Belmond Safaris, caring for the community and the environment

January 2021 - Belmond Safaris is committed to encouraging responsible tourism through the conservation of natural resources and its commitment to improving the lives of local communities. Through the implementation of various environmental, social and cultural initiatives, Belmond Safaris contributes to the safeguarding of the environment and the upliftment of disadvantaged communities in surrounding areas. 

Wild Entrust and Botswana Predator Conservation Trust

We are on the cusp of signing a partnership agreement with Wild Entrust (previously Botswana Predator Conservation Trust) www.wildentrust.org, a long-standing globally recognised NPO which is focused on finding and implementing solutions to the growing wildlife and wild space conservation challenges. In particular, Belmond Safaris will support the Leopard Bioboundary project, as well as the Coaching for Conservation programme which aims to inspire children to be more empathetic towards wildlife and the struggles they face.

Belmond Safaris staff hikes up Table Mountain in support of Africa’s Wildlife Rangers 

In support of Ride4Rangers, Belmond Safaris staff led a sponsored hike to the top of Table Mountain on 12th September 2020 to support Ride4Rangers, a global initiative to raise funds for Africa’s wildlife rangers. “Ride4Rangers” www.ride4rangers.com is a global travel industry initiative in partnership with conservation charity TUSK, which encourages people to ride, run, walk or hike in order to raise funds in order to support Africa’s wildlife rangers. Without the funding that has historically been generated though tourism, the livelihoods of the rangers are under threat which in turn places Africa’s wildlife under severe threat. 

Reeds for thatching roofs in Khwai Village and resuscitating Savute’s Marabou Pan

The Belmond Safaris team at Khwai River Lodge assisted the neighbouring Khwai Village to transport reeds from the rivers of the Okavango Delta to the village for roofing their thatched huts. 

The Savute Elephant Lodge team assisted with the resuscitation of the nearby Marabou Pan by removing sand from the pan to ensure sufficient water supply for wildlife during the very dry winter season.

Furniture restoration at Thuso Rehabilitation Centre

Belmond Safaris supports the Thuso Centre in Maun which provides rehabilitation services for the disabled community from Ngamiland and Chobe District. Thuso creates opportunities for an independent life for people with disabilities. For the past twenty years Belmond Safaris has donated all the used or slightly damaged furniture to the centre which has carpentry facilities, allowing the inhabitants to repair and restore the furniture which is then sold in order to raise funds for the centre. 

Bednight Banks for Bana ba Letsatsi (Children of the Sun)

Belmond Safaris joined Travel for Impact’s Bednight Bank whereby bed nights are donated to Safari Destinations who in turn sell these bed nights, passing on the proceeds to Travel for Impact. Travel for Impact donates the proceeds to Bana ba Letsatsi, a home for extremely vulnerable children in Botswana. 

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge and Nxhoga Village - The Bowser and the Jojo Tank, Mobile Clinics and Supporting those in need 

Nxhoga is a small village close to Eagle Island Lodge which had no potable water supply until Eagle Island Lodge donated a Jojo Tank and a Bowser to ensure the villagers at Nxhoga had drinking water. Potable water is transported from the lodge to the village where it is stored in the Jojo tanks. 

The lodge supplies rubbish bins to the village and organises the regular removal of rubbish. It also provides education on recycling. 

Belmond Safaris has facilitated mobile clinic visits to Nxhoga Village by providing airlift and accommodation to the medical team. The lodge also arranges airlift to Maun hospital for emergencies as there is a helicopter based at the lodge. The lodge has also been supporting the visually and hearing impaired inhabitants of the village with food parcels and financial aid over the past ten years. 

Eagle Island Lodge guests are offered the opportunity to visit Nxhoga Village, where they can learn about the way of life of the BaTswana who live in remote villages, their history, their cultural heritage and social practices. The excursion is hosted by a Belmond Safaris guide who hails from such a village. Guests are afforded the opportunity to learn how to greet in SeTswana; how the mud, tin can and reed huts are perfectly designed for local conditions; the cultural relevance of basket weaving (with an opportunity to purchase local basketware); the fishing industry in the Delta, and how the village is run and administered.

Earth Day, Shady Trees and Botswelelo School in Maun

Belmond Safaris has over the past two years established a relationship with Botswelelo Primary School. On Earth Day, Belmond Safaris  buys a number of the Trees of the Year and helps the students to plant these trees at the school. This past year the trees were Natal Mahogany, chosen mostly for the shade it provides, Bird Plum for its sweet fruit and shade, and Marula trees for their fruits and for much needed shade in the sizzling summer heat of Maun. The fruits of the Bird Plum and Marula trees are harvested and sold in order to raise money for the school’s end of year prize giving.

Sustainable architectural re-design of Eagle Island Lodge and Savute Elephant Lodge in 2016 and 2018

No concrete was used in the redesign of both lodges, and all old concrete structures were replaced with local timber, reclaimed gum poles and local thatch.

Both lodges operate on solar power.  Water is taken from the Kavango River, treated with reverse osmosis and then stored in water coolers around the lodge. Guests are offered their own personalised reusable water bottles and encouraged to fill them directly from the coolers. Not only does this save water, but it also significantly reduces glass waste. Those glass bottles that are used, are then recycled, taken to a glass-crushing plant in Maun and repurposed into bricks. The lodges also supply drinking water to employees of the Department of Wildlife based in remote areas.

A compactor and baling machine crushes and bales tins, plastic and non-biodegradable paper products, which means less transport is required to remove the materials from site. 

Most plastic has been replaced with sugarcane and corn starch (biodegradable) materials. 

All oil is collected and recycled.

Fibreglass swimming pools have replaced the old cement swimming pools.

Local cuisine is embraced with many traditional dishes featured on the lodge menus.

Human Resources Reaches Out

Long Service Recognition Programme

We recognise and honour those employees who have given many years of dedicated service to the hotel. An awards evening is held annually where long service staff are recognised and awarded.

Staff Rewards Programme

‘You Make A Difference Staff Recognition Programme’ was designed to encourage staff to recognise and acknowledge the achievement of their peers’ daily work efforts and extraordinary commitment to the hotel’s standards.  Employees are financially rewarded and at the end of the year, the twelve-monthly winners are put forward for the prestigious title of ‘Employee of the Year’, and there is also a rather large cash prize.

A Nurse and Welfare Office is employed to look after the health and wellness needs of Belmond Safaris’ staff.