Lemala Wildwaters Lodge

The suites at Lemala Wildwaters Lodge are luxurious and comfortable. Built in the style of a traditional thatch hut, the suites are a blend of authenticity and home comforts. Spacious rooms are filled with natural light from floor to ceiling glass doors and wide windows, and a high exposed thatch roof adds dimension to the room. Large comfortable beds sit in the centre, swathed in mosquito netting and covered in crisp white bed linens.

The colour palette that runs throughout the suites is neutral, which acts to highlight the vivid surroundings outside the room. All suites have ensuite bathrooms with unique basins which are carved from granite. A private decking area outside each suite comes complete with a freestanding bath, where guests can relax and enjoy a soak whilst listening to the water rushing past.

The family suite is furnished and decorated in the same style as the river suites. It has polished wooden floors and high thatched ceilings, making the space feel authentic and traditional, and it also features the same floor to ceiling doors and windows which flood the room with natural light, and fresh African air. At night the suite is gently lit, keeping the air of comfort and cosiness.

The suite comes complete with an ensuite bathroom, and a room downstairs which is perfect for children, accessible by a trap door – which adds adventure. A private balcony includes a free-standing bathtub where guests can enjoy a peaceful soak with a view over the top of luscious, vivid green trees.

Meals are served for guests in the main lodge. A communal dining room is in the same area as a communal lounge, library and bar. Delicious food is served, from fresh breakfasts to start your day off to romantic candle-lit three course dinners, which can be enjoyed poolside, under the starry sky. Meals can be arranged by river side, for a unique and breathtaking dining experience.

For the adrenaline-seekers, white water rafting is available through Adrift, a company which has been operating for 28 years. There are various white water rafting levels guests can choose from, and children can enjoy a separate raft with experienced guides if parents want a relaxing afternoon. Whatever level guests chose, this is undoubtedly going to be a memorable and exciting activity.

Also available through Adrift is bungee jumping for the thrill-seekers among the guests of Lemala Wildwaters Lodge. Guests can bungee jump directly over the Nile, for an adrenaline-filled afternoon, which they will never forget.

For a slightly more relaxed, but no less entertaining afternoon guests can enjoy some fishing. After being guided to a local fishing spot you will have the chance to ask locals for advice and see if you can catch a bolt, barbel, catfish, elephant-snout fish or catch a glimpse of the humungous Nile Perch.

With prior arrangement a safari on horseback can be arranged. Available to guests of any ability, this is a unique way to explore the surrounding nature and become a part of it as you do so. Safaris can be arranged on routes which follow the course of the Nile or through the local village.

There are a range of kayaking experiences available from Lemala Whitewaters Lodge. Grab a kayak or stand up paddle board and glide gently over the calm waters. For a truly memorable experience head out as the sun is setting and enjoy a kayak sundowner with a friendly guide who will impart his wisdom of the local area, with drinks served afterwards. For guests who want a more adrenaline filled kayaking experience then the rapids here are the perfect introductory level to learn how to white water kayak.

After a practice session guests can go on a 2 hour quad biking safari. One of the most popular activities from Lemala Whitewaters Lodge, the Nile is followed downstream and through the forests and farmland of Uganda.

Enjoy a relaxed cruise along the River Nile. Take in your surroundings, watching the riverbank for any animals, seeing if you can spot any river otters or fish and enjoying the delicious food and drink which will be produced.

Take a refreshing dip in the large granite swimming pool which overlooks the rushing waters of the Nile and cool off in the hot afternoons. For a more self-indulgent afternoon head to the spa, where you can enjoy a stress-relieving massage or spa treatment of your choice to help you relax and appreciate your surroundings.

Wewe na Sisi Pamoja translates to ‘you and us together’ and also works as an acronym for Lemala’s environmental and social ethos.

Lemala stands for Living with wildlife, Empowerment, Mothers, Access to education, Loving our environment, and Access to clean water.

