TRAVEL: Tranquil relaxation at Arusha’s Tembo Club

Travelling from the vibrant city life to a countryside destination is dramatic and inspiring. Accessible within hardly 15 minutes drive from Arusha city, Tembo Club makes it so compelling for a perfect day outing.

It is in one of the quiet idyllic garden’s I spent my recent weekday. Its location along the highway to Singida region and beyond makes it a friendly stop-over.

The sign that welcomes visitors at the gate offers a sneak preview of what is to be expected inside, an eerily feeling of a warm welcome and reassurance that your time there will be memorable.

From the moment I walked past the gate, the gleaming vehicles in the sunshine parked on the parking yard came into view, revealing the different background of the visitors, from the middle-income level to the affluent people. The parking lot is quite spacious and ideal for those who like to travel in groups.

On arrival, I was welcomed by an unrivalled wilderness setting over a few acres of land. An eloquent guide led me to tour around the place before settling for my long day here. Visitors can relax here and enjoy the serenity and calmness of the surroundings.

The wild-like landscape filled with hundreds of trees, plants and sprawling gardens makes the passion of visitors come alive. It gives a feeling like you have travelled far in the wilderness yet you are nearly 12 kms away from the city humdrum. The elephant picturesque, a distinctive feature of the place, adds a charm.

The flora on display is prominent and intoxicatingly inviting while the array of flowers edge of the open field makes the place perfect for leisure and pleasure. The mixed coloured flowers are well trimmed and made appealing by the lucidly green grass.

The grounds here make it a common venue for events such as birthdays, send-off and wedding parties for up to 600 people, team building activities, picnics (but imported food and drinks are not allowed). People who want privacy to discuss matters of importance can venture out here and sit under the trees, where seating is provided. And lovers of nature will enjoy a visit the most.

I took the time to venture into different gardens to explore, and I noticed the club’s management and staff are passionate about conserving the environment. The beauty with which the big trees hang to offer a comfortable shade from the scalding sun and keep clients relaxed and in a jovial mood.

Further along are exotic trees and flowers alongside the indigenous ones. This is where most of the visitors sit to savour drinks, tasty bites and food, accompanied by soothing music.

There are several speakers strategically placed in different locations within the whole area which offer a complement to visitors’ good-time at the club.

The gardens are actually a large area with lots of vegetation and trees home to a few bird species seen atop trees tring to outdo themselves as they chirp and dart from tree to tree, giving the place a complete wild feeling of nature.

Owned by a local, Mr Samuel Ndagala, the eco-friendly club offers accommodation in stylish buildings with six rooms able to host single and double room occupancy, making it as a tranquil hideaway.

Indeed a unique design inhabited every guest-room and the layout gives a perfect mix of a cottage and modern-like setup, offering en suite bathrooms with hot and cold water, generous showers, overlooking a vast natural landscape.

What also seems logical about the accommodation is that it is situated in the countryside, with the wilderness interspersed with all sorts of indigenous plants, far from the city, all which make it literally the coolest spot in the surrounding area.

In all this, the most interesting bit of my time at Tembo Club was about seeing the clients enjoying their time in different areas within the sprawling gardens. I was moved to see the oldies, as well as children, enjoying the comfort of the services offered.

After having my fair share of grilled goat ribs meat with accompanying sauces and sumptuous fried bananas, I left the club with a promise to return soon.

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