Jabali Ridge and Private House, Ruaha National Park

The rugged, shrub-filled landscape of Tanzania forms the inspiration for Asilia’s newest luxury safari lodge in the heart of Ruaha National Park. Jabali Ridge and Private House, Ruaha National Park. Words: Lizzie Pook | Photography: Courtesy of Asilia.

aubergine lasagne, tender beef curry, grilled meats and salads – and some serious design inspiration from the breezy seating area. All furniture, as well as the smattering of decorative African objects that festoon the property, have been sourced by Caline Williams-Wynn of Artichoke Design – the team behind Rwanda’s Bisate Lodge and the new Mombo camp in Botswana. “We chose to use an eclectic selection of Afro-centric custom-made furniture for Jabali,” says Williams-Wynn, speaking of the wicker stools, driftwood tables and bird’s nest chairs that consolidate Jabali’s laid-back earthy aesthetic. “We wanted to ensure that appreciation was given to the surroundings. The impressive boulders that epitomise the topography of the area provided inspiration for the project as a whole, so curves and circles became obvious in many of the furnishings and finishes.”

The lodge’s eight suites – some with their own hammocks and outdoor showers but all with distinctive nest-like roofs – are reached via a series of meandering rocky paths, so it’s not uncommon to hear the rustle of a nosy hyrax or the scuttle of an inquisitive lizard as you pass by. According to Plewman, each room also takes nature as its focus. “The starting point was that the ideal room would be no room at all, just the deep shelter of a boulder or baobab,” he says. “We tried to get our rooms as close to that as possible, while creating a luxurious and safe environment.” Natural fabrics are also key. “A great deal of emphasis was placed on textures, natural products, and organic subjects,” says Williams-Wynn. “The bed throws and cushions for example, were made using linen wrapped in eucalyptus leaves and immersed in vegetable dye. The process resulted in a perfect simulation of the bleeding boulders outside.”

Studded wooden doors and satisfyingly chunky bed frames are manufactured from aged timber – the beds are actually crafted out of old dhow boats, each taking 18 men to haul it to its proper position – while curved putty and slate grey walls are designed to represent the trunks of the ancient baobabs that dot Ruaha’s landscape. Palmwoven matting, sourced from Zanzibar, is used on the ceiling to keep the room cool, and the harsh climate is kept at bay by timber louvered shutters that were handmade in Bali. Each room also has a private balcony, wraparound deck and an open air seating area filled with pillowy throw cushions. Sweetest of all is a small serving hatch through which staff deliver fresh Tanzanian coffee and ginger biscuits before your early morning safari. On return from a sweaty game drive with one of Jabali’s superb guides, guests can also make use of impossibly photogenic rim-flow infinity pool, as well as the nearby single-treatment room spa. And what better than to settle down to a full-body baobab oil massage, as the sound of the bush floats lazily by.

sources: Sleeper, July-August 2018.

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