Africa Amini – Accomodation review
Lodge – Luxury – West Kilimanjaro
Day of stay: July 2020, 2 nights.
Intro
Africa Amini – Orginal Maasai lodge is a truly unique lodge: offering delightful Maasai boma styled bungalows with a killer view on Kilimanjaro. You will find that it is not the rooms that are the highlight of your stay: but rather your chance to take a peek into Maasai life. If you are interested in learning a bit more about this enigmatic tribe: there is no better way to do so then to include a visit here during your trip. You will have an experience that is quite the opposite of the “quick and dirty’ boma visit on the main tourist trail.
Although the rooms are very comfortable and the food is fantastic: the true stars of your experience here are the team that works in the lodge. Friendly, professional, and knowledgeable they will make sure that your stay is a highlight of your visit to Tanzania. Which is no mean feat considering they are competing with the world’s best wildlife.
Run by a Maasai community – all profits go to supporting the hospital, orphanages, and schools connected to the lodge. It is very nice to see a lodge that truly is sustainable tourism – and not merely pays lip service in their leaflets. Best of all: this good will does not mean you have to compromise on your comfort. Service and accommodation are of an excellent luxury level.
Make sure to not miss the storytime at the campfire before dinner. You will be hosted by a member of the community who – in true Maasai tradition – uses stories to impart some wisdom on the listeners.
The Facts
16 bungalows
Family Bungalow available
Pool
WIFI available
Electric Powerpoints available
Location
5 stars
You will find Africa Amini – Original Maasai Lodge well off the tourist trail on the Maasai Steppe at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. You can reach Kilimanjaro Airport in about an hour and a half . This makes Africa Amini – Original Maasai Lodge an excellent choice for a last day out of the car at the end of your safari. If possible it is certainly worthwhile to stay 2 nights here.
Food
Food consists of fresh scrumptious meals prepared with local ingredients. Bread is baked fresh on the spot and will be some of the best you will taste during your stay in Tanzania. Breakfast is served every morning, with cold cuts in a buffet-style while eggs, sausage, and bacon will be prepared in order. For lunch and dinner, the lodge prepares home-cooked international and traditional Swahili cuisine. They also serve Maasai specialties using fresh, organic ingredients are grown on-site.
For the culinary adventurous you can even taste a Maasai classic: fresh milk mixed with cow blood.
Value for money
We stayed here on the basis of a special resident offer –during the corona crisis. We got a ‘“to good to be true” offer, which I doubt will be available in the future. So I will base my opinion on the normal tourist price in the high season. Which is around $180 per person full board, excluding park fees.
Africa Amini delivers excellent value for money. Besides that, it is not possible to have this experience anywhere else in Tanzania, or the world for that matter. Service and comfort level is definitely a great luxury standard.
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