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Condé Nast Traveler has once again recognised Tongabezi Lodge as the 12th best resort in Africa 2021 thanks to the support of our guests from around the world.

Many of you have been unable to visit Tongabezi or Sindabezi Island for at least a year now. We are so touched and proud to see that out of sight does not always mean out of mind for our incredible guests like you from around the world.

Because when the Condé Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards opened up, we asked for your votes, knowing that many of you were having to delay returning to us… sometimes twice. And yet you still delivered. Tongabezi and Sindabezi came up with an incredible score of 95.44, placing us 12th out of the whole of Africa!

Our teams on the ground have been pushing against the Covid wall for a long time, and every moment like this reminds us why we do it.

This award reminds us why we have been keeping Tongabezi beautiful — carefully tending to every detail for you. Our team has been busy doing everything from watering the herbs in our organic gardens to shining the handmade sea-glass chandeliers from Katundu and even redoing our decks and re-dressing our logo.

Photographs by Izla Photography

This award reminds us why our team has almost all been double vaccinated by now, in order to protect our communities but also to protect you, our wonderful guests. Did you know that we even have our own ‘I have been vaccinated’ T-shirts? Their aim is to encourage our communities to ask questions and feel safe taking the vaccine themselves. Our team on the ground has just been such an inspiration during this time.

We have also kept actively supporting and empowering our communities with a community farm, a chicken coop, a reforestation project, and food and hygiene handouts, despite closing Tongabezi for three months for the first time in thirty years. We knew that you are all just waiting for wings again to make it to us and support these vital Green Dreams.

We are beyond ecstatic to see guests finally making their way back to us as well. Sustainable travel is so necessary, for the communities and ecosystems we live in but also for the hearts and souls of travellers from all around the world who want to expand their horizons. We can’t wait to see you here, where the horizon is mostly Zambezi River and sunsets.

So thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who voted for Tongabezi and Sindabezi. Our team is celebrating today!