Londolozi Private Granite Suites

The suites at Londolozi Private Granite Suites are exclusive and luxurious. 3 suites sit along the riverbank and are perfect for couples looking for a romantic getaway, or can be booked exclusively for up to 6 guests. The suites themselves are chic and elegant, with a grey and white colour palette running throughout with granite feature walls and exposed thatch ceilings adding a touch of authentic and traditional safari character to the rooms.

The element of wild nature effortlessly fills the room through wide sliding doors and windows which cover almost the whole front of the suite, allowing bright light and fresh breezes to fill the room. A large and plush bed which is covered in crisp white bed linen and swathed in mosquito netting sits opposite sliding doors which open out onto an expansive decking where guests can unwind on the comfortable modern wicker sofa.

All suites come with their own marble feature ensuite bathrooms which include a deep bathtub which sits parallel to a wide window, an indoor shower, a unique outdoor shower and a freestanding bathtub on the decking, where guests can enjoy a relaxing soak with a prime view of any animals grabbing a drink from the river.

Guests of the suites can enjoy a dip in the large, heated swimming pool which overlooks the sparkling river.

Make your way to the comfortable main area of the camp to enjoy delicious meals. The main area is thoughtfully decorated with wicker and granite stone features, including a featured granite bar where you can grab a creative cocktail or refreshing beer before or after your dinner.

The food is delicious, made by passionate chefs with local and fresh ingredients. Dining in the main area means guests will not just have a feast for their senses but will also be able to dine with panoramic views over the luscious bush.

Dinner can be eaten in the heart of the wilderness, around a crackling fire pit and lit by romantic lanterns. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to enjoy dining whilst immersing yourself in the sounds, smells and sights of the bush.

For a traditional safari experience, you can head out on an exciting game drive through the wild beauty of Londolozi Private Game Reserve. In the comfort of a 4×4 safari vehicle enjoy travelling to some of the best places to spot animals.

A trained, professional, and passionate guide will lead the way, imparting his wisdom of the local area and animals as you go. This is one of the best ways to get up close and personal with some of the larger animals of the area, such as lions, leopards, and elephants, and see them in their natural habitat while remaining in safety yourself.

Every game drive offers a unique experience, so it is recommended guests head out more than once during their stay.

For a deeper connection with the surrounding nature, you can head out to explore the game reserve on foot. This is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in nature and become part of the diverse surroundings.

A trained and friendly guide will lead the way and will educate you on some of the smaller workings of the reserve, such as micro-ecosystems, and tracking animal prints to see if they lead anywhere exciting. Bushwalks specifically for tracking can be arranged.

Breathe in the fresh South African air and look to the treetops and riverbanks for some of the amazing species of bird. Your guide will be able to identify the bird song which fills the air and will be able to point out birds’ nests which may be missed on a game drive.

Reconnecting to nature and finding inner peace is encouraged at Londolozi. In order to fully appreciate the wonderful nature you are surrounded by, spend some time reorganising your thoughts in the fresh South African air.

You can start your day with a unique yoga practice on the open-air yoga deck, where you can realign your chakras and stretch out any aches and pains. Or if you prefer then you can start your day with a workout in the equipped fitness room before heading out for the day.

A unique feature of Londolozi is the healing house. Guests can make their way here for a relaxing and stress-relieving massage from one of the trained therapists, can spend some time in the sauna, or just out on the deck with a cooling drink listening to the sounds, gazing at the sights, and smelling the fresh scent of the wilderness.

After the sun has set, you can make your way down to the crackling campfires and snuggle down with a hot drink around the warmth of the fire. This is the perfect way to end your day, and you can spend this time stargazing at the wide starry sky or sharing stories of your adventurous day with your fellow guests.

Wander along the art installation which was erected to remember Nelson Mandela’s visit to Londolozi in 1992. This walk also takes you through and to the surrounding villages, where you can meet some of the locals, find out about their lives and learn about their culture.

