Zambia luxury lodge accommodation

The lodge owner is a long standing Zambian resident who first discovered the islands on a fishing trip in 1997. He was completely enthralled by the natural beauty of the setting and set out to encourage international visitors to share their experience by developing a lodge on the site. To this end he started talks with the local people to find out their feelings on development within their area.

All the local headmen were called for a meeting where some interesting facts emerged. The local tribe (Toka-Leya) were actually starved of any commercial enterprises locally and relied totally on a subsistence way of life. They felt that they were being left behind by their neighbours both upstream and downstream, where other lodges had been operating and the local people were benefiting from the upsurge in international tourism. It emerged that they were very keen for some form of employment opportunities and the chance to interact with the outside world showing off their rich culture and beautiful lands. Once the support of the local villages was established the local paramount chief was approached (His Royal Highness Sekuti) who was also extremely keen for development within his area. He was most insistent that the local people should benefit directly and that all employment should take place from the immediate area. After those assurances were agreed the chief gave his written permission for the government to grant a lease on the land.

After exhaustive market research into traveler's needs and current market trends, architect's plans were drawn up. It was established from the outset of the project that environmental awareness would be a key factor of the lodge. It was decided that a ‘non permanent’ feel to the camp would be important, therefore a combination of wood and canvas was decided upon for all the lodge structures.

Commercially grown non-indigenous pine was used for all structural construction as well as all walkways and decking. Hard wood was only used where aesthetically needed and then located from sustainable commercial forests, the lodge would also replant hardwoods within the area to compensate for this. To alleviate the difficult subject of thatching, it was decided that even the roofs of the chalets would be of canvas, once again adding to the non-permanent feel. It was decided that there would be no compromise on the cutting down of trees on the islands and indeed, this was maintained throughout, even to the point of changing original plans to accommodate indigenous trees. Some of the chalets in fact had to be altered to actually fit around a tree or two! Indeed, only a few tree branches had to be trimmed throughout the entire project, a fact that the directors are extremely proud of.

The two islands are linked by a rope bridge, with the smaller of the two islands housing the accommodation chalets. Once guests cross this bridge they do not actually set foot on the island, as they walk upon a raised walkway in the tree canopy, this ensures the delicate riverside environment is completely protected. In fact, the tree theme follows right through the lodge, the chalets all being named after a local indigenous tree. The islands nature trail also promotes tree protection with a superbly detailed description of all the trees and their local medicinal and traditional uses.

Once the lodge construction was near an end and it was clear that all of the directors wishes were complied with, the lodge was awarded with its Environmental Certificate by the Environmental Council of Zambia.

Even though the lodge is located on true islands within the river, it has been connected to the National Grid for its electricity supply. The directors felt that as the electricity supply is generated at the hydro/electro station at Victoria Falls, this was the most effective way to power the lodge. Low wattage geysers have been used throughout the lodge along with low wattage long life light bulbs to ensure cost saving and lack of wastage.

The lodge’s water is drawn directly from the river, filtered and treated on site, thus ensuring there is no effect upon the local water table. As with current hotel policies, guests are given the option as to how often their towels and linen are washed. Locally produced bottled mineral water is available for guests drinking requirements in every room.

As the directors of the company are proud Zambian residents they feel that ‘green washing’ of the product serves little or no purpose. They are committed to the sustainability of tourism in their area. This requires a very honest attitude to both community development and environmental issues as the two most definitely go hand in hand. The local communities were very uninformed when it came to tourism issues and so the directors are extremely keen to promote a responsible attitude towards correct development for those people. Headman Siankaba, (the village headman responsible for the immediate area of the lodge) and his people are extremely proud of their way of life and the area they live in, and the directors are not interested in changing or tarnishing this attitude, but rather nourishing it as a tangible demonstration of local life and culture. Small groups of interested guests, accompanied by a local guide, may visit the villages on foot to get to know the people and their traditions as they really are, unaltered by commercialism so often seen elsewhere. The aim of the company is to develop a long running successful business with the help and support of the local people, mutually beneficial to both parties and the environment as a whole.