Tag Archives: serengeti

Bilila Lodge becomes Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Posted on July 11, 2012 by in Uncategorized

PR Newswire announced on 10 July 2012 that Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has signed a long term management agreement with the owners of Bilila Lodge, a resort in the Serengeti National Park, and is now operating the property, which will be upgraded and renamed Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania in fall 2012.

Four Seasons veteran James Kostecky has been appointed General Manager as the property transitions to Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. Most recently General Manager at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai and Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Thailand, he has previous experience in Kenya with a hotel group based in Nairobi.

“This is the first step in a bold development project that will see three diverse Four Seasons experiences in what are considered to be three of the most important and attractive destinations in Tanzania,” says Scott Woroch, executive vice president worldwide development at Four Seasons. “The responsibility of taking over such as irreplaceable asset within the Serengeti National Park is one that we take very seriously. This is an extremely rare opportunity for Four Seasons in that no other property of this size or scale exists, or is likely to ever be developed again in the Park. With the future development of a luxury tented safari camp in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and an exclusive beach resort on the island of Zanzibar, Four Seasons will offer some of the finest holiday experiences in Tanzania.”

The news was announced to us long time before it became official by owner Ali Albwardy from Albwardy Investment and co-owner Ong Beng Seng from Hotel Properties Limited during their visits at Onsea House and Machweo. We look forward to welcoming clients in Arusha before or after their stay at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti.

Rwanda gets ready to welcome more safari guests from Tanzania

Posted on November 6, 2009 by in News

The Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, the endless views on tea plantations, the pretty hills and lakes, Intore dancing and traditional drummers, its people and its culture are among the additional features when extending a safari & beach holiday in Tanzania with a couple of days in Rwanda.

“The future of Rwanda’s tourism industry looks brighter” reported The New Times already in October. Statistics show that the country has now 4225 hotel rooms compared to 3438 last year, representing a record increase of 23 percent in the number of hotel rooms.

The expansion of Kigali Serena Hotel and Hotel Des Mille Collines have greatly boosted the number of rooms. The Onsea House owners familiarized with both hotels and witnessed today the finishing of the first phase of the extension and refurbhisment of Kigali Serena Hotel. The new swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and steam bath are fully functioning. The ultra modern 2 storey fitness centre and 44 new guestrooms will officially open next week.

The developments come at a time when Rwanda needs about 6,000 rooms by 2012 to accommodate the increasing number of tourists.

Also the new RwandAir national airline gets ready to fly in more people with attractive flights from Kilimanjaro at US$ 190, which is not more than a flight to the Serengeti or Zanzibar. While flying a longer distance, the flight time is limited to just 1 hour thanks to the modern Canadair Regional Jet.
RwandAir has a code share agreement with Brussels Airlines on the Kigali – Brussels Sector, Ethiopian on the Kigali – Addis Ababa Sector. For connections into Tanzania, RwandAir flies to Kilimanjaro offering connections to the rest of the country in code share with Precisonair Tanzania Limited.

Contact info@onseahouse.com for further advise if you want to combine a stay at Onsea House in Arusha with a visit to Rwanda.

Internationale luchthaven bedreigt trek door de Serengeti

Posted on September 16, 2009 by in News

“Er liggen plannen op tafel om een vliegveld aan te leggen in de Serengeti vanwaar toeristen naar hun lodges, safari kampen en resorts kunnen worden gevlogen. De landingsbanen zouden de trek van wilde dieren verstoren.”

Het nieuws is te lezen in de Telegraaf, waar men gewag maakt van een ‘landingsbaan’. Die zijn er uiteraard al langer in de Serengeti: zo is er de airpstrip in Seronera in het midden van de Serengeti, Kleins Camp in het Noord-Oosten aan de grens met Loliondo, Kogatende in het Noorden aan de grens met Kenya en de Mara rivier, Grumeti in het Westen en Kusini in het Zuiden.
Het plan is echter om een Internationale Luchthaven te bouwen, voornamelijk voor privé jets en grote charters, en heeft daardoor logischer wijze reeds tot grote discussie geleid in Tanzania.

