It's always great to tick a new destination off on your travel bucket list - but to make a holiday truly special it is fantastic to be able to leave with new skills that not only enhance your overall holiday experience - but showcase the rich local culture and leave with you a more memorable “sense of place”.    

With this in mind, Serena recently introduced a number of new activities for guests in their lodges in Tanzania and Kenya that have been going down a treat with guests – who can now perhaps impress their friends at their next dinner party by welcoming their guests in Swahili, serve up traditional Tanzania or Maasai cuisine and show off their newly acquired Maasai dance moves to some traditional music!  

 Some of these new activities include:

•    Interactive Cooking lessons allow the resident chefs to teach guests how to prepare local Tanzanian or Maasai dishes with copies of the recipes to take home.
•    Swahili lessons teach basic Swahili greetings and words that will useful on safari.
•    Maasai Lectures at Mara Serena, Amboseli Serena and Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodges teach guests about the culture, dances and bead making.
•    Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge in Tsavo has really expanded its activities with new photography lessons, aerobics and bicycle riding as part of their initiative to keep guests active outside the gym. Guests can also learn basket weaving and bead making from the renowned Kibwezi Women group.  Always wanted to make your own cocktails? The very capable barman will share his skills - plus trainees enjoy 10% discount off drinks. Then wind down the night with a guitar lesson or star gazing.
•    Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp makes for a perfect romantic getaway with new activities to enjoy with your special someone -  including horse riding, jogging, bush barbecue lunch and/or dinner, sun-downers and romantic lake side breakfasts.
•    If conservation is where your heart is, learn more with Serena's environment conservation lectures and plant a tree at Amboseli Serena Safari lodge. Later on you can enjoy birding safaris, take a nature walk or ride camels with Mt. Kilimanjaro as your back drop.
•    Other new activities introduced include hyena talks at Mara Serena Safari lodge, wildlife movies at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge or nature walks and Moorland hikes at Serena Mountain Lodge.
•    New fitness activities on offer include jogging (on special tracks with a guide) and stretch exercises giving guests a chance to enjoy the greenery and fresh air whilst keeping fit in the natural environment away from the gym.

These new activities are available at:

TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR

•    Lake Duluti Serena Hotel - Swahili lessons (Mon & Fri) and cooking lessons (Fri).
•    Lake Manyara Serena Hotel – Daily stretch up lessons and jogging, Swahili lessons (Weds & Thurs), cooking lessons (Mon & Sun) and instrument lessons (Mon & Thurs)
•    Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge – Daily stretch up lessons, Swahili lessons (Weds & Sat), cooking classes (Tues, Thurs & Sun) and instrument classes (Mon & Fri)
•    Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge - Daily stretch up lessons and jogging
•    Kirawira Serena Camp – Daily stretch up lessons, Swahili (Wed & Sun) and cooking lessons (Thurs & Sun)
•    Mbuzi Mawe Serena Camp – Daily stretch up lessons, Swahili  (Tues & Fri) and cooking lessons (Weds & Sat)
•    Serena Mivumo River lodge - Daily stretch up lessons, Swahili (Wed & Sun) and cooking lessons (daily)
•    Selous Serena Camp - Daily stretch up lessons, Swahili lessons (Wed & Sun) and cooking lessons (daily)
•    Zanzibar Serena Hotel  - Daily stretch up lessons and jogging, Swahili lessons (Weds & Thurs), cooking lessons (Mon & Sun) and instrument lessons (Mon & Thurs)

KENYA

•    Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp  – Maasai Lectures, horse riding, jogging, bush barbecue lunch or dinner, sun-downers and romantic lake side breakfasts.
•    Kilaguni Serena Safari lodge – Maasai Lectures, photography lessons, aerobics, bike riding, basket weaving, bead making, cocktail making and star gazing
•    Mara Serena Safari Lodge – Maasai Lectures, Hyena talks
•    Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge – Conservation lectures, plant a tree, birding, nature walks, camel riding and wildlife movies.
•    Serena Mountain Lodge - nature walks and Moorland hikes

For more information visit www.serenahotels.com and follow @SerenaHotels