Sustainable Luxury: Lepogo Lodges' Commitment To Conservation In South Africa's Wilderness

08.10.2023 - 11:45 / forbes.com

Lepogo Lodges, situated in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, is one of Africa’s few entirely non-for-profit safari lodges. Lepogo Lodges has proudly announced the successful reintroduction of cheetahs and buffalo into the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. Blending opulent luxury with an immersive appreciation of the African wilderness, Lepogo Lodges provides an exceptional safari encounter where the awe-inspiring "magnificent seven" freely roam.

With an unwavering dedication to community development, and preservation of the beautiful surroundings for its inhabitants, Lepogo incorporates environmentally friendly practices into every aspect of their operations. This includes the successful reintroduction of a herd of buffalo and a number of endangered cheetah into the reserve.

With an inspiring commitment to the protection of these native animals, Lepogo is honoured to play a vital role in their preservation for future generations. The Lapalala Wilderness is now also on its third generation of lions, following another successful reintroduction program, and wild dog pups, another very endangered species, have been born in the reserve too.

Surrounded by 50,000 hectares of wilderness, strict building regulations ensure that no more than three commercial lodges will be built in the reserve – providing wildlife with an abundance of untouched and undistributed land to roam, and guests with private and peaceful sightings. Lepogo’s commitment to preserving the pristine landscapes and protecting the abundant wildlife proves that luxury and sustainability can exist harmoniously – offering guests the epitome of responsible travel.

A family-run business and developed to create an exceptional conservation legacy, Lepogo is entirely energy self-sufficient and one of the first luxury camps in Africa to fully offset every guest’s carbon footprint from the moment they leave their house to the time they return – in support of local community and conservation projects. Currently, Lepogo Lodges consists of one lodge, Noka Camp, sleeping up to 12 guests and featuring five stilted villas perched atop a 100 foot cliff with stunning views of the Palala River below. Melote House, Lepogo’s second property and designed for exclusive use, sleeping up to 16, will open in December 2023.

Cheetah Reintroduction

Preserving the cheetah is at the very heart of Lepogo Lodges, with the name ‘Lepogo’ derived from the Sotho word for cheetah. Land’s fastest animal, cheetahs are considered a cherished emblem of Africa’s wildlife heritage but are facing numerous challenges in the wild are now highly endangered – largely due to human activity threatening their habitats.

Since opening in 2019, Lepogo Lodges has supported multiple cheetah