“De aanleg van landingsbanen (sic) middenin het beschermde natuurgebied zou de migratie van dieren van de Serengeti naar Masai Mara in gevaar kunnen brengen.
De grote trek van de wildebeesten, of wel de gnoes is een jaarlijks terugkerend natuurspektakel, waarbij de dieren met miljoenen tegelijk vanuit de Serengeti naar het Masai Mara reservaat in Kenia trekken. Dit is de ultieme safaribeleving die jaarlijks duizenden toeristen naar het gebied trekt.
Volgens natuurbeheerders is het logischer om de reeds bestaande vliegvelden uit te breiden. Met name Mwanza airport zou geschikt zijn om als springklank naar het natuurgebied te gebruiken.
Ook bieden de internationale vliegvelden in Tanzania tussen Arusha en Moshi (Kilimanjaro International) en in Mwanza bij Lake Victoria genoeg ruimte voor meer internationale vluchten naar het land.”

Contacteer info@onseahouse.com voor meer info voor een verblijf bij Onsea House en gratis advies voor uw safari, Kilimanjaro beklimming en/of Zanzibar strandvakantie.

New Sayari Camp opened: most stunning Asilia property to date

Posted on August 3, 2009 by in News

Asilia has just opened their brand new luxurious permanent Sayari Camp- located right at the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti. The former seasonal Sayari Camp has been redesigned to now be Asilia’s most luxurious and breathtaking property. Retaining the essence of an Asilia camp, this stylish property is the epitomy of camp with delivering a high level of personalised service, in amazing comfort but retaining the central focus on sensational game viewing and wildlife experiences. The camp layout and staff numbers allow for guests’ experience to be unique and tailor made- every stay at Sayari shall result in a once in a life time experience.

The camp, although luxurious in many ways holds a great balance with offering guests a true safari experience embracing the unique elements of the ‘real African bush’. Sayari Camp’s 15 luxury tents are split into 2 wings- one with 9 and one with 6 tents all of which are raised on wooden platforms to offer a spacious and extremely comfortable stay. Both wings have their own entertainment and hosting tent making it possible to book each wing exclusively for groups. All of these unique tents in Sayari Camp offer panoramic views over the Serengeti through glass sliding doors and windows and allow guests to enjoy the tranquillity of the bush while relaxing on their private wooden deck where a large sofa/day bed and table and chairs are just waiting for them.

To promote this property Asilia is offering a stay 4 nights pay for 3 nights special for the remainder of this year (2009). This special also applies to the other Asilia properties: Olakira and Dunia Camp in the southern/central Serengeti, Suyan in the Loliondo Private Concession, Oliver’s Camp in the Tarangire National Park and the 2 stunning beach properties Matemwe and Matemwe Retreat on the North East coast of Zanzibar. For more information visit www.asilialodges.com or contact us on info@onseahouse.com.

Tourism in Kenya and Tanzania at risk

Posted on July 29, 2009 by in News

The Daily Nation, one of Kenya’s quality newspapers, reports today about the shrinkage of the world famous annual wildebeest migration:

Reduction of water in River Mara, whose origin is in the Mau Forest, and which traverses the expansive Maasai Mara game reserve right into Serengeti in Tanzania, is causing the shrinkage of the world famous annual wildebeest migration, which may stop altogether.

According to the American Museum of Natural History, the great migration, a major boost to the tourism sector, is one of the world’s large-scale-terrestrial migrations that have been severely reduced and could eventually stop.

A study, Endangered Species Research, published last month, says the lives of the more than one million animals are threatened.

But even more frightening is that the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania could vanish in less than 40 years.

Experts now warn that the catastrophic Maasai Emutai (meaning to wipe out), which occurred between 1897 and 1898, in which there were massive deaths of wildlife, livestock and people in the area could be in the making.

Many years later, the African Journal of Ecology wrote of the experience quoting an Australian explorer who had travelled in the area.

“There were women wasted to skeletons from whose eyes the madness of starvation glared … warriors scarcely able to crawl on all fours, and apathetic, languishing elders. Swarms of vultures followed them from high, awaiting their certain victims,” wrote Dr Oscar Baumann.

“The way we handle, for example the issue of the Mau Complex will greatly influence whether people, animals and plants far away off will be able to access food and water,” Dr Julius Kipng’etich, the Kenya Wildlife Service director, told a recent meeting in Nairobi organised by the African Conservation Centre.

Climate change

The meeting was receiving preliminary research finding on how plants, animals and pastoralists on the Kenya/Tanzania border are reacting to climate change and effects of environmental degradation.

The studies, carried out by the universities of California at San Diego and York, Missouri Botanical Gardens and the African Conservation Centre identified lack of water as the biggest threat to human and animal existence in the area.

