7 minute read
Bringing Glamping to South Africa with Dutch Tents
In 2000, Trienke Lodewijk and Peter de Wit left the Netherlands for Africa with plans of setting up an Eco Lodge. In the years that followed they achieved their initial plan, as well as much more. International Glamping Business Editor Will Rusbridge spoke to Trienke Lodewijk, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Nuarro Lodge and Hluhluwe Bush Camp, to find out more.
Trienke and Peter have always been passionate about Africa since a trip in 1999, which left a lasting impression. “In 2000 we decided to sell everything in the Netherlands, although we had a good life with a big house, nice cars and lots of holidays, but all of that came with a lot of work stress. We left with one suitcase, some money and our diving certifications,” says Trienke
“Our aim/dream was to do something in Sub-Saharan Africa to do with diving,” adds Trienke. “Between 2000 and 2007 we lived in South Africa and would travel to Mozambique to learn about the country and see if it was a place where we’d be able to achieve our dream.”
Nuarro Lodge
“In the north of Mozambique, we found a concession of 800 Hectares with a stunning 6 km coastline and started building our Eco Lodge, Nuarro Lodge, with the local community. A very beautiful and very pristine place but the location came with some challenges. It is very remote, and the official language of the country is Portuguese. Thankfully, alongside Dutch, I can also speak Afrikaans and Portuguese,” she adds.
Sustainability is hugely important to the couple as well as sense of place. Nuarro Lodge was always meant to be an extension of the place where it was located, not some alien location that stuck out from what surrounded it.
“Nuarro Lodge was built as an eco-lodge made from local materials, by locals, the local way,” says Trienke. Nuarro Lodge was to be an extension of not just the physical area, but of the local community too, “When we started building Nuarro, we also built a community centre with a school. Before, there was no school, and now there are around 400 kids are getting an education, which is something we are incredibly proud to have been a part of,” she adds.
Nuarro Lodge is a beautiful place, totally off grid and green, able to offer world-class diving to guests. “When building Nuarro Lodge, we told everybody, you build in remote Africa only once in your life,” says Trienke. “However, after some research we had the idea to start a glamping camp in South Africa, which at the time was not a concept that was well known in the region.”
Hluhluwe Bush Camp
“When we decided to start a glamping camp, we were looking into remote Kwazulu Natal and found a nice farm outside Hluhluwe, far away from the main roads, with stunning views and bordering one of the Isimangaliso Wetland Parks (a World Heritage Site),” says Trienke. Hluhluwe is very well-known due to the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park, which the oldest National Big Five Park in South Africa.
At the time, there were lodges, guesthouses and B&Bs in the area, but no glamping. “We started Hluhluwe Bush Camp because are in love with glamping,’ says Trienke. “It is funky, it attracts nice people, it is affordable, and it is great for families, couples and groups.”
Trienke and Peter initially chose glamping accommodation because, “It is an easier, quicker and greener way of building, but more than any of that, we think that the atmosphere in a canvas structure is fantastic.”
And so, construction of the Hluhluwe Bush Camp began, “We imported our stunning glamping tents from YALA Luxury Canvas Lodges and started building. We have five large family tents at the main site, and at my glamping village there are two adventure tents with private outside bathrooms, three Tipi tents, a Gypsy caravan and two campsites. The property is 21 hectares and in total we can have up to 40 guests.”
When work started on building the camp, Trienke and Peter did a lot of research on glamping manufacturers in South Africa.
“Obviously, the safari tent originates from Africa, so we were originally looking to buy locally, but the quality of the canvas, zippers and the lay out of the tents at YALA are among the best in the world. When we were in the Netherlands, we visited the showroom and were amazed about the quality and possibilities, so we ultimately decided to import the tents.”
The local climate can become incredibly hot as the north of KwaZulu Natal is sub-tropical in the summer months. “When it is hot and humid guests have a fan in all rooms, but the nice thing about canvas is that it is breathable, this means that it quickly cools down in the evenings and during the winter months, it is very cosy. Choosing canvas glamping accommodation over traditional brick and mortar accommodation means that no heater or air-conditioning are needed,” says Trienke.
“The camp is mainly self-catering, but we have a farmstall where we make fresh food from our greenhouse,” she adds. “At the farmstall, we serve breakfast, we cater for groups, including vegans and gluten free, and we also sell sourdough bread. So, guests can make their own food and BBQ, but they can also order breakfast or a yummy fresh take away.”
Also available at the site are a pool with sun loungers, games, a climbing wall, jungle gym, swings, and a bush trail. Trienke also organises a number of activities, having gained experience in doing so during her work as owner of B&B Orange, a travel and marketing company.
“At Hluhluwe Bush Camp, I arrange private game drives in the oldest game park in South Africa Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park, hippo/croc boat tours in St Lucia, renting out mountain bikes so guests can enjoy the stunning trails, arranging horse-riding, fishing and whale watching. Close by are Zulu Croc, an elephant interaction farm and a cheetah rehab centre. Within B&B Orange Marketing, Accommodation and Travel I arrange tailormade tours in Southern Africa and Uganda, having lived in Africa for 23 years I know it well.”
Trienke and Peter made the choice to avoid having ‘dangerous’ wildlife at the farm so that they are able to offer activities, but at Hluhluwe Bush Camp guests will be able to see, reedbucks, nyalas, duikers and suni that freely roam around the tents. “Our animals are in their own habitat meaning that we do not have to feed them,” says Trienke.
Both Nuarro Lodge and Hluhuwe Bush Camp are run completely off-grid which has been aided by the fact that Peter is a solar specialist, “At Nuarro there is no municipality water and electricity. We built two boreholes, one for us and one for the community. We built a water treatment plan, and a solar power system with solar panels, inverters, batteries to generate power,” says Trienke.
At Hluhluwe Bush Camp there is municipality water and electricity but the electricity company in South Africa is failing, and water is bad quality. “We built a borehole, water treatment plan and a solar/inverter/battery system that generates electricity 24 hours per day,” she adds.
“The pandemic affected us quite badly because we had opened just before Covid hit. But happily, the local guests are also in love with the glamping experience, from the bigger towns coming to the bush and wildlife in the self-catering tents,” says Trienke. “When I started the camp at the end of 2019, we only really saw international guests, then when Covid kicked in, only local. Now we see a mix of international and local guests.”
“I just started the glamping village at my glamping camp, and it would be great to open a second glamping camp because glamping has had a huge boost in popularity and is now a must to do in South Africa,” says Trienke.
