Responsible tourism is always important. Perhaps never more so than when a hotel’s policy has an immediate impact on its direct surroundings. If you’re researching for an upcoming safari, make sure it’s a sustainable safari.
From traditional safari destinations such as Kenya and South Africa, to lesser known safari destinations in west and central Africa. We love these sustainable safari camps:
Sustainable Safari in East Africa:
Campi Ya Kanzi, Kenya
Campi Ya Kanzi describe themselves as ‘appropriate luxury’. That is less focus on Wifi and more focus on taking in the endlessly inspiring locals; the lions, zebra, rhino and giraffe. It’s located in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills, the inspiration for Ernest Hemingway’s book, ‘Green Hills of Africa’. Here you can centre yourself as you breath in the fresh mountain air from a private veranda. Built in partnership with the Maasai community and the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, this eco boutique uses solar energy, recycles rainwater and offsets the carbon footprint of all guests.
Virunga Lodge, Rwanda
Volcanoes. Check.
Safari. Check.
Social Responsibility. Check.
Virunga Lodge is less than an hour drive away from its border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s one of four luxury lodges by Volcano Safaris (all three others are located in Uganda). Views from this lodge include Lake Burera, the Virunga Volcanoes and the Musanze Valley. Located in Rwanda’s far north, this lodge offers eco-tourism led luxury gorilla safari, with a dedication to reviving local gorilla and chimpanzee communities. The ten suites here are all inclusive, even including a massage each evening as you retire from a day of hiking and gorilla watching.
Sustainable Safari in Southern Africa:
Mombo Camp, Botswana
Mombo Camp, located in Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta offers luxury, sustainability, and more. Not only do they offer some of the best safari viewing in the country (all the ‘Big 5’ can be spotted while here) but they take sustainability beyond the obvious, too. As well as using 100% solar power, they are involved in the reintroduction programme of black and white rhinos to the wild, and they help educate local children about conservation.
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, South Africa
Safari in South Africa doesn’t always mean ticking off the ‘Big 5’. At Grootbos Private Nature Reserve they focus on other types of safari; flower safari and marine safari. Situated next to Cape Nature Walker Bay nature reserve, and a 10 minute drive to the South Atlantic Sea, Grootbos is in the perfect location to offer the best of both. Grootbos actively assist in preserving the flora and fauna across 2,500 hectares of surrounding land. If you’re having trouble visualising just how large an area of land that is, it’s almost the size of Hawaii.
Sustainable Safari in Central Africa:
Camp Nomade, Chad
Think of African safari and it’s likely East or Southern Africa come to mind. It’s true that Chad is a less discovered, more treacherous African country to visit than most. Yet it is one that is so rewarding – if you’re up for a few challenges along the way. Located in Chad’s Zakouma National Park, once victim to horrific poaching, is Camp Nomade. Over recent years, Zakouma’s wildlife numbers have flourished once again, and Camp Nomade donates significantly to this. It may have a hefty price tag but, if you visit, you can sleep assured that your tourist money is being put to good use.
Sustainable Safari in West Africa:
Zaina Lodge, Ghana
In Mole National Park, Northern Ghana, sits Zaina Lodge. The park is home to nearly 100 species of mammal including the elephant, hippopotamus, and crocodile. Lions, hyenas and leopards also call this park home, though sightings today are uncommon. Built using local, sustainable materials, the lodge utilises solar powered water and LED lighting. Luxury tented accommodation overlooks the plains, and a nearby natural watering hole means it’s more than likely you’ll spot a family of elephants while eating breakfast or taking a dip in the lodge’s infinity pool.
– READ NEXT: Luxury Lodges: Africa’s Top 5
– Find out more about eco friendly design and hotels in our free online travel magazine (pages 6 – 29) and our responsible tourism guide online.
One Reply to “Sustainable Safari: 6 of our favourites in Africa”