Recognised for the excellent wildlife photography that can be captured in the area, Londolozi can help guests take excellent photos of amazing moments. You can hire a private safari vehicle to enjoy a journey tailored to your photographic desires, or you can ask to be paired with a photographic tutor who can help with everything from taking the first image down to the editing process.

Londolozi was founded in 1976 and since then it has created a reputation for itself as a leading example for conservation, as through the Londolozi Conservation Development Model it was shown that ‘people and wildlife could live and work together in harmony.’ The model has gone from success to success due to ‘its ability to produce long-term returns for investors whilst simultaneously ensuring sustainable conservation and community upliftment’ and its endorsement by Nelson Mandela.

The blueprint for this model was founded on three principles; the first being to work with nature, restore damaged land and create safe havens for wildlife. The second founding principle was the desire to ‘create a place in the world to showcase African excellence.’ And the third principle was the protection of the local communities through social and economic integration which ‘up-skills and uplifts rural people.’

At Londolozi, their aim is to go above and beyond to try and create a new way of life within the environment and community where they operate. They aim to create a way of village life which is futuristic, sustainable, and with opportunities in health and education with their overarching aim being to create a community where everyone belongs.

To create their ‘futuristic African Village’ Londolozi aid in the building and upkeep of local schools, health centres, sustainable initiatives, gardens, and buildings. Whilst creating this infrastructure they make sure to respect the local culture and build with harmony to nature in mind as well making sure all they do is sustainable for the future.

Londolozi aims to be ‘a working example of how technology can be utilised to reduce impact within a wilderness reserve and lower demand on finite resources,’ as well as trying to shift mindsets and embrace ‘a lower impact lifestyle.’ Heartware is promoted at Londolozi, and villagers are supported and encouraged to be uniquely themselves, creating a world where people can live ‘connected to each other, our shared humanity and the planet we call home.’

Many of the initiatives wouldn’t be possible without guests’ help and support. 280 breadwinners are employed ‘who support over 2800 dependents on a daily basis’ just by guests choosing to safari at Londolozi lodges. Staff are treated as part of the family, with annual training programmes which are ‘designed to support self-improvement and individual advancement within the industry.’

Every night spent at Londolozi by a guest contributes to ‘the employment and welfare of 5 employees, 8 dependents and the protection of 6 rhino’ as well as ‘8 children and 1 adult receiving access to digital education as a result of the visit.’

The Londolozi Social Investment Programme currently reaches 26,500 students who are enrolled in the ‘Satellite Learning Centres’. This programme has gone from success to success and is currently a ‘subject of a Stanford University Research Project’ which may lead to it becoming ‘the guiding principles for innovative learning programmes in other emerging countries in the world.’

The Good Work Foundation began as a ‘prototype digital learning centre in the Londolozi Village’ and has since expanded to deliver education to many remote and rural villages in South Africa.

These digital learning campuses have led to 240 rural adults graduating with qualifications in subjects such as IT, English, and Hospitality – which are all internationally recognised. 10,000 children were enrolled in 2020, and they will not just gain an education but also take part in Rhino conservation programmes, and awareness-raising courses.

This is one of the mantras that flows throughout Londolozi’s operations. With a respect for the people from local villages and the people who work for Londolozi, they aim to maintain the ‘harmonious village life’ they have created.

Training programmes and opportunities are offered to staff at all levels of employment, which ‘allow for the continual succession and incremental advancement of each and every individual within the organisation.’ In a push to create an excellent quality of rural life Londolozi have established support systems which include a medical clinic and educational provisions.

In 2010 The Tracker Academy was founded. This is a ‘non-profit organisation which trains disadvantaged rural people in the traditional skills of tracking.’ This academy has been highly successful, with 94% of the graduates being currently employed in the tourism industry in South Africa.

Londolozi is a co-signatory to the GLTFCA, which is the ‘largest transfrontier wildlife sanctuary in the world.’ To help the vision of the GLTFCA become a reality Londolozi partnered with Thebe Corridors Company to promote training, a transformation of the safari industry and land regeneration to establish a corridor of wildlife ‘linking Londolozi and the Kruger National Park to the Drakensburg mountains in the west’ and ‘reinstating the historic migratory wildlife movements of the past.’

