As promised more thoughts and questions to ask when selecting a safari lodge...
WHAT LOGISTICS ARE INVOLVED TO OPERATE THIS LODGE?
Some lodges only open for 5-months of the year with their peak season being as short as 3-months. If they only have a small inventory of rooms, then they have to make almost all their revenue in this short season to sustain their operation throughout the year. It is not uncommon for some lodges to almost rebuild their lodge after each rainy season.
We’ve just returned from a lodge just outside the Kruger Park that can accommodate a maximum of 20-guests and their staff compliment is 39. Guests will never see all 39 staff members but they all play an important role from maintenance to housekeeping to guiding and front of house etc.
For some lodges in the heart of the Okavango Delta, the supply trucks only arrive once a month. All other fresh produce needs to be flown in with the guests. Therefore lodges need to be as self-sufficient as possible – if a hyena eats a water pipe, this problem can’t wait for the next truck before it is fixed. There are many back-of-house challenges in order to operate in these remote settings. Often these solutions cost more money than their city equivalents.
HOW EXPERIENCED IS THE LODGE STAFF?
You finally have your close encounter with Africa’s famed wildlife but is your guide fully qualified? Does s/he know enough about the wildlife to answer your questions or keep you safe? You don't want to discover that the guide (on your bucket list trip) has only just completed a 6-month course in guiding and you are his/her first guests. Is the lodge management experienced enough to handle difficult guests or ensure that your dietary requirements are taken care of. It is these little things that end up counting the most, although they are often difficult to define or capture in a picture.
Of course, each lodge is different and the goal is for the safari experience to be authentic and wild! Contact Always Africa if you need help in finding a safari experience that is right for you.
