Singita: Faru Faru

"Fill At Home"...You fill me?

We woke up on the third morning and started the day with a game drive that would lead us all the way to Faru Faru,  just in time for their famous meze fare lunch, and for a few hours we would have the entire lodge all to ourselves. Now that's privacy. As we dismounted from the Rover we were welcomed with the traditional Singita lavender scented hot moist towels and delicious herbal iced tea. After we had a tour of the main lodge and pool area we were whisked away to our own private room, bungalow 8. 

Coming from Sasakwa you feel a swift contrast with Faru Faru's youthful and somewhat playful tone. I'm not going to lie, the moment I walked in, I knew it was going to be difficult to leave. Faru Faru is in the style of a modern 1940's botanist retreat (in which case, I may have missed my calling as a 1940's botanist) , and each room has all of the tools you would need to knit, paint, and draw. I didn't need much encouragement to feel artistic in this beautiful setting, within an hour of arriving both of us were inspired and ready to paint.

PTO

S. Angelo

S. Angelo

This was our first vision the morning we woke at Faru Faru, it was painfully beautiful, to the point that I rolled out of bed at 6am just to paint a picture of it, so that I would NEVER forget it. 

S. Angelo

 I wanted to capture that pink sky and the one tall and bare tree that was black from the back-light, with its intricate branches, and the gorgeous pink reflection in the calm swirling river...mmmmm. I've never seen 6am look more beautiful, and I an NOT a morning person, but in the Serengeti we woke up every morning just before 5am and felt more alive than ever, no coffee necessary. (But how can you say no to a hot cup of Tanzanian Gold?)

 It's amazing how painting and drawing, more than anything else, helps you to burn an image into your mind. Simply taking a photo can never have the same effect. It's all about studying and analyzing the subject until your own mind begins to interpret it in a visually artistic way, then something changes, you begin to study the color more carefully and the angles and minute details with intent. Then and only then do you look at a landscape that is mostly green and brown and obsess over the minor variations in color and texture, you quickly realize that no tree, leaf, or blade of grass is exactly alike. 

I should probably continue this conversation with master landscape artist and mother of Lily Shapiro, Ilse Gordon. I could also use a serious lesson in depth and 3-dimensional space!

Bungalow 8 - 

Not to be confused with the early 2000's NYC hot spot. If Amy Sacco's creation was anything like this...it would have never closed!

     This tented bungalow took my breath away, the design was impeccable and modern, equipped with an outdoor shower and patio, and a tub that sits right up against the glass so that you can gaze at the babbling brook (stole that one from Annie) or raging river, depending on whether it's rained.  There was something about it's simplicity and clean lines that was soothing to the eye and made you feel immediately relaxed. The front of the bungalow one huge window over looking the Grumeti river, which opens with the press of a button, allowing the room to become part of nature, immediately you're engulfed by the sound of the river, the birds, and of course the baboons. On the other side of the Grumeti you see zebra, gazelle, and impala grazing.

 Main Lodge & Pool -

The main lodge is built with all natural materials and is completely open.

  Life along the Grumeti River -

 

The elusive colobus monkey, we were very lucky to spot these cuties with their white puffy tails.

This tree was spellbinding.

Baby terrapin.

Nice choppers.

Bye, bye birdie...

Baboon Bubble Bath - 

What better way to spend our afternoon than taking a nice hot bubble bath with our good friends Mr. & Mrs. Baboon?

The first encounter I had with a baboon at the bungalow was while I was looking in the mirror, applying my mascara. I caught a glimpse of something in the corner of my eye and as I turned my head to the right I locked eyes with the baboon, who had been watching me apply my makeup. I was a little startled and let out a shrill gasp, which caused Mr. Baboon to get upset, in fact he was pissed, he jumped on the outer ledge of the window and stomped his way to the back door. Peter and I literally thought he was going to open the door, as he stopped and looked back at us through the glass.

They're actually quite adorable, as they have the face of a dog with their long snouts. I watched them for at least and hour sitting in the tree and picking berries, eating them, then sometimes taking one bite and tossing it if it wasn't ripe enough. After witnessing this I no longer feel guilty about my fastidious nature when it comes to selecting produce.

 

Singita Surprise -

There's no surprise quite like a Singita surprise: we were told to be up and atum at 9am the morning after we arrived, for a surprise, so we jumped in the Land Rover and Joe drove until we reached a clearing next to the Grumeti River. Right there beside the river they had set up the most beautiful breakfast smorgasbord, complete with a full grill of sausages, eggs, potato pancakes, and crepes with chocolate and raspberry jam. It was absolutely lovely.

