Hakusembe River Lodge scores big

What a success! Eco Awards Namibia assessed Hakusembe River Lodge for the first time and instantly honoured it with four desert flowers. The lodge of the Gondwana Collection on the banks of the Okavango River scored high marks for staff and health, social responsibility, management and legal compliance, building and landscaping, guiding as well as waste, pollution and sewer. Similar to the star-rating system for tourist accommodation, the environmental initiative awards up to five flowers for sustainability.

Gondwana combines its hospitality business with nature conservation and social commitment in a sustainable manner. Ever since the lodge group started in 1995 it bought farms in the vicinity of natural attractions, converted the farms into nature reserves and reintroduced game species which had once been indigenous to the area. 

 

Nature conservation is financed with the proceeds from the eco-friendly hospitality business, which in turn creates jobs and career opportunities for the local population.
In previous years Eco Awards Namibia repeatedly acknowledged Gondwana’s sustainability efforts with the highest seal of approval. Etosha Safari Lodge & Camp, Namushasha River Lodge, Canyon Roadhouse, Canyon Village, Canyon Lodge and Namib Desert Lodge have received five desert flowers each. The environmental endeavours at Damara Mopane Lodge were honoured with four flowers and those at Kalahari Anib Lodge and Kalahari Farmhouse with two flowers each. The lodges are up for reassessment this year (2016). Participation in the Eco Awards is voluntary.