On Saturday 9th November Shanga was delighted to receive a visit from a very special group - our CEO Karim Wissanji accompanied by a group of Kenya's Senior Industrialists and Chief Executives from The Young Presidents Organisation. The Shanga team were thrilled to be hosting the VIPs, and Paul (Senior Shanga Guide) took great delight in leading the group around the workshop, teaching them sign language and assisting them to engage with the staff. The glassblowing was one of the highlights of the visit, with the glassblowing team putting on a great show. Not to be outdone, the beading team also entranced the visitors, demonstrating their nimble work and talking about how they had come to work with Shanga and what benefits they have gained since joining the Shanga family.

The partnership between Shanga and The Elewana Collection has been a great success. Within today's global landscape of climate change and inequality, there is increasing focus on the potential of tourism to provide a sustainable, socially and environmentally stable base for development. Partnerships such as the Shanga-Elewana relationship stand out, as a step in the right direction. Impact investment, where companies commit to supporting social enterprises or community SMEs, does a lot more than simply provide jobs - although that is of course a major benefit. Shanga is a great success, a self-sustaining business which has grown exponentially since the partnership with Elewana, and allowed the generated profits to be reinvested and used for further development and other conservation and community projects. This growth and reinvestment has allowed employment of more people with disabilities; provision of training and skills development for those in the greatest need; better quality of life and improved working conditions. Shanga's message of ability over disability is reaching a wider audience and having a huge impact on local community perceptions, and the ripple effect continues to spread.

It was inspiration for the Shanga team to meet The Young Presidents Organization (Kenya Chapter) and have the chance to show them everything they have been doing. Once in the shop, the group purchased various items with woven blankets and glass elephants flying off the shelves. 

The Elewana Collection is proud of Shanga, and of what this partnership continues to achieve. If you are passing through Arusha, make sure you drop in to see for yourself, and you too will leave inspired.

Awards & Voting

The results of the 2019 World Luxury Hotel Awards voting process have been concluded, and Elewana Collection is delighted to confirm that Elewana Kifaru House and Elewana Serengeti Pioneer Camp are both winners! We would like to thank all of you who took the time to vote for one or both of these stunning properties, ensuring our success. 

We are delighted to announce that Elewana Elsa's Kopje has retained its Gold status for another 2 years and Elewana AfroChic has moved up from Bronze to Silver. Ecotourism Kenya promotes responsible tourism practices within the tourism industry and encourages the adoption of best practices in the use of tourism resources, working with local communities and managing wastes and emissions.

Ecotourism Kenya, defines Ecotourism as ‘the involvement of tourists in environmental conservation activities directly linked to addressing human development needs, and promotes equitable sharing of benefits accrued from tourism with local communities while supporting their nature conservation values’. Their vision is to bring together conservation, communities and tourism in a responsible manner and the principles governing ecotourism include;

• Encourage travel to natural areas
• Minimize impact of tourism activities on natural attractions
• Recognize and build awareness about local conservation values and their importance to society
• Provide direct benefits and empowerment for local people at destinations without retrogression on environmental, cultural or local living standards.
• Respect local people, their customs and culture
• Support sustainable development of local economies through direct involvement and participatory decision-making

Ecotourism Kenya and the Eco-rating Technical Committee has confirmed that both properties have attained an Eco-rating Certification. The committee commended each facility for the continuous efforts in upholding best practices in sustainable tourism, and for the great improvement demonstrated particularly in environmental management from the last assessment of the property.

Congratulations to the staff and management of both Elewana properties for this achievement.

Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards Survey, which marks its 25th Anniversary in 2020, is now open to voters and Elewana Collection is pleased to announce several properties have been nominated. 

Vote now for your favorite Elewana Collection properties! Visit tlworldsbest.com/vote to rate your favorite Elewana Collection experiences (you can vote for more than one property!) and enter for a chance to win one of five international travel prizes. Each vote will contribute to the results, which will be revealed in the August 2020 issue of Travel + Leisure. 

Elewana Collection is happy to note the following properties have been nominated:

Make sure to cast your vote before midnight on March 2, 2020!

VOTE HERE

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older at time of entry. To qualify for the random drawing, entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on 3/2/20. Only one (1) online entry per person/email address. Unless otherwise stated, prizes do not include travel and/or accommodations, which are the winners' sole responsibility. See Sweepstakes Facts and Official Rules for details, specifics on prizes and how to enter the Giveaway without completing the survey. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

Trade Shows

Signature’s 2019 Conference will be held on December 2-5, 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. The organization’s must-attend event of the year brings together over 2,400 travel industry professionals, including Signature travel advisors, managers and agency owners, and worldwide preferred partners to meet, network and learn from each other.

This year's theme is "ELEVATE", which quite literally means to rise to a higher standard, position, or state of being. The goal is to ‘elevate’ those that attend in order to offer clients a new level of service and products, as well as a differentiated travel experience. The sky is the limit.

Jessie Bligh from Emerging Destinations, our Sales Representative in North America will be attending on our behalf and looks forward to meeting you and ‘elevate’ your experience of The Elewana Collection.

