Banyan Group has gone on safari. Ubuyu, a Banyan Tree Escape, is now open in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania's Iringa region — the group's first safari property and only its second Escape anywhere, after the wall-free Buahan retreat near Ubud in Bali.
Why Ruaha? Because most first-time safari-goers head north to the Serengeti and its traffic jams of minivans. Ruaha, in Tanzania's south, sits where East African savannah meets southern miombo woodland, and it stays gloriously uncrowded. The park claims one of Africa's largest elephant populations, the world's highest concentration of lions and one of the last strongholds of the endangered African wild dog, plus more than 570 bird species. The land also carries deep cultural weight for the Hehe, Bena and Kinga peoples, whose lives have long revolved around the Great Ruaha River.
The retreat itself is deliberately small: six villas only, each set along the river for privacy and each with its own plunge pool. Design borrows from the river's curves and the circular layout of traditional Maasai homesteads, built with local clay, timber and thatch, with Mninga wood furniture made by Tanzanian artisans. Solar power and locally sourced water keep the footprint light. The opening line-up includes three One-Bedroom River Front Villas, a secluded River Glade Villa, a Two-Bedroom River View Villa for families, and the Ubuyu Private Retreat — a three-suite residence with a 360-degree rooftop terrace, firepit lounge and optional private chef.
Communal spaces lean into the Escape brand's 'no walls, no doors' spirit. The open-air Living Room, modelled on a Maasai enkang, revolves around a firepit where guests and their dedicated Escape Hosts trade stories. The Open Kitchen runs a plant-forward, zero-waste menu using produce from nearby farms, while the rooftop Mganga Bar pours botanical elixirs over the bush. Down by the riverbank, the Maji Spa draws on indigenous healing traditions with local herbs and oils.
Days here go beyond the standard game drive. Each guest is paired with an Escape Host — part guide, part storyteller — who can arrange sunrise walking safaris, visits to the Ruaha Conservation Project, or village exchanges with the Wahehe community, always preceded by cultural briefings and built around consent and genuine exchange. Riverside dinners at dusk are on the menu too.
For travellers, the appeal is clear: flagship-safari wildlife without the crowds, in a small, design-led property that puts community benefit and conservation on equal footing with luxury. It suits couples after privacy, small groups of friends, or families taking the two-bedroom villa — and it's a strong pick if you've already done the northern circuit and want Africa's south, which delivers lion action on a scale few parks can match.
