
Top 5 favorite sustainable lodges
Top 5 favorite sustainable lodges : Not only can travel be enjoyable, but it can also have a positive impact on the people and places you visit. We’ve selected five of our top lodges in Africa so that visitors can be guaranteed a remarkable safari experience and feel good about knowing that their stay is contributing to community and conservation initiatives.
1. Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, South Africa.
The multi-award winning, family-run Grootbos is a shining example of sustainable luxury travel. Its 27 magnificent suites are situated in a fanciful 2,500-hectare protected fynbos stretch with sweeping views of Walker Bay. Visitors have multiple options to fully engage with nature, such as taking walks through botanical gardens, going on 4×4 safaris, or taking a scenic flight to observe the Marine Big Five from above.
The Grootbos Foundation was established in 2003 by the Lutzeyers with the intention of protecting this unique wilderness, which includes rare plants and the historic milkwood forests that give it its name. Additionally, they were eager to help the neighbourhood communities through creative projects that have grown stronger over time, like daily sports programmes for kids or courses on native horticulture. Even a cooperative farm that provides some of its produce to a community soup kitchen is supported by the Foundation.
2. Governors’ Mugie House, Kenya.
Situated at the northern tip of a 50,000-acre private conservancy in Laikipia, Mugie House is a quaint and compact property that is a recent addition to the esteemed Governors’ Camp Collection. Its diverse habitats, which range from olive forests to savannah and bush, are home to a wide range of wildlife, including several uncommon northern Kenyan species like the reticulated giraffe, which was saved as a baby and is known as Tala. Tala is known to occasionally peek in windows to greet newcomers.
At Mugie, maintaining the delicate balance between local involvement, conservation, and responsible tourism is a top priority. Initiatives include a state-of-the-art cattle-grazing programme that sustainably helps the pastoralist people of the region and frequent outreach medical clinics run by the Moyo Foundation. The entire Mugie House is powered by solar energy, and visitors can participate in behind-the-scenes adventures such as accompanying the Mugie bloodhounds and their handlers on their hunt for those responsible for crimes against cattle and wildlife.
3. Chobe Game Lodge, Botswana.
The luxurious Chobe Game Lodge is the only permanent establishment within the incredibly biodiverse Chobe National Park. Its prime riverfront location makes it an excellent base for both land and water-based game viewing excursions. It is a part of the Desert & Delta Safaris portfolio and has received a full eco grading from the Botswana Tourism Board for being a trailblazer in environmental care.
Elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, and wild dogs are just a few of the many species that call the park home. Visitors can see these creatures up close from a fleet of solar-powered safari boats and electric 4×4 vehicles. They are virtually silent and emit no emissions, making them perfect for up close interactions with wildlife without frightening it away. Additional environmentally friendly projects include a biogas plant, a closed-loop water system, and an incredibly effective recycling facility.
The overarching philosophy includes initiatives to support local communities, which are represented in everything from youth development programmes and employee health insurance plans to the lodge’s unique all-women guiding team, which is meant to encourage female empowerment.

4. Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp, Tanzania.
Lemala operates all of its upscale tented camps and lodges in Tanzania with the motto, “protect the environment, and support the communities.” This is undoubtedly true at the secluded Lemala Ngorongoro, which has just nine tents encircled by a pristine acacia forest in a prime location close to the Ngorongoro Crater’s rim.
You are directly or indirectly supporting the local and larger Tanzanian community just by choosing to stay here. The Maasai guides will take you on walks through the forest where you can spot wildlife, and a large percentage of the staff are from the nearby villages. Additionally, the food is sourced locally whenever possible. Even the biodegradable lunchboxes that are utilized throughout Lemala’s properties have an ethical component because they are produced in Mto wa Mbu by a centre for women’s empowerment.
A variety of environmental initiatives are implemented in conjunction with these efforts, such as installing reverse-osmosis water treatment plants to produce clean drinking water and do away with the need for plastic bottles and utilizing only solar power. Numerous construction materials have been recycled from leftover materials.
5. Bomani Tented Lodge, Zimbabwe.
Bomani Tented Lodge is a delightful, exclusive, and remote resort situated in a private reserve on the edge of Hwange National Park, offering an unparalleled setting. Unsurprisingly, all Imvelo Safari Lodges share a strong commitment to preserving this priceless environment while enhancing the quality of life for those who live nearby.
Every member of staff is local, meaning that they are all ideally within walking distance of Hwange. However, the surrounding communities also gain from the provision of clean drinking water and mobile dental clinics, which help to support the village schools. Regarding conservation, the first step is to locate it just outside the park to lessen its impact on the wilderness. Other steps include putting in place a network of fireguards to provide early warning of bushfires that can destroy grasslands during the dry season.
Water is also a special concern in Hwange during this time of year, so Imvelo maintains 19 waterholes that are topped off by hybrid solar/diesel pumps. Joining one of the frequent “pump runs,” which transport supplies and food to the attendants who maintain these priceless lifelines operational for seven months of the year, offers guests an intriguing behind-the-scenes look.
