From gorilla encounters in Uganda to a reimagined Okavango retreat, Abercrombie & Kent elevates its African journeys with two spectacular lodge transformations.
5 min
Abercrombie & Kent has strengthened its position as the world’s leading experiential travel company with two newly transformed lodges in Africa, signalling a new era of tailormade luxury for guests seeking deeply personal, once-in-a-lifetime journeys on the continent that shaped the brand more than 60 years ago.
For A&K, Africa is not just another destination; it is the birthplace of the company and the foundation of its pioneering approach to responsible luxury travel.
Tailormade journeys allow guests to explore this vast continent entirely on their own terms, supported by a global network of destination experts, specialist guides, and on-the-ground “guardian angels” available around the clock.
Every tailormade itinerary is a fully customised experience, interweaving iconic highlights with hidden wonders. Whether guests dream of tracking wildlife on remote plains, discovering ancient cultures, or reconnecting with family in one of Africa’s most inspiring landscapes, each journey is designed to be as unique as the traveller themselves.
Abercrombie & Kent’s African portfolio has entered a new chapter with the reveal of two extensively rebuilt Sanctuary lodges in Uganda and Botswana, each designed to elevate the experience of Tailormade travel, the luxury company’s signature approach to deeply personal, fully customised journeys.
For more than 60 years, A&K has drawn on its roots in East Africa to craft exceptional, high-touch adventures for travellers seeking privacy, immersion and meaning.
With the reopening of Gorilla Forest Lodge in Uganda and Baines’ Lodge in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the brand is doubling down on the blend of design, wildlife access and sustainability that has long set it apart.
Tucked inside one of the world’s most biologically rich regions, Gorilla Forest Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary, has long had a singular claim: it is the only luxury lodge located within the actual boundaries of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Already extraordinary in location, the lodge has now undergone a complete transformation — and the result is a deeply refined, fully immersive sanctuary designed with both sensitivity and ambition.
The rebuild significantly expands each of the ten guest suites, creating generous private sanctuaries suspended in the rainforest canopy. Interiors draw directly from local craft traditions — banana-fibre ceilings, handwoven textiles, reclaimed woodwork and artisanal detailing made in nearby communities. The effect is layered, tactile and unmistakably Ugandan.
Bathrooms have been reimagined as spa-like retreats, with freestanding bathtubs positioned for forest views and rain showers opening to private decks. Each suite now includes its own lounge, an oversized bed, and an elevated deck where guests often spot the region’s famed mountain gorillas at dawn.
The lodge’s redesign continues A&K’s decades-long commitment to Uganda’s local communities. Every stay contributes to A&K Philanthropy projects, including education initiatives and healthcare access for villages bordering the park.
Geoffrey Kent’s deep history in Uganda, stretching back more than 40 years, is woven into the property’s ethos. Guests can participate in conservation-oriented activities, guided by expert trackers who work directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Gorilla trekking remains one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences on the planet. Being based inside the park means trekking groups can depart directly from the lodge, often reaching gorilla families in shorter times than guests staying outside the gates.
The result is an experience that feels both exclusive and unhurried, exactly what A&K’s Tailormade travellers value.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s most iconic landscapes — a shifting world of floodplains, lagoons and wildlife-rich islands. Within this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Baines’ Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary, has emerged from a top-to-bottom rebuild that elevates it into one of the most intimate and design-driven lodges in the Delta.
Set on the banks of the Boro River, the new Baines’ Lodge is constructed on stilts, lifting the six suites high above the floodplains. The architecture embraces an “African pavilion gallery” concept: column-lined walkways, soaring ceilings and open-sided lounges that dissolve the barrier between interior and wilderness.
The colour palette draws from the Delta itself — muted greens, reeds, sun-washed timber, handwoven ceilings and raw natural textures that give the lodge a sculptural quietness.
Every suite has been reimagined with:
• Deep soak tubs with uninterrupted water views
• Private decks and outdoor seating for birdwatching and stargazing
• Contemporary African art and artisanal pieces
• Expansive indoor-outdoor bathrooms
• King beds with mosquito-net canopies
• Soft, indirect lighting that mirrors the Delta’s shifting tones
Despite its refined interiors, the lodge remains deeply committed to environmental sensitivity. Lunawood, a lightweight timber material, forms much of the structure, ensuring minimal environmental impact and allowing the lodge to be removed without damaging the landscape, which is an unusually progressive approach for a luxury property.