Later that night we came back to our bungalow to find rose pedals delicately placed on the floor spelling out, "FILL AT HOME", and a trail leading all the way to the bathtub that was drawn with bubbles, flowers, champagne, and candles scattered throughout the room. Thank you to our friend William at Faru Faru, for lovingly setting up that romantic scene. Authentic hospitality.

Our final and favorite surprise at Faru Faru was when we walked out of our bungalow at 8am to find a family of elephants directly outside our door. Peter walked out first, as was trying to get me to follow because we had to meet Joe, and all of a sudden he exclaimed, "There's a herd of elephant out here!!" to which I replied, "Yeah, yeah..I'm almost finished getting ready, cutie!" After a bit more convincing I walked out to find 15 elephant!! It was exhilarating, no one else was around, and we just stood there in awe of these ginormous, beautiful creatures. They didn't even seem to be bothered or stressed by our presence. We tried to get as close as possible without getting trampled on, my heart was racing.

These elephants were on a mission, they were getting a quick snack and moving right along. It seemed they had a destination in mind, because after we met up with our guide Joe, we  found them a mile away on the other side of the river.

Interesting Fact: Both male and female African elephants have beautiful ivory tusks, which grow for most of their lifetime and are an indicator of age. They are known to have very long lives, if everything goes well for them. Life expectancy is anywhere between 60 - 80 years old, they live longer than any other mammal in the animal kingdom. Elephants are "right- or left-tusked," one tusk is always shorter than the other. The shorter tusk is the one that they use the most. They use the favored tusk more as a tool which is why over time it gets worn down and shorter. 

In the elephant kingdom females are top, they're in charge, and they call the shots.
Each family has a matriarch, who always leads them wherever they go. When she starts walking, every one of them stops what they're doing and follows her. For elephants there is a very defined social order and they're an extremely close knit society, these female elephants create a connection and community that spans a lifetime. They care for one another deeply.  Elephant families can only be separated by death or capture.

 This sort of system helps to ensure successful survival and continuance of the species. So ladies, let this be a lesson to us all. Let's not forget, elephants are one of the most highly intelligent species in the animal kingdom. If women could get along as well as female elephants do we would be running the world...I for one am not going to hold my breath. Elephant power! Forgive me, Sheryl Sandberg, maybe its more than just leaning in, we should probably start by being nice to one another and helping each other. I know you addressed this at the end of the book, but I feel as though it should have been one of the most important and significant topics.

Crazy Fact: Elephants eat about 1,100 and 1,200 pounds of grass and branches every day. That must be exhausting! Every few feet they would stop for 30 seconds to a minute and grab some vegetation.

Nom nom.

The perfect bum scratching device.

Sweet little dumbo, trying to keep up.




"Being in close harmony with animals is important because through them, we learn so much."

Singita: Sasakwa Lodge

Welcome to Singita - 'place of miracles'

The story goes that the Grumeti Reserve was one of the most poached and hunted areas of the Serengeti, leaving it squandered and lifeless. An American Hedge Fund owner and conservationist, Paul Tudor Jones II, decided to lease the land for 99 years and pay the enormous hunting fees associated with it. He set about restoring the land first by hiring poachers to form an anti-poaching guard to protect the land. Today, 12 years later, the Grumeti Reserve is the most prolific location for wildlife in the Serengeti National Park. In fact, guides from outside the Grumeti have been know to ask Singita how they keep the animals in the reserve. 

Singita's mission above all else is to preserve and protect the land and the animals that inhabit it, they also strive to uplift, educate and employ the communities around them that share that land. 

Everything about Singita makes you feel good, it's a win/win for everyone involved. They protect the land and the animals with the money from the guests, the lodges employ the locals, the poachers are paid to stop poaching and guard the land, and they raise awareness with the guests and the local communities about the importance of guardianship and conservancy. 

Interesting fact: The Grumeti is home to a single female rhino that lives in a large area (near Sasakwa) that is fenced-in to protect her from poachers and elephants. This female rhino and another male rhino were originally born in the Serengeti and transported to a zoo in the UK, many years later Singita brought them back to the Serengeti and protected them behind an electric fence, until one day an elephant broke through the fence and killed the male rhino, leaving the female all alone. They have a plan, years in the making, to find her a mate.
 
Sasakwa Lodge

December 30th, 2013 - January 1st, 2014

First stop, Sasakwa Lodge for two nights, I would say this is by far the most gentle safari experience of the three Singita lodges that we stayed at in the Grumeti. Perched on a hill, Sasakwa Lodge has a birds eye view of the grand Serengeti plains. The view is nothing less than stunning, it takes your breath away, and it.. is... memorizing. It's a vision much like Hawksview (Estate in St. John Between Trunk and Hawksnest Bay) that seduces the eye, leaving you no choice but to surrender to its magnificent glory. This dreamlike scene just yearns for your long gaze. It's easy to lose yourself, and hard to imagine that you could ever tire of that majestic vision of the vast plains and abundant nature. 

