If experiencing pristine wilderness far off the beaten track is your thing and if you care about conserving nature for future generations, then visiting one of the unique properties of Green Safaris should definitely be your choice.
Green Safaris was founded in 2015 by a Dutch investor, with a passion for one of the lesser known African parks, the Kafue National Park in Zambia. This was in addition to a passion for conservation and community development.
Ila Safari Lodge is in the heart of the Kafue National Park. As a first lodge, Green Safaris has developed Ila Safari Lodge, named after the once famous Ila tribe that lived in the areas that now form the Kafue National Park. Despite being lesser known, it’s the largest and oldest park in Zambia and one of the last great expanses of remote and unspoiled wilderness in Africa.
Only a three hour drive or one hour flight from Lusaka are 22,400 square kilometers of pristine bush for you to explore in open 4×4 game drive vehicles, by boat on the mighty Kafue River, or using your own two feet in the form of walking safaris. This unexplored gem of a park is enticing for its incredible diversity of wildlife and birds, its sheer quantity of big game and predators, and perhaps just as attractive, the absence of people.
It is here that Green Safaris has opened Ila Safari Lodge, two years ago, which has quickly established a great reputation as the best eco lodge in Zambia. Ila features ten state of the art luxury safari tents, perched on their own deck and reaching out over the banks of the Kafue River. Included are two larger family suites.
Each tent has been individually designed to mesh with the flora surrounding it, providing shade, privacy and your very own piece of Kafue wilderness. All tents feature en suite bathrooms and either outside showers or baths. Apart from its stunning location, you will be impressed with the Green Ethos practised here. The lodge is largely running on solar power, the Boma has been built with sandbags, to minimise the use of cement, but perhaps you’ll be even more impressed with the concept of Silent Safaris.
Ila boasts being the very first lodge in Zambia that operates a self-developed eLandy; an electrified game-drive vehicle, for zero emissions and indeed: silent safaris. They also run an eBoat, to quietly cruise the Kafue River.
But perhaps you will be most impressed by the passion of the Ila team to constantly exceed your expectations, to create life-long memories and to provide you with a truly unique experience, whilst exploring the bush.
Kaya Mawa has become part of Green Safaris. After Ila Lodge, Green Safaris has recently expanded its portfolio with Kaya Mawa, the famous beach lodge situated at Likoma Island in Malawi. Just like Ila Safari Lodge, Kaya Mawa is situated in an ultra-pristine part of the world, as a first for Green Safaris, this time it is on a beach.
And just like Ila, Kaya Mawa offers a truly unique experience. The island is famous for its stunning beaches, gourmet food and great watersports activities including scuba diving, sailing, kite surfing and quad biking. The lodge itself has won numerous awards, notably most romantic safari property and best beach lodge in Africa, by leading publishers as Conde Naste, Safari Awards, Tatler, etc., for many years in a row.
For those interested in a combined Bush and Beach experience we have the Stay 7 – Pay 5 Introduction Offer on any booking made before December 31 2018.
Getting there: Ila Safari Lodge is an easy three hour drive from Lusaka, via the M9 to Mumbwa. Alternatively you can fly to Chunga airstrip, close by.
Kaya Mawa can be reached by connecting on various international flights into Lilongwe. From Lusaka, Proflight has daily flights (about two hours). The transfer flight to Likoma Island takes about one hour.*For bookings contact [email protected] or go to greensafaris.com
