Home of the rhino

FFor a bit of wild history, the Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is situated in the world renowned Hluhluwe-IMfolozi Park (HIP) in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Established in 1895, this park is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in South Africa and has always been a sanctuary for wildlife conservation in the country.

In fact, the southern white rhino was famously saved here from extinction in the 1950s 60s in what was called ‘Operation Rhinos’. Every existing southern white rhino traces its roots back to this park – an incredible fact if you think about it.

It is no wonder then that the park is affectionately called the ‘home of the rhino’. Wildlife lovers can also spot the iconic Big Five – buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and black and white rhinos –, 86 mammal species, and more than 400 bird species on safari in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

A greener footprint

The lodge supports sustainable eco-tourism practices, conservation initiatives, and various community projects through the Isibindi Foundation, with the help of a small conservation levy that is paid by each guest.

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge has installed a solar power plant to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and established a spekboom plantation to counteract its carbon dioxide emissions. The removal of single-use plastics across the entire lodge, from the rooms to the kitchen and on game drives has worked wonders alongside the Park’s waste segregation and recycling initiatives. If that wasn’t enough, the lodge also harvests rainwater for use around the property.

Community woven into operations

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge was the first luxury safari lodge to be established within this Big Five game reserve. The lodge is built on the Mpembeni community land. Upon its inception, the community agreed that they would incorporate their land into the Hluhluwe-IMfolozi Park to become shareholders in Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge.

The lodge ensured that the majority of the construction staff were from the local community. This allowed them to be involved in the development of the lodge, while learning valuable skills at the same time. 

Today, the lodge has trained local community members in hospitality and conservation. They account for 97% of the staff complement at the lodge, and also offer tourism services to the lodge, such as guest and staff transportation. A large percentage of these employees were previously unemployed and had no previous work experience.

Guests can also contribute to the local economy by undertaking authentic community tours and cultural experiences organised through the lodge. This includes doing a homestay with a Zulu family to gain insights into their traditional way of life, visiting a traditional healer, and observing the comings and goings of the local community.