Travel brand Asilia will completely reimagine and rebuild its popular Sayari Camp, a luxury, eco-conscious camp in the Serengeti in Tanzania. The new-look property will open in June, in time for the annual wildebeest crossings of the Mara River.
Since 2009, Asilia has been carbon neutral and continues to develop practical ways to further reduce its eco footprint. The new Sayari will be the home to the first solar-powered microbrewery in the bush, in partnership with Wayout, a Scandinavian startup. The new brewery will make beer and soft drinks on site while also purifying water and producing sparkling water, all using solar power. By doing so, Asilia removes the need for plastic bottles and cans in camp, not only reducing waste but also reducing transport. The brewery will create four unique beers for Asilia.
A music room in the camp will display traditional instruments, and a listening station will offer guests the opportunity to listen to samples of different songs recorded from traditional musicians in the villages around the Serengeti.
Another standout feature of the property will be the safari shop, showcasing a carefully curated selection of Tanzanian products sourced from ethical cooperatives.
The 15 spacious tents (including a family tent sleeping up to two adults and three children) all have views of the plains. Sayari is not fenced, and wildlife moves freely through the camp. It is not unusual to see zebra and wildebeest moving between the tents on their journey to cross the Mara River.
For keen photographers, Asilia has a photography vehicle stationed at Sayari that offers 360-degree swivel seats, drop down sides, bean bags and foam rests to ensure the best chance of getting the perfect shot. Game drives and walks are conducted by the nine resident guides, all graduates of Asilia's in-house guiding course.
Sayari will open on June 1. Rates start at $815 per person, per night.