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An eco-friendly African safari is all about leaving as little negative effects on the terrain you are exploring as possible. It involves choosing safari lodges that are serious about conserving the wildlife, the environment, and supporting the development of the community they surround.
In this line, we have compiled a list of the 5 African safari lodges that are heroes of sustainable and responsible travel. Eco-friendly lodges that deliver organic, fresh, and rejuvenating holiday experiences. So, without further ado, here is the countdown:
1. Campi ya Kanzi, Kenya.
Nestled against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, is a safari lodge like no other. We say so because the core mission that drives Campi ya Kanzi is cultural, wildlife, and environmental preservation of the greater Kilimanjaro ecosystem. How do they do this?
For starters, this non-profit eco-lodge only utilizes renewable energy. It uses photovoltaic panels to generate electricity within the camp. For your game drives, an electric Land Rover is at hand to ferry you around. Furthermore, after an adventure-filled day, you can relax under a hot shower courtesy of water supplied by solar boilers. As for your meals, all the food is prepared on stoves which use charcoal for fuel. The charcoal is made from coffee husks and has been ecologically approved by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Aside from the green energy, the founders of the lodge champion cultural preservation through community development. To this end, they have established the Maasai Community Wilderness Trust, which fosters the livelihoods of thousands of indigenous Maasai people who inhabit the area.
Thanks to the trust, the area boasts of a primary school, three health clinics, and a medical dispensary. In order to encourage a culture of goodwill, the lodge compensates the local landowners in the unlikely event that they lose any of their livestock to wildlife. In turn, the locals zealously help protect wildlife from external threats (such as those posed by poachers).
With all these ingenious efforts at conservation, it is no wonder that Campi ya Kanzi has been christened the “Camp of Hidden Treasure.”
2. Tongabezi Lodge, Zambia
Located on Sindabezi Island and in close proximity to Victoria Falls is Tongabezi Lodge, which fully runs on green energy, given that the entire island has zero electrical power. Spurred by its goal of cutting down on noise pollution and emissions, the lodge runs purely on solar energy with paraffin lamp supplements.
You will also be happy to note that all the cleaning products you will use here are biodegradable. The same applies to all the soaps used in the lodge’s kitchens and other amenities. The lodge has also forged a partnership with a local water recycling agency to ensure that all its wastewater is recycled and used in irrigation and to feed the Tongabezi Wildlife Dam.
The lodge produces its own vegetables, meaning all your meals will not only be fresh but green as well. To cap it all off, with proceeds from the venture, the Lodge has established a local primary school, whose students have gone green and either walk or cycle to school. As part of the school’s curriculum, the students are also taught basic gardening and encouraged to adopt sustainable ways of living. So far, onions harvested from the students’ kitchen gardens are utilized in preparing the school lunch!
3. Porini Camp, Maasai Mara, Kenya
For your next Kenya safari holiday, Porini Camp is your best bet in terms of an eco- friendly stay. It is one of the four lodges within the Maasai Mara triangle that has been awarded the coveted Gold Eco- rating certification by Ecotourism Kenya.
In striving for a harmonious coexistence with wildlife, the camp is unfenced, which allows wildlife to wander about freely. Not to worry though, will not adversely impact your safety, as the camp has 18 Game Scouts and a Warden, who are tasked with monitoring the wildlife.
Besides, the camp has also partnered with other stakeholders in the tourism sector, and through its staff, it participates in wildlife conservation as well! For example, through the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Porini camp helps in keeping tabs on the Lion populations through the Mara- Naboisho Lion Project. The project collars Lions to monitor their movements and populations at all times. Alongside the Living with Lions project, the camp also actively creates guest awareness on wildlife conservation through the Mara- Cheetah Project.
Turning to waste management, Porini camp employs organic waste disposal. Grey water from the kitchen and bathrooms is handled through soak pits, while black effluent goes to septic tanks containing biological enzymes to digest the effluent. There is also a fenced-off compost system to handle solid organic waste.
I visited the Porini camp with AjKenyasafaris.com last year, and I really loved their creativity. In a bid to discourage plastic pollution, the camp’s drinking water is supplied in reusable bottles. Drinking water in the sleeping tents is presented to you in decoratively beaded wine bottles and while on your game drive, the camp supplies you with a refillable aluminum bottle with which to carry your drinking water. All other utility water comes from harvested rainwater or is sourced from a borehole within the camp.
4. Elephant Watch Camp, Kenya
Strategically located in the Samburu National Reserve where Elephants abound, is a lodge founded by acclaimed wildlife conservationist, Saba Dougls- Hamilton. The lodge is geared towards protecting the Elephant populations, hence its strategic location.
As part of its green efforts, construction of the lodge was done using fallen trees, and all soft furnishings are made of biodegradable materials and locally sourced. In a move that fosters community goodwill, all the guides who form part of the staff are locals. This also assures you of getting a tour with knowledgeable guides. The lodge also has an Elephant Watch Scholarship Fund, which aids deserving students from the locale to access university education.
All the lodge’s foods are organically sourced, with meat and vegetables from the lodge’s farms.
5. Serengeti Under Canvas, Tanzania
Light, Organic and dynamic travel is what Serengeti Under Canvas is all about. It is comprised of two mobile camps, both located inside the Serengeti National Park. However, unlike its peers, this duo is always on the move and follows the Great Wildebeest migration, and therein lies its ecological charm.
Wherever you pitch camp, a makeshift yet formal dining table is set up in the middle of a particular dining site, with a personal butler at hand to cater to you. So, in a way, this is a Serengeti safari experience that combines luxurious camping and old school typical bush experience with no running water or electricity! As regards power and sanitation, the 4WD Land Cruisers are equipped with pitstop toilets and 220v three-pin power outlets with which you can charge your batteries. Showers are made possible by the two bucket open-air showers available on site.
The constant movement of the camp ensures there is never a dull moment as you will be assured of a ringside seat to all the migratory wildlife action in all its splendor.
To wind up;
This is just but a shortlist of the eco-friendly spots that Africa has to offer. The true magic can only be experienced once you make your very own African safari. Visit MasaiMarasafari.in and start planning your eco-friendly African safari holiday. Their safari guides are African born and bred, and their have safari packages of all budgets. Good Luck!
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This content is sponsored by Pranjal Agarwal.
Inset articles provided by the author.
Photo: Shutterstock