Wewe na Sisi Pamoja stands for Womens empowerment, Education, Wellness, Environment, No poaching, Assisting community based initiatives, Safe drinking water, Innovation, Solar power and renewable energy, and Investing in people.

All of Lemala’s camps and lodges employ the majority of their staff from the communities in which they operate so that local people are able to find nearby employment in order to help support their families. Lemala have also recruited 9 employees from a homeless shelter in Arusha, giving the young men the opportunity to gain employment and restore their lives.

Lemala’s staff are given training so that they can excel in their roles, and receive promotions within the company, broadening their opportunities for the future. With 335 staff members, less than 5% are people from outside the local communities.

Lemala hosts an annual leadership academy for youths aged between 14 and 18, where speakers are invited to talk about their backgrounds, where they have come from and where they are now. This inspires and empowers young people and encourages them to consider career prospects. Food is sourced locally where possible to help make sure the benefits of tourism is felt by the surrounding communities and “on a commercial level.”

Education initiatives are supported by Lemala with one project helping to provide “40 student desks, 10 teacher desks and chairs, stationary, school supplies and a water filtration system” to Majengo Primary School. Solar lights are also provided to students who may not have electricity at home so they can complete their homework and studies in the evening.

As part of their focus on community empowerment, Lemala also focuses on female empowerment. Their Senior Management Team has “a strong female presence” being made up of 6 women and 1 man. Also the first female safari guide has recently been appointed and is taking part in their guides training program. Internships are provided to young women “from disadvantaged backgrounds” to help their development and make sure they have a viable employment opportunity in their life. A local women’s shelter and craft lady are also supported by Lemala.

Lemala Camps and Lodges are working to remove plastic waste from national parks and conservation areas by gathering the waste plastic and storing it in collection bins (made from recycled plastic). The waste plastic is then used to construct school chairs and desks by Dunia Designs, a sustainable company in Arusha. Each of these collection bins can hold approximately 375 – 400 1.5 litre bottles or equivalent, which can be used to make 2 chairs and a desk.

Lemala encourages sustainable fishing within the local community by offering significantly higher prices for bigger fish. This results in fishermen catching fewer, larger fish and helps to protect marine populations while offering fishermen a fair price for their work.

‘The fish are purchased directly from the fishermen each morning at market prices ensuring the fisherman gets a fair price for his catch and that the proceeds of his efforts go directly to his family that all live local to Wildwaters.’

Lemala Tented Lodges have installed Reverse Osmosis Plants in each of their tented lodges in order to provide clean drinking water and negate the need for plastic water bottles. Lemala uses “state of the art pumps” which communicate wirelessly helping to ensure that the pressure of the water remains constant, with every drop of water having gone through a UV light filter to make sure any bacteria has been killed. Water is in constant circulation in this system, ensuring the water doesn’t go stagnant.

The main area at Lemala Ngorongoro includes a new floor entirely constructed from recycled plastic bottles which were mostly collected from Lemala Camps and Lodges. This collaborative project with Dunia Designs has repurposed plastic so that waste plastic does not enter rivers or water sources where it causing irreparable damage to aquatic life. Additionally, Lemala Camps and Lodges do not use any plastic straws.

Lemala Camps and Lodges recycle all waste that can be repurposed in order to prevent pollution and to reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfills. In May 2008, the company was the first in Africa to offer guests plastic-free, biodegradable lunch boxes and 30% of the steel that was used in the construction of Lemala Tented Lodges is recycled from scrap metal. Glass bottles are also recycled and used by Shanga, a community project that employs people with disabilities to craft jewellery and glassware out of recycled glass, which can then be purchased from their shop.

Lemala Tented Lodges operate completely off the grid, producing zero emissions except in the event of power loss when they must use a backup generator. Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp is powered by solar energy, a clean and renewable source that leaves no carbon footprint. With various power plants throughout the areas in which they work, “150 tons/year of CO2” has been saved from polluting the atmosphere and the plants produce “approximately 210 Mwh power/year.”