Responsible tourism at Umlani Bushcamp

Umlani Bushcamp is committed to responsible tourism, and this ethos influences everything that they do. This is reflected in the great care they take to treat people and the environment with respect and it actively minimises the negative impact on the surroundings.  Umlani Bushcamp has carried the Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certification for more than a decade, undergoing stringent annual assessment procedures. As a result, they take extra care to operate in accordance with Fair Trade criteria.

Here are a few of their various initiatives:

Environmental

These are the initiatives that focus on minimising the footprint left on the natural environment.

• Operating with 100% alternative energy sources (using only solar power with a standby generator)
• Using 100% non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products
• Practising a towel and linen reuse programme
• Low-flow showerheads and toilets for water conservation
• Indigenous, water-wise gardens that consist of drought-resistant plants, maintained using organic gardening practices
• Purchasing all fresh produce locally
• Using organically grown vegetables in the kitchen, where possible
• Using no individual packaging in the restaurant (sugar, butter etc.)
• Recycling all waste and composting all organic waste on site
• Using only lead-free paint in the camp
• Educating our guests and staff on various aspects of environmental awareness
• Membership of the Timbavati Association, a non-profit organisation dedicated to conservation by maintaining the biodiversity of species
• Writing policies on environmental practices and regularly measuring our impact in various areas
• Reducing waste by replacing individual soap and lotions with dispensers
• Brewing and using EM (effective microorganisms) to manage our fat trap, septic tanks and grey water system, which completely neutralizes any harmful bacteria and
• We plant and maintain five indigenous trees per month in partnership with Greenpop

Socio-economic

With the FTTSA-certification stamp of approval, it is important to operate in accordance with strict socio-economic guidelines. These are a few of Umlani's socio-economic initiatives that also work towards responsible tourism.

• Writing policies on local recruitment; internal skills development and promotions; and employment equity
• At least 80% of our staff are from the local community
• We proudly build capacity within our local community by training our staff in such a way that they can grow and develop their careers. Proof of this is that 10 local employees who started at Umlani as apprentices are now working as rangers, trackers, chefs and in management roles at other neighbouring lodges
• Run an in-house Ranger and Tracker Apprentice programme
• Source most of our products locally and have a programme in place to constantly monitor and improve this
• We are involved in and support a number of charities through our work, including:
  • The Timbavati Foundation
  • A monthly financial contribution and 10% of the conservation levies collected by Umlani are allocated to the foundation
  • The local Phelwana Clinic through the Timbavati Foundation
  • The Timbavati Foundation Bush School Environmental Programme
  • Nourish
  • Greenpop "day of 1000 trees" and "trees for Zambia"
  • StreetSmart
• We support local business and SMMEs like Ringetani
• Educating our staff about HIV/AIDs including prevention, living with and managing the disease, and facilitating access to ARVs and
• We give our guests opportunities to participate in and/or contribute towards all initiatives that we are involved in

These are just a few of the many ways that Umlani Bushcamp works towards responsible tourism. In addition, you can book your stay at the camp and experience the effects for yourself!