africa Archives - The Hotel Guide

Lemala Osonjoi Lodge

Publisher — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:17:31 +0000

Lemala Camps and Lodges officially unveils its latest property Lemala Osonjoi Lodge, a bold new chapter in high-altitude, low-impact travel across East Africa’s most storied terrain. Perched nearly 2,500 meters above sea level on the picturesque eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, the landmark property blends next-generation safari luxury with deep-rooted sustainability and unrivaled access to one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife sanctuaries.

The most exciting new lodge on the Crater rim in more than a decade, Lemala Osonjoi is an instant icon and sets a fresh benchmark for hospitality in East Africa. Conceived in collaboration with local communities and designed to echo the quiet rhythms of the highlands, the lodge is shaped as much by altitude, mist, and moss as by the wildlife below.

“Osonjoi was created to feel like it belongs here, not imposed on the landscape, but emerging naturally from it” says Leanne Haigh, CEO of Lemala Camps & Lodges. “This is a retreat for travelers seeking depth as well as comfort. An experience that is slower, more intuitive, and grounded in place.”

A LOCATION LIKE NO OTHER

Set on the eastern rim of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, at nearly 2,500 meters above sea level, Lemala Osonjoi boasts one of the most enviable positions in African safari geography. Just outside the eponymous Lemala Gate, and perched above the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, the lodge offers guests privileged access to one of the most biodiverse, visually spectacular ecosystems on the continent. Guests can reach the Crater floor and its lion prides in just 20 to 25 minutes via the least-used descent road, placing guests among the first to reach the Crater floor each morning, when wildlife sightings are at their peak – and allows for later departure to take advantage of the beautiful evening light, known by the world’s most renowned photographers as Africa’s golden hour. This quieter northeastern quadrant of the Crater is less visited than the western arc and is ideal for photographers and those seeking intimate, unhurried encounters with nature and rare species including black rhino, elephants, and big cats.

Lemala Osonjoi is a sanctuary within a sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site layered with geological, ecological, and cultural significance. The lodge’s location also allows for an exceptionally rare treat: fully catered private lunches on the Crater floor, transforming a traditional game drive into an immersive, all-day adventure with no need to return to camp.

WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS ALTITUDE

Each of the property’s 20 suites, including two two-bedroom family suites, is a celebration of Ngorongoro’s high-altitude beauty. Interiors balance warmth and refinement with hand-finished timbers, pigmented cement, charred wood cladding, and panoramic windows that embrace the region’s cool mountain climate. Thoughtful touches include slow-burning wood stoves, winter-weight duvets, hot water bottles, and a signature “secret nook” daybed tucked beside the fireplace for afternoon reading or a nightcap with views over the forest.

En suite bathrooms offer walk-in showers, freestanding tubs with panoramic views, and double vanities, while the lodge’s central pavilion houses a curated library, and an expansive outdoor deck with a roaring fire and endless sky.

Menus at Osonjoi Lodge celebrate the seasonality of the highlands, while design elements, such as volcanic glassware, handwoven throws, and ceramics crafted by women’s cooperatives embed a tactile sense of place throughout.

BUILT FOR THE FUTURE

More than just a design-forward lodge, Lemala Osonjoi Lodge is a model for regenerative safari tourism. Fully off-grid and powered by solar, the lodge is constructed using recycled and local materials, with no single-use plastics. From the outset, the lodge has prioritized community partnership – working hand in hand with local artisans to design and create décor that reflects the traditions, colors, and textures of East Africa. This approach ensures no displacement, fosters active collaboration with neighboring Maasai villages, and embeds long-term investment in education, local employment, and women’s empowerment.

By encouraging longer, more immersive multi-day stays and helping to disperse visitation across lesser-used access points, Osonjoi Lodge plays a key role in mitigating overtourism in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Guided crater rim walks with Maasai naturalists, wellness treatments, the Crater’s only indoor heated pool in the forest spa suite, and culture-focused programming allow for authentic layered experiences beyond the safari vehicle.

