adults and 2 additional children with a central lounge area. Please note, here you would need to add in a private vehicle to your quotation, and the pool area is shared amongst the whole camp rather than semi-privately.
From the field
With such diverse and ever-changing landscapes in southern Tanzania, we asked our brilliant guide Bruce Arnott, based in Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park, to share some of the magic that green season brings to this very special region.
Wildlife
“Southern Tanzania is home to many species – elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dogs, spotted hyena, hippo, crocodiles, giraffe, zebra, eland, sable topi, roan antelope and many other species!
Unique to Usangu Expedition Camp is its diversity of predators – from small to large. One can see bat-eared foxes, serval, caracal, black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, aardwolf, civet, genet, African wild cat, leopard, cheetah, hyena and lion! (I love small predators). The amount of wildlife naturally in this area is astounding!”
Bird life
“The birdlife is incredible due to the water systems, diverse range of habitats, and untouched wilderness. You’ll also find many bird species that you won’t find in the north. The bush becomes lush and green, and the number of birds increases as the migrant species returns.”
Landscapes
“During green season, there is so much more colour in the bush. The vegetation becomes much lusher and thicker, and the birds come into bright breeding plumage. The palms surrounding the lakes of Roho ya Selous are stunning and give you the feeling that you’re in a coastal habitat.”
We are looking forward to to taking you to the new Retreats at Namiri Plains and Sayari this season and beyond. Contact us