Auberge Safari is expanding its Tanzania portfolio with complimentary helicopter excursions, the opening of Mwiba Plains and the return of Nyasi following an extensive refurbishment.
The developments arrive during the collection’s first year under the Auberge Safari name. Launched in May 2026 as Auberge Collection’s first presence in Africa, the brand brings together nine lodges and camps previously associated with Legendary Expeditions and Chem Chem Safari.
Further changes include dedicated airport lounges for Auberge Safari guests and a new wellness drinks menu at the Chem Chem properties. The updates cover camp accommodation, transfers, dining and time spent between destinations.
Complimentary helicopter excursions from August 2026
Auberge Safari’s new helicopter promotion, The Sky’s Yours, is valid for qualifying reservations booked between 1 August 2026 and 31 December 2027.
Guests booking four consecutive nights at a Chem Chem property, Mwiba Lodge or the forthcoming Mwiba Plains will receive a complimentary 30-minute helicopter excursion. The flights are designed to offer a different perspective on northern Tanzania, with potential views across Lake Manyara or the open Serengeti plains depending on the route.
Journeys of seven nights or longer qualify for a 60-minute flight with a scenic picnic. The itinerary must include one of Auberge Safari’s Serengeti camps, together with at least two nights at an eligible Chem Chem or Mwiba property.
The promotion applies only to new bookings and is separate from the company’s True. Wild. FLY Free offer, which covers eligible internal flights and road transfers between properties. Travellers should confirm the precise itinerary requirements when booking, especially when combining several regions.
The helicopter offer adds a private scenic flight to longer safaris, with views across the terrain between the escarpment, protected wildlife areas and seasonal migration routes.
Mwiba Plains opens for calving season
Mwiba Plains, a permanent tented camp in the exclusive-use Greater Mwiba Protected Wildlife Area, is scheduled to open on 15 December 2026. The property replaces Songa South, which previously moved in response to the Great Migration.
The new camp has been designed around the migration’s calving season, usually running from mid-January through March. This period brings large herds into the southern Serengeti ecosystem as wildebeest give birth and predators follow the movement across the plains.
Mwiba Plains will feature seven tented rooms along with two family suites. Each booking comes with a private guide and vehicle for the duration of the stay, allowing flexible game-drive scheduling.
Its setting offers access to a less concentrated area of the wider ecosystem during calving season. The Greater Mwiba Protected Wildlife Area borders the southern and western edges of Serengeti National Park, covering about 2,000 square kilometres through Mwiba Reserve and neighbouring protected land.
According to the Friedkin Conservation Fund, the area helps wildlife move between habitats while acting as a buffer between protected ecosystems and nearby settlements. The circular Great Migration extends for more than 1,000 kilometres and involves over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle.
The permanent format means Mwiba Plains can support itineraries beyond the calving months, although its defining experience will be the concentration of wildlife early in the year. Its private guiding and limited accommodation should suit couples or families who value flexibility and seclusion.
Nyasi returns with elevated tents and new wellness spaces
In the Lamai Wedge of the northern Serengeti, Nyasi is Auberge Safari’s vintage-inspired camp close to the migration’s northern river-crossing region. The property has undergone an extensive refurbishment, with guest tents now positioned on elevated wooden decks.
A new gym tent and spa tent add to the experience between game drives. The camp keeps an intimate footprint of seven tented rooms and two family suites, placing it among the collection’s smaller Serengeti stays.
Nyasi offers a northern counterpart to the calving-season focus at Mwiba Plains. The Lamai area is best associated with the migration’s later movement towards the Mara River, giving travellers the option to follow different stages of the cycle across separate journeys.
Chem Chem introduces Ponya wellness mocktails
At Chem Chem Lodge, Little Chem Chem and Forest Chem Chem, a new selection of Ponya longevity mocktails brings the properties’ wellness philosophy into the drinks menu. The alcohol-free recipes contain electrolytes intended to support hydration after time outdoors.
Ponya takes its name from the Swahili word meaning “to heal”. The concept already informs Chem Chem’s restorative approach to food, including organically sourced ingredients and native Tanzanian produce.
The Chem Chem properties sit within the Burunge Wildlife Management Area, a setting known for elephant viewing and slower safari experiences. The mocktails support the camps’ emphasis on making time between wildlife activities part of the stay.
Dedicated lounges ease airport connections
A partnership with Miracle Air now gives Auberge Safari guests access to dedicated lounges at Arusha Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport, the principal international gateway for Tanzania’s northern safari circuit.
At Arusha Airport, the Boma Terminal and Lounge offers an alternative to the main terminal, with assisted check-in, refreshments and direct boarding for Miracle Air passengers. At Kilimanjaro International Airport, the Uhuru VIP Terminal and Lounge provides a private environment for arrivals and departures, including a direct transition towards the aircraft.
Miracle Air operates scheduled services linking the airports with safari destinations across northern Tanzania. These connections are commonly made using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, which can reach smaller airstrips close to the camps and lodges.
The additions follow Auberge Safari’s launch across approximately 600,000 acres of Tanzanian wilderness. The portfolio says guest stays support the independently operated Friedkin Conservation Fund in Greater Mwiba and the Chem Chem Association in Burunge.
“Legendary Expeditions has long set the standard for conservation-driven safari experiences, and Auberge Collection brings an equally strong commitment to place and purpose,” Auberge Collection chairman Dan Friedkin said in the portfolio launch announcement.
Mwiba Plains will be the collection’s main new opening for the 2026 calving season, while The Sky’s Yours becomes available for qualifying new reservations from 1 August.
