Lepogo Lodges are one of Africa's few entirely not-for-profit high-end safari lodges, set remotely within the 50,000-hectare, malaria-free Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, home of the 'big five'.
Noka Camp's five stilted villas, including one villa especially designed for families, are perched atop a 100ft cliff, overlooking the winding Palala River below and the endless bush ahead. After a long day of game drives, guests can relax in the window-side sunken bathtub or opt for a dip in their private heated plunge pool offering panoramic views of the surrounding terrain and inhabiting wildlife.
Each villa also offers a unique outdoor 'sky bed' placed on the glass floor balcony over the ravine, providing guests with the ideal opportunity for star-gazing under the incredible African night skies, before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
Lepogo Lodges has added to its stellar eco-credentials by working with local and global charity organisations to offset their guests' carbon footprint, calculating the carbon emissions resulting from each guest's journey from the time they leave their home to the moment they return.
The figure is converted into a monetary value which is then donated by Lepogo Lodges into one of three conservation projects, chosen by the guest. The projects include:
Community Stove Project – A Community Outreach Programme: Lepogo Lodges has collaborated with the neighbouring Lapalala Wilderness School's Outreach Programme to launch the Community Stove Project, where high-efficiency stoves are donated to the local community. The new stoves reduce the wood used in each household by an estimated 2.5 tons per year. This does not only result in an upsurge of trees being saved and lower emissions from burning less wood, but it also increases time efficiency when cooking and positively impacts the health of families.
South Africa Forest Trust – A Biodiversity Enhancement Programme: The South African Reforestation Trust, a not-for-profit organisation and platform, brings landowners, institutions, companies and individuals together to plant and extend indigenous forest ecosystems.
Stand for Trees – A Global Programme: Stand for Trees and its 16 conservation projects aim to protect the world's most spectacular forest landscapes, surrounding communities and inhabiting wildlife. The projects span across Northern Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Peru, Brazil and more, offering guests a range of sites to choose from.
In addition to the carbon offset programme, Lepogo Lodges is committed to supporting local communities by helping them start businesses which supply products for the lodge and on-site curio shop. Passionate about wildlife conservation, Lepogo Lodges are funding research and working with Lapalala to establish the reserve as a centre of excellence for the release of wild cheetah, and are in discussion to become a pangolin rehabilitation sanctuary.
Nightly rates at Lepogo Lodges start from R16,500 per person, per night for a Luxury Clifftop Villa on an all-inclusive board basis, for stays booked to travel before December 2020. For more information or to make a reservation visit www.lepogolodges.com or email info@lepogolodges.com.*Price in pound sterling accurate according to today's exchange rate.
