AndBeyond has announced plans to redevelop and rebrand one of its key properties in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

AndBeyond Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp, located in Tanzania’s western corridor on the banks of the Grumeti River, will be reopened on June 6, 2022, as andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge.

The renovation will be led by interior designers Fox Browne Creative and architect Jack Alexander. AndBeyond said the rebuild will “reinvent the traditional safari tent”, with the new lodge offering a new contemporary stye while retaining the rustic nature of the original camp. 

Guest suites will more than double is size and will feature raised ceilings, taller doors, deep baths, indoor showers and extensive outdoor decks with private plunge pools. A family suite featuring an additional attached bedroom will also be added to the lodge offering. 

The main guest areas will follow the contours of the river, creating a series of sitting and dining areas. 

All buildings will be constructed from lightweight steel frames clad in canvas and sustainably-sourced local hardwood.

AndBeyond said the form of the buildings will be influenced by the circular homesteads of the nomadic Maasai, while the colour palette of interiors will take inspiration from the tribe’s colourful necklaces and the kitenge fabrics found throughout Tanzania’s Great Lakes region. The purple tones of the original lodge will be “pared down” to a more subtle tone, according to the brand, and accented with bright fabrics and hand-blown glass.

A state-of-the-art gym will be added while the boma and lodge pool will remain largely untouched.

AndBeyond said sustainability will be “key” in the rebuild. The new lodge will include a 130kWh solar system, which will allow it to run on 80% renewable energy. All hot water systems will also be replaced with new, energy efficient ones. 

Waste water from the laundry will be recycled for other use and rainwater will be harvested for the swimming pools, while new technology will be installed to monitor underground water levels and ensure borehole capacity is not exceeded.

The revamped andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge will also feature an extended selection of experiences designed to complement the resident wildlife of the Serengeti.

Niall Anderson, chief operating officer of Africa Lodges at andBeyond, said: “andBeyond Grumeti was originally built in the early 1990s. While it has since undergone two refurbishments, when the Grumeti River burst its banks and the lodge was flooded in April 2020, we decided that it was time for a comprehensive rebuild.

“We feel that what has always set the lodge apart is its magnificent setting on a tributary of the Grumeti River. Our brief to the design team was to create spaces that would bring guests even closer to these riverside views, connecting them to nature while ensuring a sense of understated luxury.”

AndBeyond owns and operates 29 lodges and camps in Africa and South America and designs high-end tours across Africa, Asia and South America.