The study area covers about 60,000 square kilometres, hosting 14 wildlife parks and a major tourism circuit. River Mara is the main lifeline for the Kenyan and Tanzanian Maasai who live in these plains.

Luxury lodge is helping to preserve the Serengeti

Posted on July 22, 2009 by in News

“Keeping prices high and tourist numbers low could be the way to preserve the Serengeti and make it profitable. The new, luxurious Bilila Lodge Kempinski is part of the plan” reports The Independent on Sunday in an interesting (and funny) article about the opening of the newest and most luxurious hotel in the Serengeti last week. During the formal opening of the US$ 50 million Bilila Lodge Kempinski by President Kikwete, he sounded a curious note by calling on the country’s tourism authorities to go slow on building more hotels in the Unesco World Heritage Site.

The East African Business Week reported that the UAE owner Ali Saeed Albwardy of ASB Tanzania Limited, promised that there is more to come: “We promise to build more hotels in Tanzania. We are ready to invest in more hotels because the investment atmosphere is right. We have been in Tanzania for five years and already we have invested in Kilimanjaro Hotel, Kempinski in Dar es Salaam and Zamani Hotel in Zanzibar”.

We had the privilege to meet Ali Albwardy who came for lunch at Onsea House and revelealed his plans of the luxury 178 rooms Kempinski Hotel Saba Saba in Arusha with 3 restaurants and 2 bars, conference facilities for up to 800 guests and spa with 8 treatment rooms in late 2010. Now it is also official that Kempinski Hotel Stonetown is in the pipeline with 57 rooms and suites, 2 restaurants and a bar, conference rooms and spa with 4 treatment rooms in late 2010. Last but not least the Kempinski Ngorongoro Crater is foreseen for opening in 2012. With this expansian plan, Tanzania will take the lead with 6 properties in all Middle Eastern and African locations and even come globally in the top ranking after China, Germany and India.

Onsea House was invited for a familiarization with the Bilila Lodge Kempinski which was a throughly fantastic experience. While staff got trained to soon welcome up to 160 guests in 74 rooms, suites and villas, we had the luxury to discover the property with just 12 guests. The lodge facilities include a beautifully decorated restaurant, lobby lounge, bar, boma, wine cellar, art gallery and gift shop. The infinity pool and Anantara Spa provide for the ultimate relaxation after an exciting day of a game drive. Bilila combines the height of through 5 star luxury with romance in spectacular African wilderness surrounds.

Read about the special promotional introduction action or contact info@onseahouse.com for any further information and/or a stay at Onsea House as part of an attractive last-minute Kempinski package.

Enjoy promotional introduction rates in the Serengeti at Bilila Kempinski

Posted on June 20, 2009 by in News

Destined to bring a new level of luxury to the Serengeti, the Bilila Lodge Kempinski officially opened on June 1, 2009.

The earlier announced promotion ‘Stay 3 – Pay 2′ valid until the end of September 2009, has just got even better with reduced rates valid until December 23, 2009:
Deluxe room:    EUR 500 (instead of EUR 600 in high season)
Club room:        EUR 700 (instead of EUR 850 in high season)

All the above mentioned rates are Full Board (including full breakfast, lunch or packed lunch and dinner), per room, per night.

Scheduled and private game drives into the Serengeti National Park can be booked together with the accommodation. Half day (4hrs) game drives are a fantastic experience for guest who fly in and get transferred to/from Seronera Airstrip.

Visit the travel diary for an insight into Tanzania and Kempinski.
Contact info@onseahouse.com for further recommendations if you want to combine this last-minute action with a stay at Onsea House in Arusha after your arrival &/or before departure.

Asilia Lodges and Camps Special 4-for-3 Offer

Posted on June 16, 2009 by in News

Next to the ongoing introduction action of the new Kempinksi Bilila Lodge in the Serengeti and the AndBeyond Africa special safari offers, Asilia Lodges and Camps launches a special action for all bookings taking place from June-December 2009: stay for 4 and pay for 3 (or stay during 8 days and pay for 6,…). 

This special offer is an ideal way to discover the stunning Sayari Camp and Olakira Camp in the Serengeti,  Suyan Camp in the Loliondo area and Oliver’s Camp in Tarangire National Park during a safari in Tanzania and/or relax at Matemwe in Zanzibar.

If you would like to receive recommendations on with whom to book your holiday to Tanzania and/or information for a stay at Onsea House before and/or after your safari in Arusha, please send an email to info@onseahouse.com.