Because the lodge is located on a permanent channel of the Delta, game viewing is exceptional year-round. Guests can explore by:
• Mokoro (traditional dugout canoe)
• Motorboat
• Guided walking safaris
• 4×4 game drives
• Private river cruises
• Sundowner excursions along the floodplains
The area is known for elephant herds, wild dogs, lions, leopards, hippos and rare birdlife, all often visible directly from the lodge’s deck.
While many safari operators offer luxury, A&K’s Tailormade approach is built around something rarer: absolute personalisation.
Guests receive access to:
• Private guides and handpicked specialists
• Seamless logistics across remote areas
• Behind-the-scenes experiences not open to the public
• 24/7 on-the-ground support
• Carefully choreographed transfers between lodges, parks and cities
• Exclusive conservation and community activities
The reopening of Gorilla Forest Lodge and Baines’ Lodge marks a significant investment in Africa by Abercrombie & Kent, reinforcing its mission to offer world-leading luxury experiences that honour place, elevate culture and maintain a light environmental footprint.
Both properties are now open, with bookings available as part of fully Tailormade itineraries crafted exclusively by A&K’s global network of experts.
The Australian leather house has opened an immersive four-day pop-up in Manhattan, unveiling its Bloom Collection and redefining what a product launch can look like.
Following the successful launch of its Palais Collection, MAISON de SABRÉ has unveiled a new modular handbag system offering more than 720 styling combinations.
The Australian leather house has opened an immersive four-day pop-up in Manhattan, unveiling its Bloom Collection and redefining what a product launch can look like.
2 min
Product launches used to mean a store window and a press release. MAISON de SABRÉ has other ideas.
The Australian-born luxury house, founded in 2017 by brothers Omar and Zane Sabré, has opened a four-day Floral Atelier in the heart of New York City, transforming a stretch of Manhattan into what it calls an “overgrown botanical landscape” of craftsmanship, floristry, hospitality and music.
It’s the brand’s most ambitious physical activation to date, and the setting for the launch of its new Bloom Collection.
At the centre of the collection are three new SABRÉMOJI flower charms, named Wild Daisy, Sunflower and Cherry Blossom, each made entirely from upcycled leather offcuts and finished with ultrasonic embossing and embroidery.
There’s also the Floral Twist Handle, arguably the house’s most technically demanding piece yet, which takes 36 individual hand-tied knots to form six leather flowers, plus another ten structural knots that let it convert from a hand-carry to a shoulder strap.
A new Floral Wristlet debuts a leather-knotting technique developed specifically for the collection.
Between them, the pieces bring the brand’s product ecosystem to more than 10,000 possible styling combinations, all built from what would otherwise be manufacturing waste.
“Bloom is the latest evolution in the MAISON de SABRÉ product ecosystem, reimagining the handbag as a living canvas,” said co-founder and creative director Omar Sabré. He points to the smaller pieces as proof of intent rather than afterthought: “The smallest products demand extraordinary precision.”
It’s a strategy with numbers behind it.
The brand’s connected styling platform, of which Bloom is the latest chapter, has helped push MAISON de SABRÉ past $100 million in annual revenue and lifted average order value by 45 per cent, evidence that designing products to be added to and reinterpreted has become a genuine commercial engine rather than a marketing line.
The SABRÉMOJI charm platform alone has sold more than 500,000 units globally, with sold-out collaborations including Pokémon, Hello Kitty and Mr Men Little Miss.
For co-founder and managing director Zane Sabré, the Atelier is really about where the relationship with a customer begins.
“Retail is no longer just about selling products; there’s been a structural shift toward experience and participation,” he said.
“With Bloom, we wanted to create an environment where clients can experience our craft, understand our styling system and explore what is possible before they think about making a purchase.”
The Floral Atelier runs from July 3-26 in New York. The Bloom Collection launched globally today at maisondesabre.com, before rolling out to stockists including Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-a-Porter’s FWRD, Revolve, Farfetch, Le Bon Marché and Ounass.