After the trip was complete I found that Sasakwa was truly the best first stop on our tour of the Grumeti, it's captivating to see the grandeur of the place that you're in, before you dig deep into its nooks and crannies. And it gives you great perspective on the adventure that you are about to embark upon. By this point no one is probably reading a word of this, I don't blame you...a picture is worth a thousand words. However, I will tell you that these pictures will never do it justice, because you can't breath the air, hear the sounds of nature all around you, and feel the gentle pink warmth of the sun slowing creeping above the horizon.

Off in the distance there's a large watering hole that is home to a mother, father, and baby hippo that we visited twice.

  Just imagine watching the great wildebeest migration from this vantage point! It's no wonder they call it the 'greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.' Although, I do have my own vision of what could make this natural marvel even more thrilling. I envision a full symphony orchestra set up right there on the lawn of Sasakwa, let's just say NY Philharmonic, playing the work that they commissioned, Dvorak's New World Symphony. Epic.

That famous African sunrise.

Sasakwa is definitely the most elegant and regal lodge, with its old-world charm and antiques. Let's just say it's not difficult to turn away from the view and gaze into the opulent manor house. In my case it was a constant back and forth, a true feast for the eyes. The lodge has a unmistakeable old wealth/British royalty vibe, and it would be impressive to see this manor house in any first world country, let alone in the middle of the Serengeti!! It boggled my mind to think of how they even built it...of course I asked, I had to. It took between 2,000-3,000 people, 12 months to build Sasakwa Lodge. I truly appreciate every detail that went into making Sasakwa what it is, a masterpiece. You can see that it's a labor of love, and a homage to the decadent and luxurious things in life. Yet I must say that with this type of luxury and opulence a certain kind of guest is attracted, luckily there's more than enough space to be secluded at most times. I felt so happy and blessed to be able to appreciate Singita through the eyes of a young woman born and raised in the inner city of Buffalo, NY,  because Sasakwa deserves that kind of gratitude, which from the looks of it, may just be another day in the lives of some of the other guests. But then again, I'll be the first to say, never judge a book by its cover.

Inside the lodge 

 Billiard Room

Peter tapping into his inner Terry Richardson on this one.

Tennis Pavilion

 Overlook

 Private Cottage & Pool

Side note: 

A few days after we got back from Africa I was at Eastern Market Nails visiting my favorite ladies, and a woman in her early 60's sat down next to me to get a pedi, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on her conversation, she had just gotten back from 5 weeks in South America and Antarctica! My ears perked up and my eyes widened. One of my friends at the nail salon asked me about the honeymoon and I mentioned Africa, the well traveled lady beside me  immediately turned toward me and struck up a conversation. She asked me where I had traveled to in Africa, and I said Tanzania, and then she gave me a look and I knew what she was thinking just from the look in her eyes. The next question was... Oh, where in Tanzania? 

I gave her the same look back and the nod, she exhaled with joy as I blurted out Singita Sasakwa Lodge! We both looked at each other with the same stunned look, as if we were part of some secret society. Oh my gosh!! right?? It 's the most beautiful place on earth. She had gone back twice after her first visit, not surprised. She returned specifically to watch the wildebeest migration.  Naturally I asked her, "You seem like quite a world traveler, where do I go from here? What is after Singita?" Unfortunately for me she gave me the 'you peaked to soon' look, and admitted, "yeah, you won't find anything else in the world like Singita Sasakwa." So....I guess that's it. There are other places I would love to visit, but now it's officially confirmed that nothing will be better than Singita, or even on the level of genuine and authentic hospitality, unprecedented cuisine, home-like and luxurious accommodations, and immersion in wildlife/nature. She did however recommend some other safaris and advised me to visit Botswana and South Africa next, our guide Joe at Singita said the same exact thing. Apparently the safari experience in Botswana is different, and just as amazing, you can get even closer to the animals. 

Sasakwa was the perfect way to start our first trip to the Serengeti, yet we were so excited to move on to the next lodge, Faru Faru, where we would get deeper into nature...


 



"Beyond the realms of common sense, beyond the inevitability that populations grow, but the land does not, and beyond the knowledge that Africa's pristine wild areas are in danger of disappearing more rapidly than most can imagine - it is an immutable law that the continent's future lies in the hands of those few who care deeply about her. It is in the hands of the people who have the passion, the knowledge and the dedication that is required to protect her from extinction - the ones who are destined to ensure that nature's cycles and equilibrium are upheld and handed down as a vital legacy to future generations."

- Singita Book