COMPLETING THE LEMALA CIRCUIT

Osonjoi Lodge completes the Lemala’s Lodge safari circuit through northern Tanzania, linking with Hamerkop House in Arusha, Mpingo Ridge Lodge in Tarangire, and Nanyukie Lodge and Kuria Hills Lodge in the Serengeti. This thoughtfully designed route offers seamless overland or fly-in itineraries, designed for discerning travelers seeking depth, continuity, and minimal environmental impact.

Rates at Lemala Osonjoi Lodge start from $690 (approx. £510 / €590) per person sharing per day, including accommodation, all meals, house drinks, Wi-Fi and laundry. Rates do not include NCAA Entry and Concession Fees, game drives, airstrip transfers, champagne, and premium house drinks, or government levies.

For more information on Lemala Osonjoi Lodge, please visit lemalacamps.com/stay/osonjoi-lodge.

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Resilience Adventure Mastermind Retreat

Publisher — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:14:41 +0000

Welcome to the Resilience Adventure Mastermind Retreat – an immersive journey designed to help you break barriers, conquer fears, and achieve your highest potential.
This exclusive retreat combines the physical and mental challenge of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro with the luxury of an extraordinary safari experience in Tanzania.
It’s an opportunity to elevate your wellness through adventure and connect with a supportive tribe of like-minded people, and private invite to stay with a local female tribe and learn their culture.
Whether you’re challenging yourself to summit one of the world’s most iconic peaks or embracing the beauty of Africa’s wildlife from the comfort of luxurious accommodations, every moment of this retreat will empower you to step into your greatest potential.
Who Should Go?
This retreat is for the bold, curious, and adventurous, who want more than just a vacation—they want a transformation.
It’s for professional women, leaders, creatives, and seekers who are ready to: Push their physical, mental, and emotional limits. Break free from burnout or routine Rediscover their strength, purpose, and joy. Connect deeply with a tribe of fun, motivated, and like-minded women. Say “yes” to a once-in-a-lifetime experience you’ll remember forever
You don’t need to be an ultra-athlete or seasoned adventurer—you just need an open heart, a willing spirit, and the desire to challenge yourself in new, meaningful ways.
Because adventure changes you. It’s a superpower to transform you and level up in life, business, and relationships. This retreat is not just about summiting Kilimanjaro or going on safari—it’s about what those experiences unlock inside you
Meaningful connections with incredible women from around the world. The joy of immersing in local culture and giving back to a community of inspiring women.
More information, visit: resilient.living.

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Making memories in Kenya, Africa

