Elewana Newsletter

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Every year for the World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers can rate hotel brands on their locations, rooms/facilities, food, service, and overall value.

Complete the survey and you'll be entered into Travel + Leisure’s giveaway* and a chance to win a dream trip for two worth $10,000, to be planned by a Travel & Leisure A-List Agent.**

* Please note that the giveaway is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Those that live outside these areas can still vote and rate TRAVEL + LEISURE’s World’s Best but you will not be entered in the giveaway and therefore not eligible to win.

The Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards survey will be conducted online from NOVEMBER 5, 2018 – MARCH 4, 2019.

Visit The World's Best Awards 2019 Voting Platform

**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older at time of entry. To qualify for the random drawing, entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on 3/4/19. Only one (1) online entry per person/email address. See Sweepstakes Facts and Official Rules for details and how to enter the Giveaway without completing the survey. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

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Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp - Loisaba Conservancy

Perched on the edge of an escarpment, Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp enjoys a breath-taking vantage point over an expansive panorama. Sophisticated and stylish, the capacious custom-built luxury tents offer a relaxing vantage point to appreciate the splendour of the Laikipia Plateau. Experience an array of activities, from games drives to camel-trekking, guided bush walks to Cultural visits. The spacious main areas include a large dining area, separate open lounge and bar, a large wooden decking area, in addition to one of Africa’s most picturesque infinity pools.

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Elewana Kilindi Zanzibar - Nungwi

Elewana Kilindi Zanzibar is the ultimate romantic destination, the perfect place to enjoy the harmony of the ocean and spend time with the one you love. Set in a picturesque tropical garden with its secluded beachfront, the luxurious Pavilion suites embrace wide-arched glassless windows affording spectacular views over the Indian Ocean.

Each villa has its own private plunge pool and is tended to by its own Guest Ambassador. Kilindi's 'open-to-nature' approach provides the true essence to any stay and crafts a private, intimate and 'barefoot' appeal that so many crave. Explore the hidden secrets of the island or relax in the infinity pool watching the dhows head out to sea, with a gentle breeze in their sail.

There is a delightful spa offering an extensive array of treatments to satisfy you from head to toe, the spa combines African natural ingredients with both modern and traditional methods in the art of beauty, offering the ultimate in pampering.

Guests can enjoy day boat trips, scuba and snorkelling to get a glimpse of the dolphins, copious fish and vivid corals that thrive in Zanzibar’s waters. Stone Town is a UNESCO world heritage site, and a place where history still lives. The stone buildings, meandering alleyways, and markets still existing as they have done for centuries make for a fascinating day of exploring.

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Elewana Kifaru House – Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Guests can relax and feel at home, choosing how they spend their time, whether it is lying by the picturesque infinity pool gazing out over the plains or sitting in the library leisurely reading a book, time stands still at Elewana Kifaru House. Each of the five cottages offer spectacular views with well-appointed bedrooms, complete with opulent four poster beds and generous en-suite bathrooms.

Intimate and homely atmosphere offering true luxury in the bush with unrivalled wildlife viewing.

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Their mission is to support and guide the tourism industry to a holistic management approach by providing:

• Internationally aligned standards and guidelines with a clear set of practical ideas to introduce the tourism enterprises to a sustainable management approach.
• An auditing and evaluation process that will help guide the tourism venture to improving their actions and the product.
• A certification scheme with the branding for recognition of the company’s efforts and successes
• Lobbying and advocacy on behalf of the tourism industry to develop policies and regulations within Tanzania for the sustainability of the resources and cultures and people.
• Information and practical ideas, tools as well as training to assist the tourism enterprises to practice and participate responsible tourism.
• Promoting the responsible tourism operators and products in Tanzania to the international tourism market.

Responsible Tourism Tanzania (RTTZ) developed a set of standards for Responsible Tourism in Tanzania. With future plans of having RTTZ formally recognized’ and even accredited by Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), The standards have been written in line with those of the GSTC, giving any RTTZ certified Tanzanian company the same international repute.

The certification system using the standards has four levels or steps. The steps have been designed to push for continuous improvement. Each step will guide the organization toward becoming not only a matured enterprise in terms of responsibility but a role model for others. The requirements for SEED, SAPLING, and TREE levels have already been developed with the FLOWER requirements in the process, to ensure that we move slowly and get it right.

Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge was accredited straight to Sapling Level, which was a huge credit to the team for their hard work and dedication. We would like to congratulate them for this great achievement for the outstanding commitments! We would also like to thank the panel at Responsible Tourism Tanzania for this prestigious award.

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Guests got to enjoy the colours and aromas of different Indian street food, where they could sample the wide variety of dishes on offer at different stalls, trying something new each time and soaking up the atmosphere of the cooking demonstrations by Indian chefs. In addition, a “Bombay” inspired Gin bar was set up as well as a cocktail bar that served oriental cocktails.

An incredible number guests attended and got into the spirit of the evening by dressing in flamboyant colours adding to the vibrant mood of the night. Dj Pilu, along with his entertainment kicked off with a good mix of oriental and African tunes followed by a dance performance; live singer Alpesh followed the music and finally the energetic dholi drum performance.

All in all, the event lured a good mix of the Arusha Community and even drew in students from a local village who were all eager to learn about the Indian culture.

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Marvel at the expanse before you from the infinity pool at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje, pure relaxation with only the sounds of the wild for those looking for a quieter time this festive season. Candle light dinners under the stars and magical moments with the one you love. Meru’s rich wildlife diversity includes rare species specific to northern Kenya, such as Grevy’s zebra and Beisa Oryx plus over 450 bird species. Meru National Park is a place of spectacular and dramatic scenery, with its ancient granite kopjes and breath-taking views across to the Nyambeni Range and Mount Kenya beyond.

Elewana The Manor at Ngorongoro brings "old-world" grandeur to a green and lush setting. Think cigars and brandy, elegant fine dining, and post-dinner snooker. Celebrate in style and elegance from picnics on the lawn to a five course dinner in the lavish dining room. We will pamper you and treat you to an extravaganza that will rekindle the spark of Christmas and the excitement of New Year.

Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp is surrounded by the endless plains of the Serengeti that embodies an immense beauty captivating the soul. There is fun for the whole family, as we treat you to a host of Christmas activities, which include a special children’s walk with a professional guide, sundowners around a camp fire with Christmas canapes to African drumming and singing at dinner. We do keep some traditions but with an African twist, these include New Year’s Eve cocktails enjoyed around the camp fire watching the sun go down and as the last rays of light glow in the sky, 2018 is near its end. There is something magical watching a sunset in Africa, nothing compares to the colours that radiate from a thousand blades of grass and every rugged rock, sensing the timelessness of this place as the sounds of the night come alive. The countdown to midnight begins, the bubbles flow and the start of 2019 is here as you listen to a hyena woop or a lion roar the New Year is here.

Colourful people, rhythm and dancing continue to fill the air, this is how we celebrate Christmas and New Year in the savanah. Join us and capture unforgettable memories and share some #elewanamoments

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Covering these basic skill sets has allowed Craig to concentrate on developing each individual guide’s ability to listen, understand and relate to individual guests better.

More recently Craig has conducted a number of training sessions specifically addressing our Head Guides, to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to manage their individual team members. All successful teams need a structure where every member is empowered to do their job to the best of their ability, for the head guides they must have the ability to train and empower their individual teams.

Covering aspects such as integrity, punctuality and responsibility amongst others Head Guides are all asked to focus on their ability to set an example - to become a successful leader by setting themselves high expectations in certain key areas of their own daily routine .

A veteran of 25 years spent in the field Craig is grateful that he can bring his knowledge, experience and learnings to our cadre of local guides and develop these individuals to become extraordinary people and ultimately, exceptional guides.

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His mother, the matriarch had stayed by his side all night, unable to do anything but stand guard and protect her little one. She would not allow Craig or the Guides to get near so they had to call for reinforcements. Kenya Wildlife Service and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy arrived swiftly and working together, the team was able to free the little guy. Mike Watson from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy had joined the team in his helicopter and was able to move the mother away about 500 metres, in order for the team to gain safe access to the young elephant. When he was freed he ran off in the opposite direction from his mother and Mike Watson, using the helicopter guided the little elephant and his mother back together, reuniting them safely.

