RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
Responsible tourism must come from a real desire to make a difference. Our passion for conservation is deeply ingrained in our culture and ethos and implemented through our various projects and initiatives. Sustainability is something shared and encouraged, from our guests, to our staff and the local community. We aim to tread gently on the earth and continuously explore new ways of reducing our footprint for a future of sustainable tourism.
Use of Renewable Energy
We are proud to say that all our camps run on 100% renewable solar energy. Mukambi Safari Lodge was also the first in Zambia to install the most environmentally-friendly battery technology (LiFePO4). The Freedom Won battery gave Mukambi the opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint, and in turn, negative environmental impact whilst maintaining an excellent standard of service. Thanks to this technology, the battery can withstand the high ambient temperatures in Zambia without impacting its lifespan.
Responsible tourism is of the utmost importance and Mukambi Safari Lodge, along with staff accommodation and all facilities, operate entirely from the prevalent sun and the Freedom Won battery. Thanks to technology, the battery can withstand the high ambient temperatures in Zambia without impacting its lifespan.
Plastic Free
Mukambi strives to be plastic-free. We have exclusive reusable water bottles for our guests which also serve as a great keepsake. We have introduced biodegradable straws, glass refillable amenities and biodegradable packaging on all our goods from Lusaka. Plus, we use eco-friendly cleaning products. We have a flourishing vegetable garden which supplies many of our herbs and vegetables, which not only reduces packaging and transport but also adds a delicious homegrown flavour to your meals.
Conservation
Conservation is key for responsible tourism and is a huge part of what we do in Kafue National Park. At Mukambi we work closely with several NGOs, including the Zambian Primate Project (ZPP), Panthera and Zambia Carnivore Programme (ZCP), and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and African Parks where we support anti-poaching and other conservation goals. The Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) is a non-profit Zambian registered organization dedicated to the protection of Zambia’s large carnivores and their ecosystems.
Together with the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife ZCP we have a three-pronged approach to their work:
1. Conservation Science: aimed at identifying and evaluating the primary threats to Zambia’s large carnivores and their ecosystems through long-term, field-based work.
2. Conservation Action: Guided by science, our actions are aimed at addressing both immediate and future threats such as snaring, habitat loss, disease, wildlife trafficking, and other factors.
3. Conservation Empowerment: To ensure sustainability, we endeavour to make our efforts as Zambian-led as possible. We develop conservation leadership through training, employing and educating aspiring conservationists in all aspects of the work. We also conduct an array of educational programmes at both primary and secondary school levels. From there students are encouraged and offered full support to enrol for international graduate degree programmes. We also run intensive training programmes tailored for women in conservation, conservation biologists and wildlife vets.
ZCP currently work with the country’s largest remaining populations of wild dog, cheetah, lion, leopard and spotted hyena, primarily through three field-based projects: the Luangwa Valley, the Greater Liuwa Ecosystem, and the Greater Kafue Ecosystem. Their collaborative work provides the only scientific data on large carnivores and their prey throughout much of Zambia, and they are proud that their findings are utilized extensively in guiding conservation policy in the country.
African Parks
African Parks is a non-profit NGO founded on conserving Africa’s wildlife and remaining wild areas, with an added focus on socio-economic development for the surrounding local communities. The organisation is now working with the Zambian government to better manage the Kafue National Park. A special ceremony was held in May 2021 to officially hand over motor vehicles, air assets, equipment and first quarter salaries for the conservation and management team of the park. There was a large turnout to see the new helicopter fly into the Chunga airstrip where new anti-poaching officers will be trained to join the regular patrols in the park. It will take time, but we are already seeing positive changes in the area, the biggest being the road grading programme and tsetse trap/blankets which make for a far smoother ride during game drives. Plus there is less wear and tear on the vehicles which take a fair battering driving around the bush for up to 8 hours a day.
Support of Local Communities
Long-term conservation can only be accomplished by working closely with the local communities. Some of our community projects have included digging a borehole for clean drinking water, giving the Mukambi Women’s Group an outlet for their handmade crafts in our curio shop, and a Women’s group who produce honey in the South of the park. We also have a job training programme which has given 50 members of the local community permanent employment. Guests at Mukambi can visit the projects to learn more about our conservation efforts and the local communities.
The Azimai Women’s Group
We are proud to support The Azimai Women’s Group, made up mainly of our staff members’ wives. They get together on a Saturday afternoon to make various crafts that they then sell to several lodges throughout the Kafue National Park. Their wares include bags, clothing (dresses, shirts, headbands) made from local chitenge material, baskets (made of recycled plastic bags), beaded bracelets and other travel-friendly trinkets. This initiative allows a creative outlet for the women and creates an extra source of income for their families.
Community School
The Mukambi Community School was founded in 2006 to provide a good standard of education to our staff’s children and the local community. The results have been fantastic and the well-equipped school now provides 76 local children with a high standard of education, as well as permanent employment for 10 teachers. The school received generous funding from a donor a couple of years ago which meant that they could invest in iSchool Tablets. The high-tech devices allow the pupils to engage in active learning as well as developing key IT skills for later in life. And of course, it goes without say that conservation is an important subject at the school with our ever responsible tourism goal in mind. Every year all the grade 7 pupils graduate with flying colours and go on to attain places at secondary schools and universities throughout Zambia. Two former students have been sponsored in their tertiary education at leading universities in Lusaka. The school is supported by a charity called Cikoko, which you can read more about below.
Staff Development
- Guide Training: For the guides to train and write their guiding exams
- First Aid Training
- Mukambi sends a chef and either a waiter/room attendant to do a 2-week placement at a lodge/hotel in Lusaka. This offers great exposure to other work environments other than Mukambi.
- Chef’s training at a leading Hospitality College Fairview in Lusaka.
- Masseuse training at a reputable Spa Relax Destination Parlour in Lusaka.
Art for a Cause
Heinrich Filter is a South African sculptor whose keen eye for nature is accurately reproduced in his detailed works. His love for the African bush has been an enduring hallmark of his life – from his early days spent walking Southern Africa’s game trails through to adulthood working as a professional safari guide.
In bronze on stone base
Limited edition of 12
Height 71 cm x width 47 cm incl. base
Limited edition of 9
Bronze on Stone base
Height 21 cm x width 29 cm incl. base
Elephant Bull
Limited edition of 24
Bronze on Stone base
Height 19 cm x length 29 cm incl. base
Heinrich creates many splendid African wildlife beauties and through his art we can drive awareness about conservation & communities and the challenges each are facing during these difficult times. Sales of each sculpture through the Mukambi platforms will generate a donation towards the Mukambi Community School. An exciting collaboration that is the essence of our story… together we are stronger.
Enquiries: info@mukambi.com Ref: Mukambi Art
Mulberry Mongoose
The Mulberry Mongoose workshop is located on a well-trodden elephant path in Mfuwe, in the remote Zambian bush.
They love to show people how they make things, how the sale of each piece supports local conservation work, and how they deal with the occasional elephant mischief.
The jewellery is inspired by life in the Zambian bush. So it’s only fitting that with every piece of jewellery sold they make a donation to antipoaching patrols to help remove the snare wire traps that kill and injure many of the area’s iconic wildlife.
By buying their accessories, you’re helping raise thousands of dollars for this vital work to save elephants, big cats and antelope.
Positive Impact Travel
The sustainability of the lodge allows the continuation of community and conservation projects in the Kafue National Park. As a safari company we work closely with the local community and conservation programmes for a sustainable future and the protection of a vital ecosystem – not only the wildlife but the livelihoods of the people.