Earth Lodge : Healing Time
In the February of 2020, we travelled to Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge. Since opening twenty years ago, I have been pouring over the photos of the lodge. It was a place I had to experience. Finally, we had our chance.
By the time we headed home, the world was to implode on itself. Lodges and travel destinations were promptly closed down. What 2020 has instilled in all of us, it is a yearning for open spaces and the healing that comes from nature.
There is a very deep reason people are addicted to the bush veld experience. The opportunity to experience for ourselves what we only otherwise get to see on screens is deeply spiritual. We feel part of a bigger plan. Our world has become so very noisy with the constant debates on our phones, the unnecessary squabbles on social media, our political differences causing division. Our world has become so toxic, our collective anxieties have escalated. Everyone is exhausted beyond measure.
Only nature can cure our malaise.
There is a perfect stillness of the bush, not to be experienced anywhere else, curing the soul. It is a cosmic stillness. The sea is invigorating, but hard on the senses, waves crashing noisily, water currents strong. It has it’s own cures - but the bush… ah the bush. The absolute stillness, maybe just a little rustle in a breeze from trees. Then hearing the grass crushing under foot of an elephant. The sound approaching slowly, and then - incredibly, miraculously there in front of your unbelieving eyes, a gift from mother nature - an animal so stately yet so gentle.
It is exactly for those moments, that the world has flocked to our country. We have heightened this experience of the animal kingdom with the ultimate in luxury hospitality.
The absolute splendour of staying at Earth Lodge, every detail in service, culinary joys, breathtaking interiors - that is just a small part of the Sabi Sabi story. It is the 300 species of birds, 47 large mammal species, 57 reptile as well as a myriad of smaller animals such as bats, small rodents, amphibians and invertebrates such as spiders, scorpions and insects, that makes this a once in a lifetime experience. It has over 90 species of trees and many more shrubs and grass species.
Now imagine the behind the scenes activities to keep the balance in order for all of that to thrive with challenges such as droughts, poaching, fires.
The Pangolin is found here. Wild life enthusiasts will know the recent up roar over trying to save this species from extinction and poacher’s barbaric uses for this unique animal. White Rhino are common here, as well as increased sightings of Black Rhino.
Rare birds in the vicinity include the ‘Big 6’ – Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Saddle-billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Ground Hornbill and Kori Bustard, as well as the ‘Lowveld Specials’ such as Bat Hawk, Narina Trogon, African Finfoot and Thick-billed Cuckoo. Unusual reptiles include the Marbled Tree Snake and Snouted Nightadder.
The rangers and guides are not merely entertainers for guests on the vehicles, showing off the absolute miracle of the bush, but ecological educators and environmental custodians.
Over lock down, these incredible nature warriors, kept social media diaries with updates on the animals. It kept thousands sane, in a trying time. Please follow them on Instagram, follow Msuthlu the female leopard, two Kudu bulls sparing, to a Flap-necked chameleon slowly making its way around from tree to tree.
Make it part of your kids bed time stories, instil the love of nature. Earth’s future is in their hands.
The Habitat Team at Sabi Sabi has to manage the Reserve with a team of ecological consultants on controlled burning, important as the regrowth of grasses play an important part in providing nutrients to the animals diets. Another important aspect of habitat management involves rotating the available man-made water sources on the reserve. Most large herbivores need to drink daily and therefore concentrate around the pans and dams. Many of these animals’ home ranges overlap around these waterholes, and therefore the vegetation in these areas is heavily impacted. Rotating water points reduces such grazing pressure and allows affected areas to regenerate.
Road works have to be sensitively executed not to erode soil. Alien plants need to be controlled. Waste needs to be managed, recycled, plastics returned to suppliers, turned into compost. Water needs to be purified.
And yet, the staff provides guests with info, stories, see to every aspect of the luxury experience. Effortless.
One of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World, Earth Lodge comprises of 13 suites that are sculpted into the veld, together with a contemporary brutalist main building. The Mohammed Hans building is clay clad structure in keeping with the surrounding colours. Don’t be surprised to see elephant walking on the roof! The lodge was designed to consider the dense animal population.
Says owners, Jacqui and Hilton Loon, who worked closely with the architect, “The ethic and philosophy behind Earth Lodge was intensely personal, taking its design inspiration from the surrounding bushveld. The vision was to build a lodge that has minimum visual impact on the environment and physically blends with its surrounds. This allows wildlife to treat it as virtually invisible while being a masterpiece of artistry and innovation in harmony with nature.”
Every suite has its own pool, butler service and myriad details such as a watercolour set if an artistic mood moves you.
While your soul is fed, expect the chef to bring wholesome food to your table breakfast, lunch and dinner. We even had lunch on a hot day, in the dining area, our table set in a water feature, ankle deep in cool water, whilst sipping the best South African wines. It is those moments which all add up to the experience that is “once in a lifetime”.
The enjoyment of meals is an integral part of the experience, be it to connect with a loved one, or family - or to discuss the days viewing with staff. The food philosophy is “simple done well”. Unpretentious, nutritious food from the freshest ingredients, sourced in area. Adding to the concept of filling mind, spirit and body with renewed energy.
Earth Lodge offers spa treatments, a gym, star grazing, photographic expeditions, birding, guided walks.
SABI SABI’S CONSERVATION PHILOSOPHY IS BASED ON TWO PRINCIPLES:
Conserving rapidly dwindling wilderness areas and to provide a sanctuary for fauna and flora as part of South Africa’s heritage.
The second is the belief that the business must be a true example of eco-tourism effectively linking tourism with conservation and the community. Sabi Sabi’s environmental management system is a holistic one, where the ecological needs are balanced with the needs of people and their communities, i.e. focusing on the interdependence of tourism, conservation and local communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY
To conserve our rapidly dwindling wilderness areas and to provide a sanctuary for fauna and flora of our heritage. The only way a wildlife sanctuary can survive the onslaught of socio-economic pressures is by:
Employing people
Earning foreign currency
Paying tax
And promoting sustainable tourism
Each member of the Sabi Sabi receives ongoing training in all areas of our business, empowering them and improving their skills; and each has a thorough understanding that an individual’s performance reflects and is dependant on the performance of other members of the team.
In the rural subsistence areas surrounding Sabi Sabi, the ratio of breadwinner to dependant is over 1 to 7. Therefore our 170 local employees at Sabi Sabi, support over 1200 dependants. These people are directly or indirectly dependant for their livelihood on the success of our enterprise.
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve defines eco-tourism as the interdependence of tourism, conservation and local community thereby ensuring the optimum tangible benefit to each of the above.
Local community includes all of the staff employed at Sabi Sabi and the neighbouring communities where they reside. The empowerment of all staff through training and development is a key policy at Sabi Sabi.
