Anantara has opened its first spa in the African bush offering an authentic connection with the local culture, people and history of this exquisite land and paying homage to the days when Out of Africa author Karen Blixen came to this timeless paradise.
The Anantara Spa at Bilila Lodge Kempinski is the third in Tanzania and follows on from the successful ventures on the spice island of Zanzibar and in the bustling capital Dar Es Salaam. Located in the heart of the legendary Serengeti National Park, the latest Anantara Spa is a lyrical meditation on the strength and grace of Blixen and the stunning natural beauty of the landscape, which so captivated her after arriving as a young colonial bride in 1924.
Guests can explore a range of spa journeys and healing treatments inspired by the ruggedness of the savannah, the majesty of the mountains of this great continent, the cool flowing waters of Lake Manyara as well as the exquisite allure of the local flora and fauna.
The spa is designed in keeping with the landscape in which it is set with free use of wood, tiles and thatched elements. Guests enter the laid-back elegance of the spa along a wooden walkway through the authentic village style of the Bilila Lodge.
The spa has 4 double Treatment Suites, 1 double Ayurvedic Room, 1 double Thai Massage Room as well as separate male and female changing areas, a steam room, sauna and a serene relaxation lounge with reclining beds set amid gently playing water features and beautiful gardens.
The Serengeti is one of the world's last great wildlife refuges. It is a vast area of land supporting the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa, on a scale unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
Guests can immerse themselves in the luxury of the spa sanctuary and indulge in an Out Of Africa journey full of 1920s decadence and refinement. The two main Signature Journeys are the Safari Adventure and the Jungle Adventure, which are both 210 minutes long. The Safari Adventure incorporates a series of pampering and soothing therapies using locally produced oils, plants and herbs that will intoxicate the senses and leave the skin soft, smooth and relaxed. It finishes with a sensual Safari Massage, which is the perfect restorative treatment after a long hot trip out into the savannah. The Jungle Adventure is a detoxifying journey inspired by the energy of the African jungle that will leaves guests feeling cleansed and rejuvenated.
Natural elements from Africa have been chosen for their purity and cultural authenticity. The physical and spiritual purity of Africa’s vast savannahs is the inspiration for a range of body wraps that include oils from indigenous Boabab, Marula and Argan and body scrubs that are prepared using local coffee beans.
In addition, guests can choose to explore centuries-old therapies from Thailand, India and the Middle East that have been reinvented for the modern age – all of them tailored exactly to each guest’s personal choices and desires.
The Serengeti is Tanzania’s most famous national park and the largest protected area that borders Kenya’s Masai Mara. Its endless plains of grass, tinged with the twisted shadows of acacia trees have made it the quintessential image of wild and unspoilt Africa. Large prides of lion laze easily in the long grasses, plentiful herds of elephant feed on acacia bark while giraffe, gazelle, monkey and eland pass by in awe-inspiring numbers.
The Bilila Lodge Kempinski is strategically positioned in the central north of the Serengeti, 390km from Arusha, which can be reached via a brief 50-minute flight or a 7.5-hour drive.
