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Abercrombie & Kent sets opening date for Kenya lodge

Abercrombie & Kent sets opening date for Kenya lodge

Travel Weekly2 days ago
Abercrombie & Kent has set a June 1 opening date for the Kitirua Plains Lodge in Kenya's Amboseli National Park.
Located on a 128-acre private reserve adjacent to the park, the property will have 13 standalone suites with views of Mount Kilimanjaro. There will be 11 standard suites and two two-bedroom suites, each incorporating natural textures and woven details into their design.
A&K called Kitirua "a deliberate departure from traditional tented safari camps" and one of its "most architecturally adventurous properties to date."
Guest experiences will include game drives, cultural visits with Maasai communities, hot air balloon excursions and gatherings at the lodge's outdoor boma area. The lodge will also offer a spa, gym and swimming pool.
Located in the heart of elephant country, the lodge's suites provide a "front-row seat to one of Africa's most iconic landscapes, where herds of elephants roam freely through a timeless wilderness," A&K said.
Bookings for the Kitirua Plains Lodge are open. Guests are able to experience the lodge as part of A&K's Tailor Made journeys or Small Group Journeys.
Rates start at $1,658 per person, per night for stays of seven nights or longer during the lodge's opening June through October 2026 season.
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‘We downsized to somewhere we'd never heard of'

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It may not be on everyone's radar as a bucket list destination — but there's plenty of reason why this tiny, landlocked country at the heart of East Africa deserves a spot on every discerning traveller's radar. From tracking gorillas in the northern mountains to experiencing Big Five safari in Akagera's eastern plains, there's lots to keep adventurous types occupied — and that's before you lose yourself in the thrum of Kigali, Rwanda's dizzying capital. Here's your itinerary for a whistlestop tour that encompasses all of the must-see sights. Days 1 - 3: Volcanoes National Park After landing in Kigali, most visitors' first port of call in Rwanda is Volcanoes National Park, known the world over as the go-to destination for gorilla trekking. This UNESCO World Heritage site borders neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo: the only other destinations in the world where you can spot endangered gorillas in the wild. 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It's all about the thoughtful touches: each morning, hot coffee is delivered to your door by your personal butler, and after communal suppers at the open-air dining room, you'll return to your villa to find fires lit and hot water bottles tucked between the sheets. At sunrise each morning, you'll journey towards Volcanoes National Park in giddy anticipation of spotting gorillas in the wild. Visitors are organised into small groups of eight dependent on your preferred difficulty level, and led by an expert guide upwards into the park. The uphill climb is arguably the most gruelling part of the trek, but is rewarded by far-reaching vistas across rambling farmland and forest. When you finally arrive at the border of the national park, the terrain transforms entirely: you'll find yourself navigating through thick, untamed jungle (home to more than 200 different plant species) and clambering over slippery rocks to keep up with the seasoned team of trackers leading you towards the specific gorilla family you'll be tracking that day. Reaching the gorillas can take anything from thirty minutes to three hours: when you finally spot the elusive silverback leading his family through the jungle, the overwhelming feeling of relief and joy is indescribable. 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All boast deep bathtubs, complimentary minibars that you're encouraged to raid, and clever tech for adjusting the lighting and curtains. There's everything you could possibly imagine to keep you entertained, from the super-sized swimming pool to the gym, library, private cinema, and games room that even has its own bowling alley. It might be tempting to hole away inside, but there are plenty of thrills (of the culinary and cultural variety) stretching out at your doorstep. Slurp tropical smoothies and local coffee at Indabo Cafe's Kiyovu location, before browsing the hand-woven textiles at neighbouring Go Bananas and admiring local artworks at David Mugire's gallery. For lunch, stop by Repub Lounge for typical Rwandan fare (where you'll feast on karanga, fragrant ginger rice, and fresh plantain) before losing yourself among the stalls at Kimironko Market, and foraging for souvenirs and hand-crafted jewellery at Abraham Konga Collections. 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Close the day with dinner at La Creola, a buzzy bar and restaurant that serves Rwandan-fusion cuisine, or dial it up a notch with the chef's table experience at Kozo, where executive chef Sakorn Somboon's atlas-spanning career results in an exquisite tasting menu blending Asian and African flavours. Day 6 - 8: Akagera National Park After 48 hours of city exploring, round off your week in Rwanda by heading east to spot untamed wildlife in the rolling savannahs of Akagera National Park. In comparison to the well-trodden safari routes through Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania, Rwanda remains a relatively under-the-radar safari destination. This sprawling national park on the cusp of Tanzania is the only location within the country where travellers can experience Big Five safari, with lions, leopards, elephants (and more!) roaming the vast swathes of savannah and marshy swamp. Your safari experience is almost entirely dictated by the lodge you stay at, and for the ultimate sleepover, you'll want to bed down at Wilderness Magashi. Located in a private concession amid the park's northern plains, this is undoubtedly the most luxurious camp within Akagera. With only eight tented bedrooms (all primed to face the sunrise and dangling above glistening Lake Rwanyakazinga), a stay here feels entirely secluded from other travellers, yet tantalisingly close to wildlife: it's not uncommon to spend entire game drives without encountering a single other vehicle in the bush, but you'll wake to the grunt of hippos wallowing in the lake directly beneath you. An all-inclusive stay includes expertly crafted breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, along with afternoon nibbles, sundowners served in the bush, and two guided game drives each day. Depending on the season, your adventures might include boat cruises across the lake (glide through hippo-infested waters and spy crocodiles snoozing by the lake's edge) and drives through dense bush in pursuit of zebras, giraffes, and rhinos. Every detail of the guest experience is seamless: the whipsmart team learns each guest's name within minutes of arrival - along with your coffee order and cocktail of choice — and there are homemade cookies in your bedroom to welcome you, along with hot water bottles to warm the bed. As if the experience could be any more spoiling, the lodge is soon expanding to encompass Wilderness Magashi Peninsula: a clutch of super-luxury villas, each boasting private pools and far-reaching views across the peninsula. The details Nightly rates at Wilderness Magashi start from £673 per person sharing, including all meals, twice daily scheduled camp activities, park fees, laundry and local drinks Lead in rate for Virunga Lodge is £845 all-inclusive per person sharing Rooms at The Pinnacle Hotel start at £1,890 a night based on two people sharing Getting there: RwandAir flies daily from London Heathrow to Kigali with return fares including all taxes and charges starting from £679 in Economy Class and £2,300 in Business Class

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