Building a lodge is no easy feat, but after receiving updates from Nuno Francisco, Peace Parks’ Public Relations Specialist in Mozambique, during a recent site visit to Maputo National Park, it is exciting to see the progress made. The new Membene Lodge, which is on track to open towards the end of this year, is guaranteed to wow visitors with its jaw-dropping views of pristine, white-sand beaches, the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, as well as an immersive bush experience.
Maputo National Park, located in southern Mozambique, is regarded as one of the top 36 biologically diverse and endangered eco-regions on Earth. This comes as no surprise as the landscape offers visitors a diverse range of habitats to explore – from beaches, freshwater lakes, mangroves, coastal lagoons and beautiful riverine woodlands – with each supporting a host of species.
The video above shows that Membene Lodge is starting to take shape, despite a few hiccups along the way. The lodge will comprise both low and mid-level units, family chalets and eight self-catering dune units. To top it all off, there will be a stunning beach-front restaurant where visitors can dine with views of nature in every direction. The lodge has been constructed with the environment in mind, disturbing as little of the natural vegetation as possible. Every tree on site has become part of the lodge’s aesthetics.
The development of this and other accommodation sites in the park is part of a tourism development plan developed through a partnership between Peace Parks Foundation and Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas. The plan aims to secure a sustainable future for the park and those relying on it for their livelihoods.
Membene will benefit the local communities by creating employment opportunities from the construction phase to the employment of lodge staff upon opening.
Keep watching Peace Parks TV to see further developments from Membene Lodge.
