Banyan Tree Escape has launched its inaugural safari destination, Ubuyu, featuring six villas along the Great Ruaha River in southern Tanzania. Located away from Tanzania’s more popular northern safari routes, the property welcomes visitors through an entrance framed by towering baobab trees and expansive elephant herds. Ruaha National Park, the country’s second-largest protected area, was recently honored with a World Travel Award, raising its profile among travelers seeking off-the-beaten-path adventures.
Designing a Seamless Safari Experience
The retreat’s villas incorporate plunge pools, outdoor showers, and sweeping views of the river, savannah, and distant peaks. Architectural elements mirror the natural environment, utilizing local materials such as clay, wood, and thatch. Organic curves reflect traditional Maasai homesteads, while expansive decks merge indoor spaces with the surrounding wilderness. Furnishings are crafted by Tanzanian artisans using native Mninga wood.
Ruaha’s diverse environments transition from open grasslands to miombo woodlands and rugged hills. During the dry season, wildlife concentrates along the Great Ruaha River, where elephants, lions, and antelope frequently share watering holes. The park supports one of Tanzania’s largest elephant populations, a significant lion presence, and a critical habitat for the endangered African wild dog. Birdwatchers can identify over 570 species within the park’s boundaries.
Access to Ubuyu is streamlined, with most arrivals landing at Msembe Airstrip, which connects to major hubs including Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, the Serengeti, and Selous. A 45- to 60-minute game drive follows, often revealing wildlife en route. Banyan Tree recommends a three- to four-night stay to accommodate game drives, early-morning walking safaris, and community visits.
Upon arrival, guests are assigned a dedicated Escape Host to oversee their entire visit. Each traveler also receives a specialized Safari Guide familiar with Ruaha’s ecosystems and terrain. Together, they adapt daily itineraries based on real-time opportunities, which may include impromptu game drives, tracking fresh animal trails, or extended observation periods. The property’s small scale ensures personalized attention for every visitor.
Accommodations and Pricing
The name Ubuyu originates from the Swahili term for baobab fruit. The design adopts Banyan Tree’s signature “no walls, no doors” philosophy, originally introduced at Buahan in Bali. At Ubuyu, this concept aligns with a safari environment. Accommodations consist of three one-bedroom River Front Villas, a secluded River Glade Villa, and a two-bedroom River View Villa suitable for families or groups. The largest option, the Ubuyu Private Retreat, sits on a river bend and includes three suites, a private chef, a communal firepit lounge, and a panoramic rooftop terrace. All-inclusive rates range from $6,100 per night for a River Front Villa to $18,600 per night for the Private Retreat.
Open-air designs throughout the property emphasize connectivity with the natural surroundings, maintaining continuity between interior and exterior spaces. This approach was pioneered at Buahan in Bali, where the original Banyan Tree Escape featured 16 villas under the same architectural principle.
Expanding African Presence
Soon after Ubuyu opened in Summer 2026, Banyan announced a move to grow its presence in Africa. The group agreed to buy a majority stake in Cape Town’s Newmark Hotels & Reserves, planning to take full ownership in stages. This deal adds a management business with 26 hotels, safari lodges, and private reserves across Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Banyan is initially acquiring 70%, with the remaining 30% to be acquired in phases leading to full ownership. The acquisition covers Newmark’s management business in the region, not the real estate at all 26 locations.
Through its partnership with Newmark, Banyan can reach many African destinations with a team that already knows them well. Newmark’s wildlife properties include Motswari Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger area, which marked its 50th anniversary this year. It also includes Gorilla Heights Lodge next to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and QWABI Private Game Reserve, about 11,000 hectares of South Africa’s UNESCO-listed Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. For now, Ubuyu remains the sole example of Banyan Tree’s safari vision—a day observing elephants and lions followed by evenings in a villa with private pool, surrounded by Ruaha’s untouched wilderness.
