Location: Ololosokwan Area, Tanzania

Website: https://www.taasalodge.com

Go: Empower. Protect. Explore. TAASA lives out this mission by employing and empowering local members of their community, preserving and protecting the indigenous wildlife and natural species of the region and educating global travelers on the rich natural and cultural resources Tanzania has to offer. 

Located on the northern edge of the Serengeti in Tanzania, enjoy TAASA, nestled on a ridge within a private concession, far away from crowds of tourists. Thoughtfully designed and tastefully decorated, enjoy TAASA’s main lodge, finished with a combination of precious timbers and large picture windows. A large outdoor patio with fire pit and lounge chairs provides the perfect venue for aperitifs and hors d’oeuvres or simply for reading, relaxing and meeting other guests.

Experience luxury under canvas in TAASA‘s luxurious and spacious en-suite tents. In between game drives, enjoy stunning views of the Lobo Valley from the serenity of your private verandah or curl up with a good book in your own cozy sitting area. This raised sleeping area features either a king or twin sized beds. En-suite bathrooms are complete with a stone shower, double vanity, and hair dryer, along with sumptuous robes and towels – a touch of indulgence in the bush.

Take a splash in TAASA‘s infinity pool, built seamlessly within the greenery that surrounds the main lodge terrace. Enjoy meals inside the main lodge, outside ‘el fresco’ on the terrace, or on your private veranda outside your tent upon request. Enjoy a classic African dinner with fire blazing and stars twinkling above during TAASA‘s Starlit dinners.

TAASA offers excellent game viewing throughout the year, whether you experience the great migration of wildebeest and zebra, predators such as ample lion, cheetah and hyena, or the world-famous Serengeti herd animals such as buffalo, elephant and giraffe. Tanzania is an ideal bird watching area with over one-thousand species of birds, including eight-hundred resident and three-hundred migratory species. Sometimes it’s the smallest things in the bush that can draw unexpected attention, from colorful agama lizards, to Golden Orb spiders and hard working dung beetles, TAASA guides will surprise you with stories about these small but mighty creatures.

Choose from the several TAASA on-site experiences guests can enjoy from viewing the great migration of herds, night drives in TAASA’s open-sided Toyota Land Cruiser, walking safaris in the bush, balloon safari viewing or a visit to the nearby Maasai Village.

The Maasai are among the best known of African tribes due to their adherence of distinctive customs and dress, and they are always enthusiastic about sharing their cultural beliefs with the few visitors they receive. A visit among the local people of Tanzania can easily become one of the most rewarding experiences of a visit to Africa. Indulge in some local shopping where guests will find original items and can feel good that all purchases directly support this rural community, made in the small village of Ololosokwan.

TAASA features all the modern comforts to make you feel right at home and guests will marvel at the level of luxury that can be found in the wilds of Tanzania. 

And Do Good: TAASA is proudly rooted the ideals of family, empowerment and education as means to provide the best life possible for all. Their partner, Wine to Water, embodies these same ideals and is an incredible organization that not only helps to build water filters and infrastructure to solve the water crisis, but also empowers and educates local communities on the importance of clean water to ensure the projects are used, serviced and maintained properly for many generations to come.

The Wine to Water Arusha team is headed by local Tanzanians who helped to launch The Clean Water Project, aiming to provide safe and accessible water to Mairoa A, a small Maasai Village located in Northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border. The goal is to create a community water system using a local spring with a series of tap stands that are protected from wildlife. Local leaders, women, and community ambassadors will be a part of the Water Use Committee to guide project design, location and community investment to best lead clean water education. 

In addition to The Clean Water Project, 70% of TAASA‘s staff was hired from the local Maasai Village of Ololosokwan. Their goal is to aim to give the residents of Ololosokwan and the surrounding area the education, empowerment and resources to live the healthiest and happiest lives possible while respecting their unique and beautiful culture.

Also focused on empowerment through education, TAASA acknowledges that in Tanzania, only 5.4% of students in the early grades read with comprehension with an estimated two million children between ages 3 and 7 are out of school and 70% of children ages 14-17 are not enrolled in secondary education. The Classroom Build Project, launching summer 2021, aims to provide education to the children of Ololosokwan. Currently, their few classrooms are flooded with hundreds of children, often combining young kids with much older ones while learning the same topic. The hope is that by creating more spaces, the kids will be able to have the resources to focus on their education in an environment that supports them and that TAASA can one day hire their staffs’ children through the empowerment of education.

Book your stay at TAASA Lodge and to Go and Do Good®, book directly at https://www.taasalodge.com.