Publisher — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 13:23:29 +0000

Kenya has been able to remain a must-visit safari destination for decades thanks to its iconic national parks and game reserves, and the irresistible drawcard that is the Great Wildebeest Migration. On top of that, Kenya has demonstrated an amazing ability to reinvent itself and remain relevant even as newer destinations clamor for attention.
This year will see some awesome new luxury safari lodges open throughout Kenya – here’s our guide to the very best of them. If you’re considering a safari vacation in East Africa during 2019, at least some of these exciting new luxury safari lodges should be on your itinerary. Let us tell you why.
Mugie House
This is the latest go-to address in the Governor’s Camp Collection and is situated on a private 80-square-mile conservancy within the fabled Laikipia County. Originally dating from the 1980s, Mugie House is currently undergoing extensive renovations in order to be ready for its October 2019 opening.
From its position on a ridge, Mugie House and the nine guest cottages overlook a waterhole which is consistently popular with local wildlife (including big cats). This new luxury property offers the opportunity to enjoy moments of relaxation like afternoon tea as tropical birds flit around the gardens. Equally, more active pursuits including canoeing on the large dam that forms the focal point of the conservancy.
The numerous small islands in the dam provide ideal spots for picnic lunches (including ingredients grown in Mugie House’s own organic vegetable garden) and sundowners. While out on the water, guest may well encounter elephants cooling off in the dam.
Back at the lodge, the spa and private plunge pools will add to the relaxed ambience, and allow guests to recharge their safari batteries between game drives.
Mara Nyika
Mara Nyika is the latest offering from Great Plains and combines delightful privacy with the expansive backdrop of the private Naboisho Conservancy. Game drives also enter the Masai Mara, but there is more than enough wildlife in the conservancy to justify this being the focus of each guest’s stay.
Mara Nyika is due to open in August 2019, but its design is such a wonderful distillation of all that is best about the Kenyan safari experience that it will have a timeless quality to it. Light canvas tents under immediately recognizable flat-topped thorn trees convey the romance and beauty of Kenya at first glance, while early reports on the local game suggesting that is prolific.
Guests will be able to channel their child as they use the suspended treehouse-style walkways between their tents and the main area. Privacy was a key consideration in the design of the camp, and is entirely in keeping with the seclusion of the setting. Mara Nyika promises guests the freedom to simply be themselves and enjoy the best of Kenya’s safari offering.
Loisaba Lodo Springs
With just eight individual tented guest rooms, Loisaba Lodo Springs is another new luxury safari lodge in Kenya that puts a premium on privacy. That said, it’s situated in a high-traffic area – if you count migrating elephants as ‘traffic’.
The lodge is situated in the Loisaba Conservancy, a private protected area of some 57 000 acres within an important migratory corridor for these amazing animals. Loisaba is also vital to the future of lions, wild dogs and the little-known but hugely impressive Grévy’s zebra.
With views extending all the way to the jagged, snow-capped magnificence of Mount Kenya, this area really does feel like the epicenter of the safari world. The lodge draws on years of experience in creating special places of sanctuary for humans, with the combined luxuries of space and simplicity.
Everything a guest needs to feel pampered is immediately to hand, but there is nothing superfluous – in short, nothing is permitted to take away from the spectacular vistas and the sense of complete freedom. Loisaba Lodo Springs is a place to breathe deeply and slowly.
Sarara Reteti House
Sarara Reteti House is only due to open in early 2020, but from what we’re hearing it will certainly be worth the wait! Designed for exclusive-use bookings, this seven-bedroom safari house will be designed with family and multi-generational travel in mind.
We’re seeing a huge increase in this kind of travel, so we’re excited to have a new luxury property that we can offer to families who like to vacation together.
Scenically and culturally distinct, northern Kenya is generally drier than the rest of the country. This serves to concentrate wildlife around rivers and other sources of water, and the Samburu region is known for its elephant herds.
It is of course also home to the Samburu people, who, like the Maasai, have proudly clung to their tribal traditions. From its setting within the Namunyak Conservancy, guests will also be able to visit the life-changing Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, and explore this stunning and unforgettable region.
Activities on offer will include day and night game drives, guided bush walks, hikes in the forests of the Mathews Mountains, fly camping, horse riding and Samburu cultural community visits.
Geoffrey Kent Suite at Olonana
Geoffrey Kent is one of the pioneers of modern Kenyan safaris, and we’re sure he must be immensely proud of this new ultra-luxury suite that bears his name.
The latest addition to Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, the Geoffrey Kent Suite at Olonana is surprisingly modern in design, but its architecture is intended to make the most of its spectacular setting on the banks of the Mara River.
The two private bedrooms offer superb views thanks to the combination of floor-to-ceiling windows and wraparound decking that will allow guests to view the landscape and wildlife from every angle. The bathrooms can be opened up entirely to the bush, enabling the romance of a starlit bath. The in-suite chef is always available to create snacks and meals as required, and these can be served either in the suite or in the outdoor private boma overlooking a hippo pool.
Soft golden light and the opportunity – thanks to a dedicated private guide and vehicle – to shape their day exactly as they wish to – contributes to guests having a sense of being immersed not just in enviable luxury, but in the magic and mystery of Kenya itself.
While these new lodges are likely to get a lot of attention this year, they are by no means the only stunning accommodation options in Kenya. For more advice on where to stay in Kenya, when to go and what to see, contact the journey specialists at Alluring Africa.

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