If Safari Lodges were school pupils, then Ila Lodge would be the straight-A student who’s also captain of the football team. If you are looking for an over-achiever, then look no further. From their impeccable environmental credentials to their awareness of local culture and the obvious abundance of wildlife this is an incredible place, not just to stay, but to experience. It’s true that sometimes overachievers are hard to like, but rest assured that’s not the case here. They will have you at ‘hello’. Or as the locals would say, at ‘Wabonwa’.
Named after the local Ila Tribe, this lodge draws strong influences from the flamboyant herders who lived in the area for centuries. As they moved through the long grass plains along the banks of the Kafue River, the Ila wanted to make sure they were not inadvertently shot or attacked by their friends. They developed a novel hairstyle, the ‘Isusu’ which was plaited hair stiffened with a sliver of antelope horn – a bit like an aerial. This meant their presence could be detected and their safety assured. Today we would call it punk, back then it was a survival technique.
Hairstyles and tradition aside though, Ila Lodge has plenty to offer. It has all the usual safari experiences like game drives and walks and boat trips. It also has heart – a lot of it. This is not just a commercial venture in the middle of nowhere. It’s a passion project designed to deliver an incredible experience in a fantastic place while at the same time benefitting the local people and ecosystems. If a genuine African experience is what you are looking for, then look no further.
