Great Plains, the eco-tourism company founded by filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert, has announced the opening of Tembo Plains Camp, heralding Relais & Châteaux’s debut in Zimbabwe.
Located on the private 118,000-hectare Sapi Reserve, whose northern border is over 40kms of the Zambezi River, the camp offers four spacious guest tents, a two-bedroom family unit and a private guide tent.
Designed by Great Plains co-founder Beverly Joubert, the family unit comprises two tents with a shared lounge and dining area and pool accommodating up to four adults, two adults and two children. Alternatively, the guest tents offer an indoor lounge and outdoor dining area, private plunge pool and exercise bikes, in addition to expansive en-suite bathroom facilities, indoor baths, showers and double vanities. To complete the immersive experience, guests receive access to professional Canon cameras and Leica binoculars throughout their stay to capture the holiday.
“When I designed Tembo Plains Camp, it was with a view to reference the famous Grean Zimbabwe ruins but not lose sight of our love of canvas and exploring,” explains Dereck Joubert, Great Plains CEO. “We ended up with a unique combination of canvas and stone walls. The semi-circular walls inside each tent isolate the bath and shower from the bedroom and indoor lounge areas bringing that architectural reference inside.”
He continues: “Outside, this pack-stone wall design continues along the back of the guest bedroom, and that really gives you a greater sense of privacy, often an issue in tents. I didn’t want a completely ‘built room’. Hence, the front has these uninterrupted views of the Zambezi flowing just meters away from the canvas ‘tented’ portion.”
“Tembo”, meaning elephant, is a tribute to the animals frequently seen around Tembo Plains Camp along with painted dogs, buffalo, lions and leopards. The Sapi Private Reserve borders the Mana Pools National Park and is recognised as one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations today. Twitchers will be spoiled for choice as Tembo Plains is situated in a prime bird-watching country, ideal for photographers and nature enthusiasts. Activities available to guests at Tembo Plains include day and night wildlife-viewing drives, walking safaris, canoeing and boating on the Zambezi River.
“For me, the combination of activities allows for that unbelievable, youthful question: “what should we do today?” and the endless possibilities this implies,” says Joubert. “Do we canoe, walk, drive, sit at a hide, stay in, have a massage? This is one of the finest places for endless possibilities I know.”
Tembo Plains will join the Réserve Collection of camps, the highest-level brand at Great Plains, alongside sister properties Zarafa Camp, Selinda Camp, Duba Plains in Botswana, and Mara Nyika, Mara Plains and ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya.
