Edition 43: Summer 2008

In August Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) will be launching two brand new luxurious safari lodges on a private 50,000ha concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Xaranna Tented Camp and Xudum Delta Lodge will be built with an incredibly light footprint, meant to showcase CC Africa’s commitment to responsible luxury.

Located on its own island, Xudum Delta Lodge will be very isolated, with nine suites each containing rooftop sleep areas, lofty hideouts with magnificent views, large bathtubs, al fresco showers and private plunge pools. The camp will have two main guest areas, along with four smaller satellite ones to guarantee privacy.
Xaranna Tented Camp is more exposed than that of Xudum and the design will therefore be more ethereal. The nine sleek en suite safari tents will offer views over the permanent channels of the Okavango Delta. Each suite will be organic in design with a combination of canvas and bleached timber. www.ccafrica.com 

Pope opens Pumulani 
Robin Pope Safaris, one of the leading safari specialists in Zambia, is broadening its reach to include Malawi. Pumulani, their exclusive beach lodge on the shores of Lake Malawi, will open 1 July 2008 – it will be the only luxury accommodation within Lake Malawi National Park.

Spread along a lush hillside overlooking the lake, the lodge has ten villas, each designed by Dutch architect G Hooft Graafland. Although each is unique, they all have a spacious bedroom, living area and private deck. Guests can relax on the sandy beach or at the sleek infinity pool. For those seeking activity, there are waterskiing, sailing, diving, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkelling, fishing and birdwatching.

www.pumulani.com

Looking at Lake Natron 
Following the huge success of Little Shompole, the latest addition to The Art of Ventures Collection is a home away from home, Shompole House. Sleeping up to four people, it offers unique safari style, stunning views, a relaxed atmosphere, private dining, spa treatments and the opportunity to take part in many wildlife-viewing activities. Set in a private conservancy there are no crowds, ensuring guests enjoy personal encounters with the great game of East Africa.

Straddling the ridge above Shompole lodge in Kenya’s Rift Valley, this split-level house offers spectacular views across to Lake Natron and the Loita Hills in Tanzania. Consisting of two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, Shompole House also contains a swimming pool, dining area, waterfall shower and outside bath.
Built largely from local materials, the house is a continuation of the partnership between the Maasai of the Shompole community and The Art of Ventures. Equipped with energy-saving lights and solar-heated hot water and water pumps, Shompole House strives to reduce energy consumption while providing the amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

www.toescapeto.com

On the rim 
With the success of their seasonal Serengeti Wilderness Camp, Wild Frontiers are opening a similar camp at Ngorongoro Crater. The camp will be rotated between the sites on the crater rim: Simba B, which offers dramatic drop-off views, and Nyati. Both locations are rich with wildlife opportunities. Wild Frontiers will be working closely with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) to ensure these sites have little impact on the surrounding environment by using solar power and having proper waste management.

www.wildfrontiers.com

Misty mountain tops 
Wildplaces Africa are set to open Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, situated on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, early this August. Situated high up on Nteko Ridge, the lodge has commanding views down over the thick treetop canopy of Bwindi and beyond to the golden grasses of the Western Rift Valley.

A first in Uganda, this lodge is being built as a partnership between the Nkuringo Community Development Fund (NCDF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. With the ultimate goal of protecting the natural habitat of the mountain gorilla, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge hopes to also directly benefit the community of Nkuringo.
It caters to those tracking the Nkuringo group of gorillas, and guests will be able to walk from their cottage to the treks starting point.

www.wildplacesafrica.com

Zambia’s Zungulila 
The Bushcamp Company portfolio in Zambia will be joined by another exciting South Luangwa property this July. Zungulila will be dedicated exclusively to walking safaris, and available for private parties of four guests or more.  There is road access to the camp but this will only be used to transfer guests to and from the property. The camp and its four tents will be situated on a raised knoll overlooking the Kapamba River and an expansive plain on which several natural springs attract huge herds of plains game. Tents will be spacious and cool, built under thatch roofs, and all tents will have en suite facilities, with hot and cold running water.

www.bushcampcompany.com

Self-catering and camping in Tuli 
Molema, a new community-based self-catering and camping option in Botswana’s Tuli Block, is now accepting booking for its 1 July 2008 opening. Set on the banks of the Limpopo River, the project is a joint venture between the local villages of Mothlabaneng, Lentswe Le Moriti and Mathathane, Tuli Safari Lodge and two other operators in the area, Tuli Wilderness Trails and Talana Farms. The property is located on 6000ha of community land immediately to the west of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. It has been developed to provide the communities with an opportunity to participate in and benefit from tourism to the region and will provide much-needed income, employment and training. Molema is 25km from the Platjan border post between South Africa and Botswana, making it an ideal stop-off point for visitors driving between the two countries. Molema is managed and operated by Tuli Safari Lodge.

www.tulilodge.com