Colin Bell and David Bristow are two world-renowned names in the African safari industry. A few years they launched a book called “Africa’s Finest” which highlights authentic eco-friendly lodges that maximise renewable energy. There are plenty of lodges out there claiming to be “green” but Africa’s finest project decided to explore and highlight the authentic lodges in Africa. We’ve featured 3 eco-friendly lodges as nominated by experts.
Eco-friendly is often misunderstood to mean ‘sustainable’ but both have vastly different meanings in terms of environmental conscientiousness. A sustainable product comprises items that are either completely renewable or are harvested in a way that does not pollute the environment or deplete natural resources. Being eco-friendly applies to the use of sustainable products in ways that minimise environmental impact.
When we analyse if a lodge is “green” we look at many aspects. A few surface level categories that might be analysed would be : an efficient recycling program, bio-degradable products bought in bulk, use of locally grown produce, wind power and the use of renewable energy sources. Delving deeper we might look at community initiatives, giving back to conservation and employing people from the surrounding community.
Mombo Camp in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Mombo Camp is heavily involved in re-introducing rhino into the Okavango Delta. They also use sustainable energy resources such as solar power, rainwater harvesting and thermodynamic geysers. In terms of community involvement, Mombo Camp employs and empowers people from the local community.
Serra Cafema in Kunene, Namibia
Remote, untouched and humble. Welcome to the Serra Cafema camp in the Namib Desert. Owned and operated by the Himba people, this camp is truly indigenous! In terms of conservation efforts, Serra Cafema works in conjunction with the government on the Namibia Sea Turtle Project.
Elsa’s Kopje is involved in the support of local schools and actually raised a whopping $10 000 as a contribution to the development of schools. Elsa’s also makes use of solar power and renewable sources. Elsa’s Kopje is outstanding in terms of sustainability and actually received an accolade from ecotourism Kenya.
