Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
All of the above accommodation is run by small companies, who train & employ local people into the tourist industry not only as cleaners, cooks & waiters, but also as lodge managers and wildlife guides. All lodges buy their fresh produce from local suppliers. A strong effort is being made to be as environmentally sensitive as possible by e.g. recycling waste products and the use of solar energy.
As the bulk of this itinerary is wildlife based we have specifically sought out partners who share our commitment to conservation of the area visited. Mfuwe Lodge is a sponsor of the South Luangwa Conservation Society and a proportion of the cost of each night you stay at the lodge will go directly towards their conservation work. Specific current projects include:
- Anti poaching patrols and snare removal programs within the park and game management areas
- Promoting the South Luangwa Anti-Snaring Campaign in local villages and schools
- Education of local children to appreciate their heritage and work towards sustainable wildlife utilisation and a balanced coexistence
- Sponsoring and co-ordinating village scout training programs
- Habitat and wildlife data collection through monitoring by village scouts
Mfuwe Lodge also work with their local community and contribute funds to two school projects – Chiwawtala in the local village and Chilongazi in the remote bush. The two schools have over 600 pupils between them and only 6 teachers! Cash and goods donations from the lodge have helped sponsor more teachers and fund orphaned children through school. Students have also been encouraged to tend vegetable gardens and sell produce to the local tourist lodges. A recent community upliftment programme has involved the introduction of chilli farming to the local community. The spicier the food you eat at the lodge the more you assist the local farming community!
Mukumi Village: This traditional African village has stood for 700 years and opens its doors to tourists wishing to view the traditional African way of life. Tourist trade with local craftsmen and villagers has funded community projects such as water tanks and the clinic.
For all of our tours we provide customers with an itinerary specific responsible travel guide aprox 4 weeks before they depart. This includes a generic travellers code of conduct which emphasises basic responsible travel advice – e.g. reduction of waste and consumption of natural resources, purchase local produce where possible etc. Our holidays are specifically designed to bring guests into direct contact with locals from a range of different tribes and cultures across Africa. We also therefore provide destination specific guidance including advice on local customs and some key phrases in certain languages (e.g. Swahili). We also offer guidance on how to barter responsibly for local curios and what curios should be avoided (e.g. certain wildlife artefacts such as coral, turtle shells etc.). As all of our guides and groundhandlers are local we also give guidance on what a fair and reasonable level of tipping would be at the end of the holiday.
We support the work of Tourism Concern both in distributing their advice to customers and as an active participant in the Ethical Tour Operators Group. Our managing director sits on this group and is a regular attendee of meetings contributing to work towards developing industry wide fair trade standards. We also distribute materials to customers and make periodic donations for the following charities: Tree Aid; International Fund for Wildlife and Survival International Trust. In Southern Africa we support the Southern Africa Sustainable Seafood Initiative and forward their guidance to all customers on which seafood is sustainable when offered a choice at restaurants.
Whilst volunteering on a coral reef in Tanzania, the founder of this company fell in love with Africa. Using her academic background in environmental science, she decided to do something practical and help the continent develop a sustainable tourism portfolio. She developed holidays which combine the obvious itinerary highlights with more unusual experiences such as home stays and township visits. She believes that there are great benefits to travel: it is a chance to widen your horizons, learn about other people and see a bit more of the world than just that little place you call home.
Listen to the podcast below:
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
