About Ilboru
We offer world class hospitality.
Ilboru Safari Lodge in Arusha has been welcoming guests to Tanzania for seventeen years. Annelies van Beest, current owner, manages the lodge with a hand’s on approach that has been a huge success with guests. Annelies brings her sense of style and many years of experience in the Tanzanian hospitality industry to every aspect of the lodge.
Born in Holland, Annelies was a successful international entrepreneur when fate stepped in and she was given the opportunity to assist legendary wildlife documentary cinematographers Anton van Munster and Hugo van Lawick in Serengeti National Park in the early years of this century. This serendipitous encounter changed her life forever; Africa became home and she went on to create a life of safari, adventure, wonder and excitement.
After several ventures including helping build one of the most prestigious lodges in Africa, team member for other successful safari lodges, opening a raw food emporium and creating her own fine line of designer bags, she came to roost along with her two children on the slopes of Mt Meru in Arusha, taking over management of Ilboru Safari Lodge in early 2014.
Giving Back
“Because past environmental destruction was the result of ignorance, we can easily forgive it. Today we are better informed. Mother Earth has reached a stage where she is no longer accepting silence. Therefore, it’s essential that we make an ethical examination of what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to the coming generations.”
~ The Dalai Lama
The Environmental Warriors of Ilboru village have started taking responsibility. A group of young warriors, with a heart for botany and fortified with the wisdom and knowledge inherited from their grandfathers, are making a new beginning. They’ve established a seedling nursery of indigenous trees on their inherited land deep down in Ilboru village as well as on a farm just outside Arusha, where the trees will eventually be transplanted.
Ayubu Metili, chairman and treasurer of Environmental Warriors is dedicated to a better environment and is ensuring that funds are prioritized and invested soundly. The goals and focus set by the group is to re-forest deforested areas and increase the size of the carbon sink through tree planting to fight against the life-threatening enemy— climate change. Additionally, the group wants to bring social change through environmentally friendly community practices; whether it be farming or construction in the neighbourhood. The environmental warriors want all human activities to be environmentally friendly and directly beneficial to the local communities.
With Ilboru Safari Lodge as their main sponsor, the warriors have started their tree nursery with 4,500 seedlings, built a fence and stocked necessary tools. They have also paid school fees for two needy children from their boma and bought two bicycles to assist with the project. Another donation from JMT Heart Safaris and Scandic Safaris funded purchase of a mkokoteni (hand truck) and gumboots.
The vibe at the boma is thriving, with everyone excited and involved—three generations are helping out to turn this into a success—planting, watering and fencing as well as building dreams, determined to make them come true.
The project has been well embraced by guests of Ilboru Safari Lodge who are invited to visit the nursery and help with planting. Through donations of just US five dollars per seedling, the warriors will be able to reach their goals and also have the additional benefit of helping ensure their children’s education as well as creating better living conditions for them selves. Right now, the conditions of the environment they are living in may be poor but the energy is flowing so happily.
“Conserve the environment and it will conserve you”.
We warmly welcome donations and visits to our nursery. Only $ 5 per seedling. For more information contact Ayubu Metili + 255 785 435 435 | kingtili@yahoo.com