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Before we jump into travel in 2023, we take a moment to reflect on some of the best and brightest moments from 2022, the Year of the Hippo.
Last January, we named 2022 the Year of the Hippo in the hope that we would inherit some of the plodding strength and steady unstoppability of the mighty hippopotamus this year. What we forgot is that hippos can pick up to speeds of 30 miles per hour. That is faster than Usain Bolt on his best day. It’s not just us who feel like this year has gone by in a flash, is it?
Here’s some of what has kept the Green Safaris family very busy throughout the year.
Whilst we have never lost our driving focus — to use tourism to protect our wild and natural spaces — we have been having a lot of fun thinking about how pretty sustainable tourism can look and how to best spoil our guests from around the world. And so, over the course of 2022, we have created, built, grown, or developed a number of exciting changes at our properties, each designed to enhance the guest experience, as long as that experience also empowers our wild world.
• Cruise the Zambezi River in 2023 in the brand new solar-powered electric dhow at Tongabezi.
• Enjoy a massage over the tranquil waters of the Kafue River in Ila Safari Lodge‘s new Floating Spa.
• Challenge our kitchen teams to show off their new vegan menu options, thanks to our Chef’s Summit.
• Celebrate with our teams at Tongabezi and Kaya Mawa, as they were named the Leading Hotels in Zambia and Malawi by the World Travel Awards.
• Step out of your Shawa Luangwa Camp raised A-line tent onto a private deck that has been increased in size.
• Luxuriate in all of Kaya Mawa’s top-to-toe soft refurbishments and a fully renovated private villa at Ndomo House.
Over the course of 2022, many of our team members have been visiting each other, moving around Zambia and Malawi, cross-pollinating ideas and knowledge, and returning with big smiles, new skills, and the challenge of bringing ‘The Green Dream’ home in a way that works for their own location and property.
• Chef’s Summit: our chefs from across Zambia and Malawi gathered at Tongabezi and were shuffled into teams. After a series of classes, group brainstorming sessions, and visits to the local markets and cheese mongers, the teams competed to see who could create the best three-course vegan meal.
• Our Guide’s Retreat: a wonderful celebration of nature as all of our team members who are most passionate about wildlife got together at Ila to sharpen their flora, fauna, and creature knowledge in the wild Kafue National Park.
• First Aid Courses: Ila then hosted all of the guides again as well as other team members who wanted to expand their health and safety knowledge.
• From Barman at Ila to Manager at Sindabezi: We are very proud of Timothy, who moved from Ila in his role of Bartender, and after some intense training has ably stepped into the role of Island Manager at Sindabezi.
• ‘Just Popping In’: this is our favourite new trend! At any given time, there is likely to be at least one team member from Green Safaris working and training at a different lodge. Not only is this increasing training opportunities, it is also bringing the Green Safaris family together across country borders and national park boundaries.
This year, we hosted not one, not two, but three groups of travel experts at all of our properties. There is nothing more terrifying than taking a number of people who spend their every waking minute thinking about African luxury safaris… and inviting them to test out their very own ‘Dream Green Itinerary’ and then to tell you exactly what they think.
Fortunately, each of the trips was a roaring success, and we got to collect positive feedback and constructive criticism, which led to immediate changes such as the extension of the Shawa Luangwa rooms. And now our Green Safaris itineraries have been officially tested by the experts, and they are ready for travellers from around the world. Read our diary of a Green Safaris guest to find out what a dreamy safari itinerary could look like when you travel in 2023.
And so here we are, with 2023 on the horizon and the Year of the Hippo wrapped up. What will 2023 be the year of? We’ll tell you in the New Year. In the meantime…
Let our 2023 specials give you all the inspiration you need to plan your travel in 2023! When you are ready to put that brilliant holiday idea into action, contact us or enquire and book using our online form.
Below there is a list of posts that you may also be interested to read, enjoy!