Machaba Safaris is 100% owner-run and employs the best in the industry who genuinely love what they do. They are all about their people – their staff as well as their local communities and are engaged in community development initiatives and numerous conservation projects in the areas that they operate in, namely Botswana and Zimbabwe. And about the environment, with environmental sustainability a core aspect of their operations.
Education and empowerment – Machaba Safaris is committed to uplifting local communities utilising education and empowerment as evident in their involvement with various education programmes and schools like Gonneye Sethlare Pre-School in Botswana, Hwange Main Camp Primary School and Mabale Primary, among others.
Protect and conserve – They work together with local stakeholders and communities to protect and conserve the fragile and highly precious ecosystems in southern Africa. This includes fostering a culture of human-wildlife coexistence through educational programmes and talks. In addition to providing support to anti-poaching patrols in the NG32 zone.
Community and infrastructure – They identify the community and infrastructure needs in the countries in which they operate and create ways in which to fulfil them, this ranges from providing water to vulnerable communities to establishing sustainable vegetable gardens to the erection of animal-proof fencing.
Environmental sustainability – Machaba Safaris achieves a balance of maximum guest comfort and minimal impact on the environment by forgoing certain conveniences like hairdryers and air-con and rely on alternative energy to lighten their load on the planet without compromising on guest comforts.
Some of the initiatives include camp electricity provided is a hybrid of solar energy and a back-up generator, low energy consuming appliances and light bulbs, no permanent fixtures means that their campsites can be rehabilitated in 1.5 years. There are separate Bio Plants to manage kitchen, laundry, and staff village solids and to keep our eco-footprint light, they use energy-efficient fridges in their kitchens, which are turned off at night, as well as coal cold rooms and cellars to store heat-sensitive items. The sun’s energy is harvested via solar panels which is then stored in a battery bank. Their hot water supply is generated by a state-of-the-art Thermodynamic Solar Energy system, which ensures that the camps have hot water, no matter the weather.
Guest awareness and involvement – Machaba Safaris’ guests have an open invitation to meet the local villagers, experience the joy of connecting across language and cultures and witness what life in a remote part of Africa is like. The wealth of generosity and hospitality that every guest receives on arrival is heart-warming. The Hwange tour also stops at a small rural village and the Wild Dog Research Centre.
Read about our ‘Under Canvas in Hwange’ experience with Machaba Safaris HERE
Or click HERE to read the story in the Digital Mag
