Photo: Anisha Shah
Essence of conservation –
Nkwichi Lodge
Named after the squeaky white powder sands,
nightfall at Nkwichi Lodge is breathtaking;
the epitome of paradise. I arrive at a tiny
jetty nestled within a hidden cove in the bay.
Backed by a national park, wildlife and wild
animals are all around, whilst the shores of the
lake are implausibly translucent and fringed
by dreamy soft sparkling sands. A wonderfully
warm welcome greets me as I’m led straight
to my own private beach, Venus Beach, where
water laps large boulders. This is the best spot
to watch Venus setting. It’s also my allocated
spot to dine this evening. A hand-carved
table and chairs, of local materials built by
lodge staff, is already set with oil lanterns and
candles awaiting my arrival. At Nkwichi, dining
can occur anywhere and at anytime. Reflecting
the stars, Lake Niassa here is a glistening
phenomenon and the words, ‘Lake of Stars’
resound in my mind. The moonshine seems to
light a path straight to my lakeside seat.
Nkwichi is a labour of love borne out of
a passion for this untouched pocket of
Mozambique. It strives to establish and carry
out major local projects around conservation
of the striking natural environment, sustainability of long-isolated local communities
through eco-tourism and awareness of
this region. More than simply giving back,
Nkwichi’s purpose was to empower local
communities to sustain and support themselves through skills training, education and
access to healthcare. It’s now estimated to
directly support more than 600 people, with
all staff employed from local villages. Each of
those staff salaries supports 15 more people of
the family. Set up by an internationally formidable group of conservationists, including
employees of the UN World Food Programme,
UNICEF and a Scottish couple who genuinely
embody eco-conservation, an impressive array
of goals has alrea