Embracing the landscape at Singita Faru Faru Lodge

When Singita Faru Faru Lodge in Tanzania was reimagined in 2019, the architecture and interiors teams – Gapp Architects and longtime design collaborators Cecile & Boyd – encapsulated everything that makes the Serengeti so special into the very fabric of the design. An impressively scaled, but welcoming space that perfectly balances the sense of adventure and deep sense of peace you’ll find in this beautiful country, it embodies sophistication with soul. 

Open to the elements, the design is contemporary but not intimidating. In fact, everything about Faru Faru speaks to a sense of warmth. From the tones and textures, to the intuitive service and the panoramic orange sunsets that saturate the sky in front of the lodge. 

One of the hallmarks of Singita’s lodges and camps is a dynamic and intimate connection to nature and each location, and an acknowledgement of context, always underpinned however by a commitment to comfort and contemporary luxury travel standards. 

This results in spaces that feel good, as much as they look beautiful, that restore guests on an emotional as well as a physical level. That inspire and revive through a reconnection with the wilderness. Singita Faru Faru has been built in harmony with its iconic savannah setting. With the main lodge designed entirely open to the landscape on one side, it offers panoramic views of the plains over multiple levels, without competing with them. 

This doesn’t detract from the striking nature of the lodge itself however. A bold semicircular design that faces expansively on one side onto a watering hole, but is cocooned on the others by vegetation, it feels at one with the landscape, blending in but standing out. The stone and timber structure, while imposing at first glance, allows the design to merge with the environment, and although open to the bush, the spaces in the main lodge have been cleverly designed so as to envelop guests and offer seclusion and safety. 

This pervading feeling of calm and comfort has been carried through in the colour palette. A soothing spectrum of neutral shades inspired by the scenery – from the blonde grass of the plains, to the warm terracotta of the rocks and the nude shades of the river clay – creates a nurturing effect, that filters through into every space. Materials too, have been chosen to enhance the connection to the earth, and create engaging spaces that are still understated. This apparent simplicity, however belies the expert level layering of textures and curated and considered placement of objects that have gone into the final composition. 

The spaces are crafted to purpose too – the main lodge’s communal spaces are bolder, earthier, and more social, while in the suites, tones are noticeably lighter and geared towards reflection, with expansive glass-fronted views through which to watch the bush below, all the while reaffirming the relationship with the plains. 

While neutral, there’s nothing staid or standard about the spaces at Singita Faru Faru. This is considered, contemporary design that’s grounded in Africa, but inspired by influences from all over the world. Sophisticated and current, but timeless, a balance has been struck between energetic, clean-lined graphic motifs and soft, organic shapes inspired by the landscape. 

The design - all aspects of it - have been engineered to honour the setting and enhance the experience of being in this breathtaking landscape, creating a balance between being poised on the edge of adventure, and instilling a deep-breathing serenity. 

This comes through in the leisure and adventure activities on offer too. Dining or drinks enjoyed while watching the game drink around the watering hole, or swimming with a view of the passing herds are experiences that will not easily be forgotten. While hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti or a yoga session on your private deck, and spa treatment infused with indigenous ingredients, will make you feel connected, and inspired by the vast wilderness, and sanctuary-like spaces at every turn.

Explore our Serengeti 6 for 5 promotion which gives you six nights in the Serengeti at a combination of our lodges and camps, for the price of five. Learn more here.