By Hailey Landers

Tanzania … where authenticity and luxury meet. It took a while for me to put the sensation into words, but my recent trip left me feeling grounded in a way I have not felt on my travels before—deeply, fully present in my body, and connected with the earth. I adopted the Swahili mantra of “pole pole” during my time in the bush, which translates to slowly, slowly.

The remote tented camps of Tanzania provide a private “glamping” experience with luxury facilities and fine dining that are the pinnacle of safari chic. Properties blend into their surroundings without compromising on style—think modern décor featuring a palate of copper tones, leather details, and soft textiles. The trifecta of open floor plans, color scheme, and furnishings low to the earth played into my sense of feeling grounded.

Dancing in step with luxury throughout the trip was an authentic window into daily local life and spirit. The highlight of my trip was hands-down a stop at a local school. The chief’s eldest son introduced me to a class of students eager to recite the English alphabet and to warriors in training who performed “Adamu”, a ceremonial jumping dance (it’s harder than it looks—trust me!).

My local connection continued on a walking safari guided by a decorated Maasai warrior, where the ground-level vantage point provided a close look at the lesser-known “Little 5”. I realized that while there is no denying that the Great Migration is a site to behold, there is so much more to Tanzania than its well-trodden northern route ... the Grumeti Reserve provided the "Big 5" and some of my best sightings ever, including tree-climbing lions (only found in parts of Tanzania and Uganda). Without another vehicle in sight, my game-viewing remained pure and uninterrupted by anyone else’s agenda. 

Somehow, I retained this calm grounded feeling even as I ascended into the sky by hot-air balloon. This aerial perspective allowed me to watch a flamboyance of flamingos and a dazzle of zebra congregating around a waterhole on “bush TV”.

From the earth to the sky, glamping to dancing with local kiddos, tree-hugging lions to flamingos ... I highly recommend grounding yourself in Tanzania!