Sustainable Properties in South Africa

With a diversity of city life and superb safaris, South Africa is a must on any African travel bucket list. Camps and properties are taking impressive strides to ensure eco-friendly practices are common practice to preserve the gorgeous landscape. Ker & Downey shares our favorites of the top sustainable properties in South Africa. 

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve 

Established in 2004, the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is surrounded by a blanket of blooming flowers. Fill your lungs with the freshest air, all thanks to the 7,557 trees that Grootbos has planted since 2008. Ker & Downey guests directly contribute to the on-site horticulture and landscaping training for local communities. Grootbos Garden Lodge doesn’t hold back on luxury, goes big on environmentally-friendly practices, and the wildlife viewing is remarkable. 

Sister properties Grootbos Forest Lodge and Grootbos Villa are also calming sanctuaries doling out huge helpings of land and sea. This tip of Africa is the meeting point of two oceans, home to the marine big five: great white sharks, seals, penguins, southern right whales, and dolphins. The astounding array of biodiversity effortlessly earned this region the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s easy to see why once you set foot in this natural paradise. 

Singita Boulders Lodge 

The Singita team takes great care to make the environment around their camps look untouched. After all, it’s the flourishing ecosystem and healthy animal population that keep visitors coming back. Anti-poaching units are on the prowl to keep the illegal wildlife trade at bay and that makes this a happy place for leopards with the area having one of the world’s best protected populations. Recycling programs reduce landfill waste, and reusable glass bottles filled by their in-house water filtering system replace plastic bottles. Pairing up with the future leaders is also a big focus for Singita, who have reached some 2,000 students and teachers with their message of conservation. 

Jabulani, Sustainable Properties in South Africa 

Bird watchers flock to South Africa’s Kruger National Park for a reason. More than 350 bird varieties live here, and their feathered mosaic of colors is glorious. Visit the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center to learn more about the Cape vulture. These distinct birds drop in frequently to dine on a buffet of leftover bones and meat. The numbers of this threatened species have been steadily declining across Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe; the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center stands committed to reversing that trend. Animal lovers enjoy visiting the hospital where injured big cats are helped and then safely released into the wild. Guests can even help feed the littlest patients alongside the dedicated conservation staff. 

Tswalu Kalahari 

The unforgettable Tswalu Kalahari is one of our preferred sustainable properties in South Africa. Lion cubs frolic in the shade, giraffes gracefully wander through golden grass, and a remarkable number of butterflies flutter through the blue skies. There’s so much to preserve and protect in the inspiring Kalahari, and that’s the aim of the Tswalu Foundation. Tunnel farming using recycled water provides the properties with fresh produce for guests and locals without draining the already precious water resources. The Tswalu Foundation also established a community clinic to help the people living in this far-flung and fetching land. 

South Africa's Sustainable Properties with Ker & Downey

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