Elusive and rare, Leopards were hardly sighted in the early days of Londolozi. Over time, and through the use of ‘sensitive techniques’ in regard to the first leopard that was spotted, leopards are now more frequent in the area. The first leopard that was spotted was a female, and through creating a positive relationship between man and leopard, she filtered down a relaxed nature around humans to her cubs ‘and the successive generations.’

At Londolozi, they grow their own vegetables in specially built vegetable gardens, and each year ‘half a tonne of vegetables are grown’ and all of these vegetables are purchased by Londolozi which helps to support micro-businesses.

To reduce their waste Londolozi sends all the food waste to the local pig farmer, and staff are encouraged to grow their own vegetables at home, recycling all their fresh waste by using worm farms. 80% of the food used at Londolozi is organic, and Fair Trade coffee is used. Sustainable practices even extend to the seafood they use, with all seafood they resource having followed the ‘WWF SASSI guidelines.’

Leading by example, Londolozi is at the ‘forefront of renewable energy’ including solar power – of which the lodge gets up to 80% of its energy from – and battery-powered safari vehicles, with the whole fleet of vehicles aiming to be battery-powered beginning in 2020. These vehicles move silently through the wilderness, meaning the animals are less disturbed, and have a much lower carbon footprint than a petrol vehicle.

Londolozi also has their own solar farm, which is the first in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and have made this land dual-purpose as a parking spot for their game vehicles, which means no land is wasted on building a car park. Solar power is not the only energy-efficient initiative they are using, with a push towards ‘energy-efficient cooling and efficient LED lighting.’

The lodge has ‘one of the most advanced’ water recycling plants in the Southern Hemisphere, and they have an eventual goal of achieving ‘closed circuit consumption models’ to reduce their waste and the negative impact it has on the environment. Londolozi works with the belief that they ‘should become an example of using modern technology to support the new systems for living and a lighter footprint on the land.’

This is an initiative that staff and guests alike are aware of, and it helps to reduce water usage and electricity usage. Consciousness of how much water is being used is encouraged, as well as guests trying to limit the air conditioners usage, and turning off the lights when not being used. In much of the lodge, low energy fans are used instead of air conditioners and maximising natural airflow is a major factor when building new areas of the lodge, so air conditioning can be used less.

Other initiatives to help limit their impact on the environment include only using indigenous plants in their gardens, running sustainable training programmes among the community, putting pressure on delivery services to remove all packaging before arriving at Londolozi and organising monthly community tree planting expeditions and litter picking walks.

All water at Londolozi is drawn from a borehole and all greywater is recycled through two water-recycling plants and ‘re-used for irrigation.’ They created their own bottling plant for bottled water, to provide guests with still and sparkling water in glass bottles, which reduces the waste that comes from single-use plastic bottles.

To help save and recycle as much water as possible staff shower over buckets to collect the greywater, the water from the air conditioning units is used to water the vegetable garden and plants around the lodges, and there are storage tanks which collect rainwater to be used in the village.

At Londolozi the 5 Rs are followed, these are ‘reduce, recycle, reuse, refuse, and rot.’ 250kg of waster every week has been eliminated through buying things in bulk, eliminating single-use plastic, using refillable containers and using reusable wax wraps instead of clingfilm. Londolozi works with local community businesses to create a total of 678kg worth of waste being recycled per month. In terms of ‘rot’ – worm farms are used to break down organic waste ‘to create compost for our vegetable gardens.’

In a way to reuse even the small items of single-use plastic that Londolozi still has, they create eco-bricks, an innovative and creative way to re-use the plastic. Any left-over single-use plastic which cannot be recycled is pushed into a plastic bottle, which when full, ‘can be used to build with.’ Printing is now actively discouraged, and sharing information in other ways such as over apps or dropbox is now encouraged. Eco-friendly cleaning chemicals are used and are delivered in bulk, with containers that the staff reuse once empty.