The home of Jurassic Park, Africa’s ‘Galapagos’, and one of Argentina’s oldest ranches are just a few of the awe-inspiring lodges that joined The Long Run in 2019.

The Long Run brings together some of the world’s most committed and inspiring nature-based travel businesses. Its 40 members across 22 countries collectively help to conserve over 20-million acres of biodiversity, more than 30,000 plant and animal species, and improve the lives of 750,000 people through tourism.

The Long Run carefully selects members according to their sustainability credentials, so if you’re looking for a collection of lodges that make travel count, look no further. Once part of The Long Run, each member begins a supported 4C journey — operating according to a balance of conservation, culture, community and commerce.

From Hawaii to the Scottish Highlands, The Long Run was delighted to welcome seven new members in 2019:

Pousada Trijunção, Brazil

Pousada Trijunção is part of an 81,544-acre conservationist farm, Fazenda Trijunção, in the Brazilian Cerrado. Covering 20 per cent of Brazil, the Cerrado is the largest savannah in South America and one of Conservation International’s 35 biological hotspots. Biodiversity is plentiful, but due to land loss, native animals like the jaguar, giant armadillo and maned wolf are threatened. Already, there is less than 50 per cent of the original Cerrado area. Conservation is at the heart of Pousada Trijunção’s mission, and it is part of local resistance against the expansion of irresponsible agriculture. It hopes to use tourism to restore land and wildlife.

https://www.thelongrun.org/pousada-trijuncao/

Sundy Praia, Republic of Sao Tome & Principe

Príncipe is the smaller of two islands that make up the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, 130 miles off the coast of Gabon in the Gulf of Guinea. Its dense jungle is so abundant in endemic wildlife that it’s often referred to as ‘Africa’s Galapagos’. In 2011, South African tech entrepreneur, Mark Shuttleworth, bought Príncipe’s Bom Bom Island Resort and six concessions, including Sundy Praia, to kick start an ambitious eco-tourism project called Here Be Dragons (HBD). HDB’s development vision is to let Príncipe be what it’s always been — a wild rainforest. Fifteen tented villas have been built using locally sourced timber to mimic the simple fishing huts that once stood on the same spot.

https://www.thelongrun.org/sundy-praia/

Caballadas, Argentina

Family owned and run since 1908, Caballadas is a traditional gaucho ranch that extends over 60,000-acres of land in Argentina’s Northern Patagonia. The estancia was founded by an attorney and pioneer, Don Juan Lagos. Five generations later, Juan’s descendants have created the ultimate horse riding and fly-fishing experience. The ranch occupies an enviable spot in the most secluded part of Lanín National Park. Here the arid Patagonia steppe meets the mid-altitude forest and alpine highlands. The imposing 3,776-meter high Lanín Volcano dominates the landscape with year-round snow cover that feeds over 24 glacial lakes.

https://www.thelongrun.org/caballadas/

Corrour, Scotland

On the edge of Rannoch Moor in a remote corner of the Scottish Highlands, Corrour is a 57,000-acre estate of carefully managed forests, wetlands, lochs and mountains. Until the 19th Century, Corrour would have been a wilderness that shepherds occasionally wandered through. In many ways, it is unchanged today — there are no public roads for 17 miles, and the train station is one of the most remote in the UK. The varied wildlife found on the estate includes golden eagles, black grouse, wild cats, deer, otters, pine martens and red squirrels (12 were reintroduced in 2018). Guests can access Corrour’s varied wildlife and landscapes via carefully-converted estate buildings — the Station House, a seven-bedroom (with additional bunkroom) lodge and 11 holiday cottages.

https://www.thelongrun.org/corrour/  

Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii

In windward O’ahu, Hawaii, Kualoa Ranch is home to 3,850-acres of farmland and a dramatic, steep wilderness that tumbles into the Atlantic. The latter (home to Jurassic Park)  has been set aside for conservation. First bought from King Kamehameha in 1850, part of the property contains the most sacred land in O’ahu, and three ancient districts remain intact: Kualoa, Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa. Kualoa’s vision has always been to enrich people’s lives by preserving the land and its heritage. Agricultural operations, day excursions and cultural programmes are designed in harmony with nature and seek to shine a light on Hawaii’s ancient culture.

https://www.thelongrun.org/kualoa-ranch/

Kasiiya Papagayo, Costa Rica

Surrounded by 136-acres of jungle and wild coast on the far-flung Papagayo Peninsula, Kasiiya is one of Costa Rica’s most sustainable lodges. The name means “find your pace” in Swahili, which is indicative of its nature-led experiences and healing programme. Kasiiya believes that “connection to nature through any of our senses helps us find our pace.” If Kasiiya were moved today, it would leave no trace. It has been built around every tree, and to have no negative impact on the landscape. Its environmental footprint is minimal, too. The property is run on solar power, guests drink treated rainwater out of the tap, and there is no single-use plastic.

https://www.thelongrun.org/kasiiya-papagayo/

Estancia Pampa Grande, Argentina

In an untouched valley on the old Inca trail 150km south of Salta, Estancia Pampa Grande holds 74,000-acres of rivers, grasslands and hills. Cut off from much of the world, the valley and its inhabitants have maintained a traditional way of life, protecting both cultural and natural heritage. Sandwiched between the dry, high-altitude Andes and subtropical forests, Pampa Grande is a unique ecosystem. There are 137 species (and still counting) of birds, including two colonies of condors, and deer, puma and mountain lion on the property. Founded in 1608, Pampa Grande is one of the oldest estancias in Argentina. The current owners want to preserve this history by introducing guests to the gaucho way of life alongside hiking, fishing and an extraordinary sense of space.

https://www.thelongrun.org/estancia-pampa-grande/