LABA Mama Simba

OPENING 1 JUNE 2025
Opening 1st June 2025, Laba Mama Simba is a sanctuary of wild beauty in Arusha that redefines the safari experience in the vast 700-hectare North Dolly wildlife reserve. A boutique thatched lodge, Laba Mama Simba is a unique stopover within easy reach of Kilimanjaro Airport offering an immersive journey into this predator-free region of untamed Africa. Panoramic views take your breath away as the sun sets with Mount Meru bathed in hues of fiery orange and soft pink at the end of another adventurous day.

ABOUT LABA LABA

Following in the careful footsteps of historic pioneers who made it possible to share the unforgettable experience of an African safari with the creation of national parks and game reserves at the end of the 19th century, LABA LABA offers guests effortless luxury in the modern concept of ‘slow safari’ at the lesser discovered nature reserves of Tanzania and their exclusive island retreat. LABA LABA means butterfly in Yoruba, their role to increase biodiversity in the African landscape and fauna, treasured and safeguarded in each tailor-made safari experience.

ABOUT LABA Mama Simba

A safari before a safari, the vast unfenced estate of Laba Mama Simba is a world apart, yet within 35-minutes of Kilimanjaro Airport, an hour from Arusha Airport and offers a dedicated private airstrip just 10-minutes from the lodge, ensuring seamless access to this extraordinary retreat. The lodge pays homage to Vicky de Cervera (1938-2015), a Spanish explorer and philanthropist who devoted her life to Tanzania’s people and wildlife. Known as "Mama Simba" (Mama Lion) for her fierce spirit and love for nature, she left a lasting legacy that Laba Mama Simba proudly carries forward. Here, luxury meets wilderness, and every moment is an invitation to connect with the land, the wildlife and the stories that make this place truly magical. The hallmarks of quality under the Laba Laba brand resonate through the property, from gourmet organic cuisine to a choice of lounges to relax and the 9 spacious cottages and suites set around the pool, with breathtaking scenery of African grasslands populated by free-roaming ‘plains game’ herbivores.

ABOUT NORTH DOLLY WILDLIFE RESERVE

Nestled in the unfenced North Dolly wilderness, the lodge offers an unrivalled safari experience before your journey even begins. Wake to the sounds of the wild, surrounded by beautiful wilderness, where Cape eland, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, impala and gazelle roam freely.

Activities & SAFARI EXPERIENCES

Laba Mama Simba offers a diverse range of inclusive and extra activities to ensure guests take full advantage of being immersed in the rich African wilderness and its free-roaming wildlife. A Maasai guide will take guests on a private walking safari in the 700-hectare estate for an intimate encounter with nature like no other. There are additional packages for private day safaris into Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, soar above Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru on a scenic helicopter flight, or gallop across the reserve on horseback, embracing the raw beauty of the land. Golf and polo can be enjoyed just 10 minutes from the Lodge.

Accommodation

Guests can choose from four distinct categories all blending comfort, elegance and nature with thoughtful touches of luxury. Six spacious Garden Cottages each feature a bedroom, a cosy living room with fireplace, a bathroom with signature freestanding copper bathtub and shower, and a private terrace with a dining area and sunbeds. The Master Suite in the main building provides a luxurious stay with a bedroom, living room with fireplace, a bathroom with both freestanding copper bathtub and shower, and a private terrace with breathtaking views of Mount Meru. For a more compact yet elegant stay, the Garden Room and Pool Room offer serene escapes with modern comforts. All accommodations are equipped with minibars, hairdryers, safes, ceiling fans, Healing Earth organic care products, organic bed linen and international and USB electrical outlets as well as wi-fi. The Garden Cottages and Master Suite offer flexible room configurations for double or twin arrangements, while the Garden and Pool Rooms are exclusively double.