Born and raised in Atlanta Georgia, Jessie has been working for Emerging Destinations since 2014 and her love of Africa has grown ever since. Emerging Destinations' mission statement, Saving Wild Places Through Travel, has become a passion and she is very proud to have met and worked with travel professionals that share the same values.

The two properties listed with Signature Travel Network are;

ILTM 2019 marks the launch of ILTM’s Year of Health and Wellness, kicking off in the French Riviera in Cannes from 2nd to 6th December. ILTM will launch research and gather a community of wellness experts that all draw the same conclusion; in the future, all travel is wellness travel, every trip is expected to enhance the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the traveller, transformation is the very promise of travel, and today’s travel brands are the solution to one of the biggest problems of our age.

James Haigh, Elewana Collection’s Director of Sales & Marketing is looking forward to sharing our passion for providing every guest with experiences that will transform their stay in East Africa.

SkySafari by Elewana

For those that are considering traveling over Christmas and New Year but want something different, then this African safari adventure is an experience that will live with those long after they have left this magical continent. 

Let SkySafari guide your guests on this unforgettable journey of discovery and exploration with their loved ones during this special time of year - we will take care of all the details so they can savour every moment of this life-changing experience.

SkySafari is designed specifically to make it simple to book and enjoy a safari holiday to Kenya and Tanzania, leaving guests with time to relax and watch the never-ending circle of life unwind against the backdrop of East Africa’s iconic parks and timeless landscapes.

Guests enjoy the comforts of personalised service, luxurious accommodation, and authentic African safari experiences, while being transported in supreme comfort, safety and convenience. SkySafari has its own small fleet of Executive-Class Cessnas. The planes have custom-designed interiors, replete with bespoke white leather seating and mahogany embellishments, air conditioning vents, and plenty of space to stretch out. Each plane hosts 9 seats, including one next to your SkySafari pilot.

SkySafari offers a choice of luxury itineraries, each weaving together a unique blend of the highlights of Kenya and Tanzania’s wildlife areas, while staying in the exquisite accommodations of the Elewana Collection;

• From the Kenya Connoisseur, which offers a magical 8-day safari with more than a hint of adventure - from the rugged and beautiful wilds of Meru, to the rolling plains of Loisaba and its offering of exciting safari activities, to the spectacle of nature’s greatest theatre, the Masai Mara.
• Alternatively the allure of the Kenya Classic captures the true essence of the country, as you marvel at Amboseli’s famed elephants; lose yourself in the Hollywood romance of Meru, and be awed by the finest wildlife viewing in the world in the Masai Mara.
• If you are looking for the very best of Tanzania’s safari destinations, this classic 8-day journey takes you through the baobab and elephant dotted landscape of Tarangire, to the breath-taking Eden that is the Ngorongoro Crater, finishing in the world-renowned Serengeti, with its endless horizons and abundant wildlife.

On the SkySafari guests will be treated to unrivalled experiences from game drives in the Elewana custom-designed quality fleet of safari vehicles offering unparalleled viewing opportunities providing excellent comfort and safety. Each vehicle is driven by a world-class safari guide, each are highly-qualified and intimately knowledgeable about their area, many having grown up in the areas that they work. All possess a keen ability to communicate their passion for East Africa’s wildlife, people and landscapes to guests from all nationalities, ages and backgrounds. Other activities include bush meals in the wilderness, offering unique settings to marvel at the landscape around while enjoying a delicious meal to tantalise your senses and sundowners in Africa’s best spots to watch the last rays of golden light touch the savannah with your favourite drink in hand, listening to the sounds of the bush. There is fun and excitement for all, while spending quality time together creating memories to last a lifetime.

Travel Updates

By Anu Vohora, Safarilink Aviation

Safarilink Aviation and Kenya Airways PLC signed a one-way codeshare agreement to open up Kenya by connecting domestic scheduled services to all the best safari destinations within Kenya and Tanzania.

This codeshare agreement means that effective 3rd November, KQ international passengers will be able to combine their travel experience between respective international destinations and 18 destinations that Safarilink operates within Kenya and to Tanzania.

During the signing of the partnership, Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Mikosz said, “As part of our strategy to continue growing the network, we have seen the need to give travel ease to our customers by connecting their destinations. This partnership with Safarilink will significantly open up Kenya’s tourist destinations to international travelers by allowing passengers to connect from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Wilson Airport and eventually to their respective safari destinations which is a great convenience to them.”

The partnership will see KQ place its codeshare flight numbers on the Safarilink flights so that when customers from international destinations book online, they are able to book with connectivity to all  Safarilink destinations.

Commenting on the codeshare agreement, Safarilink Aviation Chief Executive Officer Alex Avedi said, “We are very pleased to be entering into this significant partnership with KQ which will provide seamless connection of passengers from the KQ network straight into Kenya and Tanzania’s world-famous parks. We are delighted that KQ chose us on account of our commitment to safety and quality.”

Oman Air and Kenya Airways have expanded their codeshare, increasing the destinations available to passengers.

