(Posted 02nd September 2026)
Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, located in the heart of Tsavo West National Park, has achieved the internationally recognized IFC EDGE Advanced Certification, marking another milestone in its more than six-decade legacy of pioneering sustainable tourism.
Established in 1962 as Kenya’s first permanent lodge within a national park, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge has continued to redefine what is possible in responsible safari hospitality. In 2018, it made history when it became Kenya’s first fully solar-powered lodge. Today, it adds another pioneering milestone to its legacy. Based on a review of projects currently listed under the IFC EDGE certification system, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge is the first safari lodge located within a national park in Kenya and Africa to achieve IFC EDGE Advanced Certification.
Developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is an internationally recognized green building certification system that assesses resource efficiency across energy, water and the embodied carbon of building materials.
Following a rigorous audit and verification process, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge achieved:
• 59.65% energy savings, exceeding the 40% threshold required for EDGE Advanced;
• 31.22% water savings, surpassing the 20% requirement; and
• 100% reduction in embodied carbon associated with building materials.
This certification reflects decades of investment in sustainable infrastructure and operational practices at Kilaguni Serena, including renewable energy generation, energy-efficient systems, water conservation, wastewater recycling, and the sustainable optimization of existing infrastructure.
Achieving IFC EDGE Advanced Certification in a national park setting is particularly significant. It demonstrates that ambitious resource-efficiency and low-carbon solutions can be integrated into a sensitive natural environment while maintaining the quality of the guest experience. Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge continues to set new benchmarks for responsible tourism, while reinforcing its position as a pioneer in sustainable safari hospitality and serving as a living example of how conservation, tourism, and resource efficiency can work together to create a more sustainable future.
The achievement forms part of Serena Hotels’ broader sustainability and decarbonization journey, supporting its ambition to achieve net-zero operational emissions by 2030. For Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, a property whose history has been defined by innovation, this latest milestone reflects a philosophy that has remained central to Serena Hotels: that being a pioneer is not simply about being first, but about continuing to inspire, innovate, and lead the way towards a more sustainable future.