Over the following two days Craig sent the guides out to see if they could locate the herd and make sure all was well but after searching the area for hours at a time, they could not find the little elephant or his herd. In one way this is a good sign, as it seems the herd wanted to find somewhere quiet after the commotion of the rescue. The young elephant is a tough little guy and maybe one day he and his herd will return to the area and we will see him again. #elewanamoments #elephant #rescue #freedom #wildspaces #somewhereoutthere

A huge thank you to all those that helped get this little elephant out of a tight spot!

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The word 'melanism' is deduced from a Greek word that means black pigment. Melanism is a recessive biological function present is a number of animals and birds, in which the dark-colored pigment melanin is developed in the fur, giving the animal a dark or black-colored appearance. For the melanistic characteristic to occur both parents must have the recessive gene but this does not mean that the offspring will be. There is only a 25% chance that they will have offspring that is melanistic.

The trait seems to be relatively rare in servals. There are just a few records of black servals in the scientific literature from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Gabon, and the Central African Republic.

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The sites on the IUCN Green List have reached a standard of excellence, with clear and measurable benefits for nature and local communities. For Lewa to be included in the list, they had to demonstrate excellence based on a rigorous assessment of 17 criteria of success in four areas: governance, management, design and planning, and conservation outcomes.

We are privileged to be recognised as being among the most effectively managed sites in the world once again. Thank you to all who continue to make our work possible!

Elewana Collection has two properties located in the Conservancy, Elewana Lewa Safari Camp and Elewana Kifaru House, which are the only two tourism property owned by the Conservancy itself, with the aim of boosting the conservancy’s revenue through camp occupancy. All camp profits and conservancy fees generated by the camp are reinvested directly into the conservation and community efforts of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Elewana Kifaru House

Guests can relax and feel at home, choosing how they spend their time, whether it is lying by the picturesque infinity pool gazing out over the plains or sitting in the library leisurely reading a book, time stands still at Elewana Kifaru House. Each of the five cottages offer spectacular views with well-appointed bedrooms, complete with opulent four poster beds and generous en-suite bathrooms. Intimate and homely atmosphere offering true luxury in the bush with unrivalled wildlife viewing.

Elewana Lewa Safari Camp

Elewana Lewa Safari Camp is a unique and exclusive retreat, which offers privileged access to 65,000 acres of private protected wilderness. Featuring large tented bedrooms each with its own veranda and full en-suite bathrooms. Enjoy a host of activities from walking safaris, horse or camel rides, visit to the new joint operations centre and cultural experiences or simply relax by the swimming pool and enjoy the tranquillity.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was previously a cattle ranch owned by David and Delia Craig. In 1995 they decided to dedicate their entire ranch to the conservation of wildlife, especially the critically endangered rhino.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy covers 65,000 acres of pristine African wilderness. With dramatic views of snow-capped Mt Kenya to the south, and the arid lands of Tassia and Il Ngwesi to the north, Lewa showcases a range of wild habitats from highland forests, wide open grasslands, melt-water mountain springs and acacia woodland and supports over 440 bird species. More than 70 different animal species roam the vast grasslands at the foot of Mt Kenya.

Through the protection and management of wildlife species, the initiation and support of community conservation and development programmes, and by educating the local youth in the value of wildlife, Lewa has reversed a decline in several endangered species, most famously rhino and Grevy’s zebra.

Since 1984 its rhino population has grown steadily, not only restoring local numbers but enabling the reintroduction of black rhinos into other regions of East Africa - where they had long been extinct.

The Conservancy currently holds over 10% of Kenya’s black and 15% of Kenya’s white rhino population as well as the largest single population of the critically-endangered Grevy’s zebra in the world.

The Conservancy also carries out extensive outreach work into the surrounding tribal communities with its Community Development Programme and has improved the livelihoods of hundreds of families living on its boundaries with its healthcare, micro-finance, community-managed water projects and education programmes for both adults and children.

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The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy works as a catalyst and model for the conservation of wildlife and its habitat. It does this through the protection and management of species, the initiation and support of community conservation and development programmes, and the education of neighboring areas in the value of wildlife. The Lewa Education Programme’s main mandate is to provide access to quality education to children and youth in marginalised communities in northern Kenya. It employs a holistic, multi-faceted approach which entails a digital literacy programme as one of the key elements. The programme has and continues to facilitate access to digital curricula, enhancing the outcomes of classroom learning for 2,500 students. It also targets teachers, providing them with classroom materials and improving their instructing capacity. Additionally, Lewa provides mobile libraries to enhance reading skills amongst school children within 21 out of 23 Lewa-supported government schools currently.

