Several accommodations this year to assist visitors explore the incredible wildlife that Africa is home to have popped up all over the continent, but none were as extremely expected as Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House in Rwanda. The lengthy wait is lastly over today.
Set on 178 acres on the brink of the Volcanoes National Park, the brand’s first trip to the East African nation is the region’s most luxurious offering and serves as the ideal home base for tourists who have come from afar to experience gorilla trekking once in a lifetime Singita Kwitonda Lodge, named after a silverback renowned for its humility, consists of only eight suites. Each of the elegantly furnished rooms features a covered veranda, indoor and outdoor baths, soaking tubs, a heated diving pool, fireplaces and a therapy area so that visitors can relax with an alfresco massage after an exciting day of operations. For those traveling in big organizations, Kataza House is an exclusive four-bedroom villa with personal chef and host, swimming pool, open living and dining areas, and extra amenities such as a media room and gym.
Both accommodations were constructed with sustainability in mind, from the site layout that is laid out along the natural contours of the floor to environmentally friendly energy and water systems that fuel the equipment. Building materials were also carefully obtained, most of them coming from the immediate Musanze district and most of the ornaments were created in Africa.
To highlight the spectacular landscape, over- sized windows overlooking the volcanoes of Sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura can be discovered throughout the estate. The color palette also depicts the surroundings with a courageous mixture of black, greige, and fiery orange lava. For the project, more than 500 local craftsmen and builders were brought in to construct volcanic walls, woven ceilings, and hand-fired terracotta brickwork. Modern details such as copper sinks and big dome pendants accentuate these traditional crafts.
But one does not choose to register with Singita just for their striking digs or exemplary service— it also implies contributing to their objectives of creating a better future. As the leading ecotourism brand in Africa, they are a leader in conservation attempts, constructed around the pillars of biodiversity, community, and sustainability. They have committed to comprehensive reforestation projects in the region with their entry into Rwanda. Part of that promise is expressed in their on-site nursery, Akarabo, which has supplied about 250,000 indigenous forest shrubs, bamboo shots, and trees to date.
Singita’s commitment to conscious travel has also been displayed through a multitude of other projects. In South Africa, Singita School of Cooking opened its doors in 2007 to train learners from local societies, with aspiring chefs shifting to one of the many kitchens or other lodges in the region.
In 2017, Tsakane Khoza, a talented female graduate of SSC, even went on to intern at Dan Barber’s famed Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Last year, SSC moved into a new facility at Lebombo Lodge, giving guests the opportunity to interact with students and give trainees the opportunity to cook for visitors, improve their skills and gain real-life experiences that will help them thrive after the 12-month program.
Singita also lately introduced a series of “Safaris with a Purpose” that includes visitors in sustainability attempts through hands-on experiences. One main project in 2018 was elephant collar, where visitors helped scientists fit these soft giants with GPS-enabled satellite collars to assist monitor animals and restrict the danger they pose to plants, thereby decreasing potential damage to creatures. Another initiative was the Women’s Run across the Serengeti this previous October, an all-female, five-day trip through the famous Tanzanian National Park that was planned in combination with non-profit organization Brave to raise funds for women and women’s empowerment programs.
If you can combine an incredible journey with operations that will enhance opportunities for generations to come, there is really no better feeling in the globe.