The expansion will allow seamless connectivity to Oman Air passengers travelling beyond Nairobi to Entebbe and Johannesburg, while Kenya Airways passengers can now extend their travel beyond Muscat, Oman, to Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan.

Destinations to be added for Oman Air passengers include Dar es Salaam while passengers travelling on Kenya Airways will be able to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi and Hyderabad in India.

At the end of November, Air India's flight from Mumbai to Nairobi landed with 100 passengers on board, marking the return of the airline to Kenya after 10 years.

The return of the airline presents a big opportunity for the two countries, which have shared trade and economic ties for many years and makes it so much easier for guests wishing to combine a safari with the opportunity to visit friends and relatives in Kenya.

Betty Radier, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO, said on Wednesday that the return of Air India to Kenya would help to promote tourism, trade, improve relationships and create opportunities between the two countries.

"India is one of Kenya's top tourist source markets. Arrivals from India in the year 2018 grew by 51.9 per cent to reach 125,032. Kenya is confident of sustained tourist arrivals from India following this arrival," said Radier during the reception in Nairobi.

The airline will offer four direct flights a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with plans to offer additional flights in the pipeline.

Air India will also be targeting residents of the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, utilising its existing domestic infrastructure network.

Russian carrier, Rossiya Airlines now flies between Moscow Vnukovo Airport and Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, the airline has confirmed. The airline said flights between Moscow and Zanzibar started operating on October 27. Flight FV5887 departs Moscow at 22h45 on Saturdays. Return flight FV5888 departs Zanzibar the following day at 09h30 with a 522-seat Boeing 747-400 operating the route. Tanzania is eyeing Russia as a new potential source market for tourists to help it reach its target of two million visitors by next year. 

The magical Island of Zanzibar with its sandy white beaches, turquoise-blue water and swaying palm trees and should be on everyone’s bucket list of places to visit. The historic Spice Island seems to have been lost in time with its narrow streets, carved doorways and ancient trade routes. As you head to the north of the island, Elewana Kilindi overlooks the ocean that has witnessed the spice trade route for over 500 years. Facing west, you can witness the sun set as you relax on your private balcony. Offering eclectic menus of international cuisine with an island Swahili infusion, and uses the freshest seafood and ingredients, prepared to order. All meals can be enjoyed in a setting of choice - poolside, among the gardens, on the upper terrace, on the beach or in the privacy of a pavilion.

Explore the hidden secrets of the island with a trip to Jozani Forest to watch the rare and endangered Red Colobus monkeys, which is a species of red colobus monkey endemic to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago. Continue your tour of the Jozani forest, passing along a few trails through the variety of flora and fauna. A visit to Stone Town, a UNESCO world heritage site, is a must and a place where history still lives. The stone buildings, meandering alleyways, and markets still existing as they have done for centuries make for a fascinating day of exploring.

Guests can also enjoy day boat trips, scuba diving and snorkelling to get a glimpse of the dolphins, copious fish and vivid corals that thrive in Zanzibar’s waters. A boat trip to Prison Island (Changuu) can be arranged to learn it’s fascinating history but also hosts more than 100 giant tortoises, a collection of endangered Aldabra giant tortoises, which were originally a gift from the British governor of the Seychelles.

Your time in this Indian Ocean coastal destination can be as active or as leisurely as you wish, with a multitude of experiences to enjoy from water based sports to exploring the secrets that this beautiful island holds or simply the favourite coastal pastime of relaxing and soaking up the sun.

Special Offers

Combine our bush and beach properties…or choose your own combination with our Circuit Discount and enjoy up to 20% discount.

With so many places to explore in East Africa and so much to experience, from the majestic landscapes of Amboseli with Mt. Kilimanjaro as its backdrop to the crystal blue waters of Zanzibar steeped in the history of the spice trade, not forgetting the rolling savannahs of the Masai Mara with unforgettable wildlife encounters… so many destinations, so many choices. Choose your own combination with our Circuit Discount and get the most out of your stay with us.

Elewana DISCOVERY

Cities all over the world come alive during the festive season and DISCOVERY hotels are often at the centre of the festivities. From Europe’s famous Christmas markets to the exuberant Chinese New Year in the heart of Beijing, each destination offers a memorable experience for everyone.

Whether searching for a winter wonderland or an island escape, check out these holiday offers to inspire your travel, whatever the occasion.

STAY, SAVE, BE MERRY

Elewana DISCOVERY is a loyalty programme like no other. When you join, you’ll be rewarded with savings of 10% or more through Member Rates, along with hotel benefits such as complimentary internet access and bottled water. Your membership is extended across all Elewana hotels as well as more than 500 luxury hotels in the DISCOVERY collection. Become an Elewana DISCOVERY member today and start enjoying recognition and rewards around the world.

As a member of Elewana DISCOVERY, you’re entitled to special benefits during your stay, plus special Local Experiences - authentic activities meant to connect each traveller more deeply with their destination and make each stay unforgettable.

JOIN DISCOVERY

Media

Taken by Taro Croze - Elewana Activities Manager at Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp