MANDA WILDERNESS PROJECT, MOZAMBIQUE

Finalist Conservation Award 2005

The Manda Wilderness Project in northwestern Mozambique mixes sumptuous yet 'responsible' tourism, real practical help for local people and a chance to protect a pristine corner of real Africa.

The Project works with local Nyanja people to run a huge conservation area along the shores of Lake Niassa/Malawi, build primary schools and roads, and establish Nkwichi Lodge as a luxury haven for responsible tourism.

"Manda is like a three-legged African cooking pot," says Project Manager Patrick Simkin, "only with all three legs of conservation, community development and high-level tourism can it be really useful."

Visitors to Nkwichi Lodge arrive at a hidden cove teeming with hundreds of varieties of tropical fish. The spacious chalets nestle among the trees, with every aspect of their construction and management reflecting environmental concerns. The main Lodge overlooks beaches whose fine white grains earned Nkwichi its name - "squeaking sands."

Inland, natural trails lead to villages welcoming visitors to genuine cultural gatherings or to see schools built with Manda help. A Manda-run agriculture project helps local farmers make better use of the land - and produce fresh vegetables for the Lodge. The conservation area protects a dramatic range of plants, birds and an increasing number of Africa's finest animals.