The lodge is owned by two couples of the Giannakis family: Dimitri and Mariangeles; Chris and Sylvia. Dimitri and Chris are twin brothers, decedents of the Yiannakis family who have been in Malawi since the 1920s.

They were attracted by the opportunity of being part of the government’s conservation efforts for the preservation of the magnificent Marelli islands, which were threatened by ever growing population pressures in Malawi.

In 2011 they acquired the wildlife concession for the islands, operating under Waterlands Ltd.