Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat: Our full report

Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat is located just 20Km west of Kilimanjaro Airport.

It first opened in September 2014 and is built on the fifth hole of the ‘Kiligolf’ golf course. Siringit is a luxurious six bedroom private villa that can be booked either on an exclusive basis by small groups, or as individual rooms.

Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat was built by the Janssens-Onsea family following the success of Machweo Wellness Retreat and Onsea House, which are the other properties the family own in the nearby town of Arusha.

As a private house Siringit offers a very different experience to the other properties in the Janssens-Onsea portfolio. Complete with house staff and a private chef, Siringit is also a step up in terms of luxury and levels of service. It's positioned in a serene area which affords views of Mount Meru on one side and, on a clear day, Mount Kilimanjaro on the other.

Siringit is ideal for larger groups looking for a luxurious base from where they can explore Arusha and the surrounding area. However, on our most recent visit in October 2018 we were told that they have started booking individual rooms within the villa. This is an interesting development, providing the option for people to have comfortable accommodation in a very homely, sociable environment.

The villa is contemporary in build and decorated in a minimalist, afro-chic style. High ceilings and cream walls make each room feel spacious; whilst dark, polished, wooden floors add contrast. The main area is open plan and consists of a modern kitchen and a huge living room. Both rooms are very homely; with deep, comfortable sofas - complete with scatter cushions - and interesting ornaments on the wooden bookshelves.

Upstairs there are six huge bedrooms which can be prepared with double, twin or triple beds. Meaning that Siringit Retreat can house anywhere between four and fifteen guests. Cream walls; white bed sheets; and a white mosquito net - that drapes from all the corners of a four poster bed - make the rooms feel bright. Stylish wooden trunks serve as bedside tables continuing the country home theme.

All of the bedrooms have lovely modern en-suite bathrooms. Five have contemporary, free-standing, oval bathtubs – all of the bathrooms also have a walk in rain shower.

French windows lead from the living room out to the veranda where there are a number of sun loungers next to a 15x3 meter infinity, lap, pool. The pool overlooks the lawn, manicured gardens and the golf course beyond. There is very little noise other than the sound of trickling water from the lap pool and birds singing in the trees - it's a wonderful place to relax.

At the bottom of the garden there is a fire pit and some green director's chairs. It's away from the lights of the house and so on a clear night it's a great spot to have a drink and stargaze.

Due to its location, in the middle of a golf course, Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat definitely feels more like a golf retreat than a safari lodge. Therefore activities from Siringit obviously include golf at Kili Golf, which is Tanzania's first championship standard course – meaning that the greens are built to USGA specification. Green fees, caddy and club hire, as well as 20 balls on the driving range only costs 65USD, making it great value!

However, focusing purely on golf would miss the part of the charm of Siringit. Horse riding and bike rides in local area can also be arranged; as can polo at the nearby polo club - which also includes a gym and a swimming pool for guests to use.

Guests can also go on safari walks in the surrounding area, and although it is unlikely that you will not come across big game; dik dik, Eland, Zebra, Thomsons gazelle, wildebeest and impala can all seen. Although this game viewing will not compare with what you will see in northern Tanzania's main wildlife areas, it is a nice, gentle way to ease into a safari trip.

The team at Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat also organize in house cultural knowledge sessions, where guests can learn a bit about Tanzanian culture as well as learn a few words of Swahili. Siringit has very close ties to a local primary school that it supports with the help of the iThemba Foundation. Guests at Siringit can visit the Baraa primary school which costs 50USD per person - this fee goes directly to the school.

Yet perhaps the greatest reason to stay at Siringit Retreat is not for the activities on offer, but for the quality of the food. It is excellently prepared by the head chef and manager Axel. He trained as a chef for nine years in Belgium and ran his own restaurant for two, before moving to Tanzania. With a background in European fine dining and the influence of African flavours, Axel has established the reputation as one of the best chefs in the country. His emphasis is on seasonality by using fresh, local produce.

Our view

Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat is tastefully and professionally decorated to feel like a stylish country estate. The friendly staff add a personal touch and the food is excellent. We would highly recommend a stay here for a few nights, to any large group or family at the beginning, or end, of a trip around northern Tanzania – although with so many excellent activities on offer you could stay for a lot longer!

Lyndsey Marris

Tanzania expert

Geographics

Location: Arusha, Tanzania
Ideal length of stay: 2–3 nights
Directions: Siringit is a one-hour drive from Arusha airport, or a 25 minute drive from Kilimanjaro airport.
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Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: When we visited Siringit in November 2018 we felt that the food was some of the best that we have come across in Tanzania. It is prepared and cooked by Axel; or one of his sous chefs, who he has spent a great deal of time training up. Due to Axel's background there is a clear European influence in his cooking, yet he always uses local ingredients and traditional African recipes - it is delicious!

Siringit offers a vast continental spread for breakfast. Guests can expect a range of bread, cheese, cold meat and sausage. You can also order your choice of cooked breakfast.

There are three specials for Lunch which change daily. It can be very flexible and you can request what you want depending on what is seasonally available. Lunch will usually be light and delicious - which is exactly what is needed in the middle of the day.

Dinner is a longer and more formal affair that can last a few hours, with a number of courses. On our last visit to Siringit we enjoyed Pumkin soup followed by jumbo king prawns to start. Sicilian style tuna served with olives, celery, tomatoes and linguini for main. For desert we had a kind of rice pudding which was very tasty; finally cake and chocolates were on offer with coffee.

With both lunch and dinner, wines are chosen to compliment the meals. With a varied selection from South Africa, Italy and France the wines here are very good.
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Included
Drinks included: Most drinks are included at Siringit, with the exception of cellar wines, top shelf spirits and champagne.

Special interests

Luxury: A round on the 18-hole championship golf course is one of the many possible activities at Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat. The private villa offers a luxurious stay, combining rustic and minimalist décor with African art and design.; See ideas for Luxury in Tanzania

Children

Attitude towards children: Siringit accepts children of all ages.
Property’s age restrictions: There are no age restrictions at Siringit Retreat.
Equipment: Toys, cots and high chairs are all available on request.
Generally recommended for children: We think that Siringit is a fantastic property for families.

Communications

Communications: There is free Wifi throughout the house.
TV & radio: There is no TV.
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: Water from the Usa river, that runs under ground, is filtered, treated and purified. Guests can therefore drink from the taps.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: There is a first-aid kit in the main area and Axel is trained in first-aid. The nearest hospital is a 45 minute drive away in an emergency.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: There is 24 hour security and a high tech security system in place.
Fire safety: There are extinguishers in every room.

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Included
Money: There is a an electronic safe in each room.
Accepted payment on location: Visa, Amex and Mastercard are all accepted without any surcharge. Euro, Pounds, Dollars and Tanzanian Shillings can also be used for payment.