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One of the aims of the medical camp is so the community can enjoy the benefits of tourism and conservation. The majority of the patients treated are community members who have leased their land to facilitate the formation of the wider Mara North Conservancy. Oasis Healthcare offered free medical service as part of their CSR initiatives and Safarilink provided return air tickets to facilitate the logistics of attending the camp.

The 7^th free annual medical camp took place in Aitong Health centre from the 29^th October to the 1^st November, 2018. We were delighted to help make it possible for community members to access services in gynaecology, dental, paediatrics and general healthcare.

It is always a joy to see the community reap the benefits of their efforts. Once again, the medical camp was a great success. The Land and Life Foundation and Elewana would like to thank all those who partnered with us in providing this much need help.

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ATCL Distribution and Sales Manager Mr Edward Nkwabi said that the airline targets those cities because they are major commercial centres and many Tanzanians travel to the cities to buy merchandise.

Mr Nkwabi was speaking during a joint press conference organised by ATCL and the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), where they revealed plans of hosting roadshows in four cities in China starting next week.

The roadshows will be held in China from November 12 to 20 to promote Air Tanzania and the country's tourist attractions.

Speaking earlier, the TTB Board Chairman Judge (retired) Thomas Mihayo said during the four days in China, they will visit Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Beijing, where they expect to meet more than 500 tourism agents.

He said the team that includes tourism officials from TTB, ATCL and private companies will be led by deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

Research conducted by Outbound Research Institute (COTRI) in China showed that more than 4.31 million Chinese are expected to visit Africa for tourism activities this year.

Judge Mihayo said the decision to put the Dreamliner on the Guangzhou route is because the Chinese prefer direct flights, so they believe the new ATCL service will lead to more tourists visiting the country.

In another development, Miss Tanzania 2018 will be travelling to China to participate in the Miss World event.

Source: The Citizen Tz

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The new route will be the only and first of its kind to connect the West Coast of the USA with West Africa with a nonstop flight. Ethiopian’s Lome hub will offer Los Angeles passengers convenient access to cities in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and points throughout Africa.

The new route to from LAX to ADD via LFW will depart Los Angeles on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 9:35pm and arrive in Addis Ababa at 5:40am the next day. The return flight departs Addis Ababa on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 8:20am and arrives in Los Angeles at 7:35pm.

Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said, “We are delighted to launch yet another long-haul direct flight which takes passengers’ experience to a new level by availing connectivity between West Africa and the West Coast of the USA. Onboard our flights on the new route, passengers will as always enjoy our premium, award winning services on the most technologically advanced B-787 Dreamliner aircraft. In line with our growth roadmap, Vision 2025, we will keep expanding our vast international network, and create better air connectivity options within Africa as well as between Africa and the rest of the world.”

Dublin will remain part of the airline’s network with a new route planned from Dublin to Addis Ababa via Madrid starting December 16, 2018.

Africa’s leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has been expanding its international destinations which have now reached more than 116. Manchester, Moscow, Istanbul and Mogadishu are just some of the new destinations the airline is set to launch soon.

Source: APTA

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Situated in a community led Wildlife Management areas, known as Randilen, guests of Elewana Tarangire Treetops enjoy a secluded and private safari experience. The luxury tree-top rooms, elevated above the ground afford incredible views over the tops of surrounding marula and baobab trees. With a wide private balconies, each are lavishly furnished using natural materials that are blended with contemporary Africana décor, to provide guests with a unique and most memorable safari experience.

Encasing an impressive baobab tree, the spacious and tranquil reception, lounge and dining room overlook the swimming pool and a waterhole that sees a steady flow of wild animal visitors. As the camp is located in the WMA, activities such as bush walks and night game drives are possible, which are not permitted in many other areas. Bush walks allow guests to get “up close and personal” with nature, and experience the bush to a more intimate degree. Alternatively, a night game drive with the option to go off road, in the African bush affords the opportunity to see an array of creatures who prefer the cover of darkness, the African bush hosts a different assortment of creatures after the sun goes down.