Delaware Investments Sets a November 2026 Opening at Mereshi Safari Camp
Delaware Investments plans to open Mereshi Safari Camp Serengeti, Autograph Collection, near the Fort Ikoma Gate in the Serengeti in November 2026. The company announced the camp in a release dated 13 October 2026 and carried by Hotel Online. Its own project page carries the same November 2026 window.
The property joins Autograph Collection, the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels and safari camps.
Eighteen Tented Suites Across 55 Acres of Savannah
The camp will hold 18 elevated tented suites across 55 acres of open savannah. Every suite carries the same design, and all 18 are oriented eastwards. The operator places the camp in the Ikoma Valley, in the western Serengeti region.
Ninety-Five Square Metres Inside and Out
Each suite measures 95 square metres, split into 50 square metres of interior space and 45 square metres of external living space. Inside, the release describes expansive canvas tents anchored by dark greenwood furniture, open shelving and natural, locally sourced textiles. Large mesh panels frame views across the plains and the acacia trees, and private timber decks hold morning coffee and lantern-lit dining.
The Ikoma Valley Site and the Access Lines
Delaware Investments places the camp in the Ikoma region along the western edge of Serengeti National Park, within reach of year-round wildlife viewing. The operator publishes four access lines. The camp sits 10 minutes from Fort Ikoma Airstrip, 11 kilometres from Fort Ikoma Gate and 6 kilometres from Robanda Village. Seronera Airstrip is 1 hour 35 minutes away by road.
Dunia Design Draws the Camp Around the Acacia
Dunia Design, the studio also behind Delaware Investments’ Mapito Safari Camp, designed the camp. The layout follows the existing natural features of the site, with an emphasis on limiting ground disturbance and the removal of vegetation. The architecture combines timber, canvas, woven elements and locally sourced materials, and takes the form of the acacia tree as its reference. The operator states the camp was masterplanned with about 30 percent built footprint across the 55-acre site.
Tanzanian Sourcing Covers Ninety-Five Percent of the Build
About 95 percent of the camp’s materials, furnishings and equipment, including construction materials, canvas, timber and FF&E, have been sourced and produced in Tanzania. More than 150 Tanzanians have worked on construction. Once the camp operates, it is expected to create around 100 permanent jobs, with more than 90 percent of those positions held by Tanzanians.
Rishen Patel is founder and managing director of Delaware Investments. “Every camp we open should allow us to do more – employ more people locally, buy more in Tanzania and put more resources behind programmes that can create lasting opportunities,” he said.
A Second Autograph Camp and a Third Project on the Roster
Mereshi Safari Camp Serengeti is part of Autograph Collection, which the release describes as Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotels and safari camps selected for their vision, passion and unique perspectives on design and hospitality. Delaware Investments established that approach at Mapito Safari Camp, Serengeti, Autograph Collection. The operator’s own site describes Mapito as the world’s first Autograph Collection safari camp and as the first Marriott-branded camp in the Serengeti.
The operator’s project roster names three entries: Mapito, Mereshi and Ritz Carlton Nyambogo. The roster carries no date for the third project.
Five Places in the Mentorship Programme
Give a Future Foundation, the non-profit arm of Delaware Investments, runs the community programmes that Mereshi is expected to join. They include a healthcare programme providing diagnosis, treatment and long-term management for children with sickle cell anaemia, healthcare provision in Robanda, and a residential hospitality mentorship programme developed with Hope for Girls and Women.
Mereshi is expected to take the next phase of that mentorship programme, with at least five young women living and training at the camp. The camp will cover their accommodation, meals and day-to-day living costs while they gain practical experience across the operation.
What the Announcement Leaves Open
The release carries no construction start date, no build cost and no room rate. The November 2026 line is an anticipated opening window. The operator markets the property as Mereshi Safari Camp in the western Serengeti, while the Marriott form appends Serengeti and the Autograph Collection name. The release directs reservation enquiries to Marriott.com.