New Serengeti Lodge
Apr 26th, 2008, 01:12 AM
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Apr 26th, 2008, 02:25 AM
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Oh my. This isn't good. I know that Thomson Safaris already has a semipermanent camp setup in the Robanda area, and I use their camp often. It is a perfect blend between camping and comfort. I wouldn't call it luxury, but it certainly isn't camping, either. Seems like a gold rush attitude in the lodging industry at the moment in Tanzania. I just hope the Serengeti doesn't turn out to be like the Masai Mara in Kenya with too many people.
Apr 26th, 2008, 02:54 AM
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When we were in the Serengeti over Christmas there was a lot of lodge bulding activity going on to the west of the road up to Lobo - a lot of trucks and earth moving gear.
Our driver/guide said that a 'very big' lodge was being built by a river. When I asked if he meant as big as the Sopa/Serena/Wildlife lodges, he said 'bigger'.
I doubt whether a tented camp would be considered bigger, so is this another one?
Our driver/guide said that a 'very big' lodge was being built by a river. When I asked if he meant as big as the Sopa/Serena/Wildlife lodges, he said 'bigger'.
I doubt whether a tented camp would be considered bigger, so is this another one?
Apr 26th, 2008, 03:58 AM
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Kempinski is building a 77 room hotel not far from Mbuze Mawe. Will open later this year.
Two permanent tented lodges are happening in the north . Sayari is being relocated to the east and will be larger with 15 tents by October. I cannot yet reveal the name of the second construction.
I have seen the plans and architect sketches of the GLTC project. I was told the location is roughly opposite the current Faru Faru Lodge on the south side of the Grumeti River inside the Serengeti. Not sure if the article is correct. I will visit the construction in a few weeks.
Robanda area is getting crowded. Several others are already there or being planned.
Two permanent tented lodges are happening in the north . Sayari is being relocated to the east and will be larger with 15 tents by October. I cannot yet reveal the name of the second construction.
I have seen the plans and architect sketches of the GLTC project. I was told the location is roughly opposite the current Faru Faru Lodge on the south side of the Grumeti River inside the Serengeti. Not sure if the article is correct. I will visit the construction in a few weeks.
Robanda area is getting crowded. Several others are already there or being planned.
Apr 26th, 2008, 07:29 AM
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No!
Sayari will be east of the Mara bridge to the south. More or less at W3 on my map.
http://www.go-safari.com/Serengeti/SerengetiNorth2.jpg
Their old location is actualy a wilderness zone so they had to move.
I hope they never allow seasonal camps north of the Mara. Just fly camps!
Sayari will be east of the Mara bridge to the south. More or less at W3 on my map.
http://www.go-safari.com/Serengeti/SerengetiNorth2.jpg
Their old location is actualy a wilderness zone so they had to move.
I hope they never allow seasonal camps north of the Mara. Just fly camps!
Apr 26th, 2008, 07:57 AM
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It's my understanding that Lemala, Sayari and Nomad are building permanently tented small luxury camps with no more than 15-18 tents each, in the Northern Serengeti so close to the Kenya border that you will have views into the Mara from your verandah. Last I heard in mid-March, from the sales manager of Grumeti Expeditions aka Vintage Africa, Lemala was still looking to find water before they could start building. Both Sayari and Nomad had found water on their 'concessions' and therefore were proceeding. These camps will be over-the-top luxury as Lemala semi-permanent camps already are with their wooden floors etc.
When I was in the area last November, I visited the building site of the Kempinski project. What an eyesore!!! It sure doesn't belong in the Serengeti. It's the Bilila Lodge. It's being financed by Arab investors. This one is located just south and west from Mbuze Mawe. You may be able to see it from the road. I think he said it will have 80 rooms and will be marketed mainly to the Chinese market which they think will take off soon. When this lodge is finished they will build two more similar but bigger lodges: one further north and one on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Can you even imagine that? I think it will be so close to the Nogorongoro Crater Lodge that the view from their Tree Camp will be obscured.
How on earth can this have been approved? And you think it's crowded now in the Serengeti? Just wait a few years; this is terrible news and I hope it will just go away.
Eben, any updates and corrections on this is highly appreciated.
When I was in the area last November, I visited the building site of the Kempinski project. What an eyesore!!! It sure doesn't belong in the Serengeti. It's the Bilila Lodge. It's being financed by Arab investors. This one is located just south and west from Mbuze Mawe. You may be able to see it from the road. I think he said it will have 80 rooms and will be marketed mainly to the Chinese market which they think will take off soon. When this lodge is finished they will build two more similar but bigger lodges: one further north and one on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Can you even imagine that? I think it will be so close to the Nogorongoro Crater Lodge that the view from their Tree Camp will be obscured.
How on earth can this have been approved? And you think it's crowded now in the Serengeti? Just wait a few years; this is terrible news and I hope it will just go away.
Eben, any updates and corrections on this is highly appreciated.
Apr 26th, 2008, 08:24 AM
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I highly doubt that another lodge will be built at Ngorongoro. They are really locking things down from a few years ago. I may be misguided, but I hope not.
I am surprised to hear that there will be anything but temporary camps setup near Kogatende. Sayari had the first more permanent structure, but anything more will be overuse of the area. Nomad, CC Africa, Thomson Safaris and Sayari are just about it as far as operators in the area. That's plenty for a not-so-large slice of paradise.
I am surprised to hear that there will be anything but temporary camps setup near Kogatende. Sayari had the first more permanent structure, but anything more will be overuse of the area. Nomad, CC Africa, Thomson Safaris and Sayari are just about it as far as operators in the area. That's plenty for a not-so-large slice of paradise.
Apr 26th, 2008, 09:51 AM
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Indeed, it is all disappointing and more bad news are on the way but Tanzania is bursting at the room-seams.
The overseas operators are sending larger and more groups and are tired of competing for rooms at Wildlife, Sopa and Serena. To handle these groups their ground operators Roy Safaris, Leopard Tours and others are expanding by even building their own hotels in Arusha! Kibo has several lodges and camps already, taking their clients to mostly their own properties!
Leopard already has a huge seasonal tented camp in the Serengeti. Others will follow...
I am told several overseas agents are already selling Kempinski Serengeti! Once open it will be well patronized, rendering the central Serengeti even more busy.
I can go on but I must respect my verbal confidentiality agreements and would rather not do "pre" announcements!
The overseas operators are sending larger and more groups and are tired of competing for rooms at Wildlife, Sopa and Serena. To handle these groups their ground operators Roy Safaris, Leopard Tours and others are expanding by even building their own hotels in Arusha! Kibo has several lodges and camps already, taking their clients to mostly their own properties!
Leopard already has a huge seasonal tented camp in the Serengeti. Others will follow...
I am told several overseas agents are already selling Kempinski Serengeti! Once open it will be well patronized, rendering the central Serengeti even more busy.
I can go on but I must respect my verbal confidentiality agreements and would rather not do "pre" announcements!
Apr 27th, 2008, 05:25 AM
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There was a short thread last year regarding an article in Africa Geographic.
This lead to people reviewing the TANAPA plans and concluding that the Africa Geographic article was not necessarily correct, it now appears that the TANAPA plan may not have been correct?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35126497
This lead to people reviewing the TANAPA plans and concluding that the Africa Geographic article was not necessarily correct, it now appears that the TANAPA plan may not have been correct?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35126497
