Integrated tourism group Tourvest has developed a new luxury tented camp in Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. Called Lemala Mpingo Ridge, the camp will open its doors to the public on the 1st of July and is the second luxury camp in the Lemala collection, after Kuria Hills Lodge in the Serengeti, to be developed in Tanzania with another scheduled for opening in the Central Serengeti in October. Tourvest also manages the Lemala Kili Villas in Arusha, in plain sight of Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Lemala seasonal camps in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.
“Tarangire is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania and offers beautiful scenery, including classic African savannahs, green hills, woodland and rivers," says Leanne Haigh, chief executive of the East African arm of Tourvest’s Accommodation and Activities division. "It is famous for its large herds of elephants, diverse birdlife and giant baobab trees.”
Lemala Mpingo Ridge sits on the edge of an escarpment, offering 180-degree panoramic views of the perennial Tarangire River and valley below. “Everywhere you look from the lodge you will get breathtaking views of the expansive terrain with Tarangire Hill to your right and, on a very clear day, Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro,” says Haigh. The main lodge sports a large lounge and bar, an indoor and outdoor dining area, a spa and a swimming pool.
The 15 tented suites have been carefully positioned not only to maximise privacy and views of the park but also to take full advantage of the cooling breezes on hot days. “The tents feature en-suite bathrooms, private decks, sunken outside lounges that convert to afternoon siesta beds, while a private outside bathtub and outdoor shower provide the much-needed relaxation required after a day out on safari,” she says, adding that eight new custom-designed, open-sided game drive vehicles will be delivered to Tourvest’s Lemala lodges in July to further improve the game viewing experience.
Haigh says it is Tourvest East Africa’s strategic objective to have a permanent and seasonal camp in each of the Tanzanian northern safari circuit’s key tourist attractions by 2020. In line with its policy of leaving the smallest environmental footprint possible, all lodges pursue eco-friendly water and power solutions.