Desert & Delta Safaris launched its fourth solar field at Camp Moremi on Earth Day – increasing the total to five camps that are now powered by solar in Botswana. Fully functional and sustainable, the solar fields provide the power to run pumps, provide water and operate both camps’ closed-circuit sanitation plants. This ensures that Desert & Delta Safaris’ impact on the environment is immensely reduced. The latest innovation is the construction and implementation of the second-largest private solar plant in the country’s Xakanaxa region of Moremi Game Reserve. This impressive solar plant is going to ensure the entire power supply of three safari camps and related operations in the region, which will provide 100 percent renewable energy to Desert & Delta Safaris’ Camp Moremi and Camp Xakanaxa properties.
The latest solar initiative is a testament to the commitment of Desert & Delta Safaris to run its prime properties in four key regions of Botswana in an ethical and sustainable way. The luxury safari operator invites guests to the regions with some of the most abundant wildlife on the planet – lion, zebra, wildebeest, leopard, and cheetah. Magical ecosystems, breathtaking wilderness, and vast landscapes in remote locations deliver an unforgettable experience.
Chobe Game Lodge is the world leader in ensuring that Desert & Delta’s sustainability initiatives have been implemented. It was the first safari property in the world to introduce electric game drive vehicles and fully solar-powered boats as part of daily operations to guarantee that guests’ activities carry a lighter carbon footprint. Chobe Game Lodge enjoys the added benefit of combining solar energy with energy sourced from the Victoria Falls Hydro Electric plant in Zambia.
“As a group, we are acutely aware of the privilege granted to us to manage and run our operations within some of the key national parks and wilderness areas of Botswana. In doing so, we respect Botswana’s natural heritage and are committed to ensuring that our sustainability initiatives, and implementation of these projects, are done in a manner that embraces our county’s natural spaces,” said Mr Lempheditse Odumetse, Chobe Holdings Managing Director.
With most of the safari camps and lodges situated in ecologically sensitive natural areas across Botswana, the sustainability efforts are not merely focused on the northern Chobe region.
“Our travel trade partners and the future travellers to our part of the world will realise that our continued innovations and commitment to ensuring that their impact on our fragile environment is a direct contribution from their travel spend. This is a substantial added value to the environment that they are coming to experience. ‘Responsible Travel’ was a catchphrase from the early 2000s and I like to think that our investment in these sustainable efforts should truly be considered in the context of ‘Accountable Travel’ for our future guests,” said Mr Odumetse.
Ensuring an exclusive and eco-friendly experience for guests is key to the CARES philosophy which is the foundation on which Desert & Delta Safaris is built. Developing human potential and building a sustainable tourism model while protecting and preserving the natural heritage of Botswana is at the forefront of the business.
***
ABOUT DESERT & DELTA
One of the original safari operators in Botswana, founded in 1982, Desert & Delta Safaris’ nine camps are set in prime locations in northern Botswana’s famous game reserves and national parks with one just across the Chobe River in Namibia’s Eastern Caprivi Strip. Together these luxurious lodges offer an outstandingly diverse safari experience whilst providing the personalised service and attention to detail for which Desert & Delta Safaris is known. Guests are immersed in a safari experience that develops an understanding of the animals, people, and geography of this magnificent country.
At the heart of the company is developing the human potential of tourism in Botswana. Desert & Delta Safaris’ CARES philosophy is the foundation on which Desert & Delta Safaris is built, highlighting its core values in developing human potential and building a sustainable tourism model. They employ approximately 320 staff members within the eight safari lodges and all the guides are recruited from nearby villages. The company places a strong focus on training through a highly successful skills development programme as well as focusing on healthcare, environmental responsibility, and equality.
