IMPALILA ISLAND LODGE AND THE CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

Our departure from Mushara Lodge was mixed, as we had enjoyed the lodge and the park, but the super dry atmosphere was really effecting us all. We had deliberately timed our trip for their winter/dry season, and been a little surprised how cool it became each evening, yet daytime temperatures were very comfortable - 20 degrees. This being - we were told - the best time to see the game, as during the hot and wet season, they were widely spread around the huge park, and the heat combined with the very dry nature of the air at Etosha, would have dried us up - like 'Biltong'!



Our charter flight was right on time, and departed from the airfield at a neighbouring lodge, thought there was a few moments of worry, as our baggage was appraised for weight. Weight on these small charter planes is a very critical factor, and all of us had restricted our total luggage to just 10kg each. Our flight was due to take 3½ hours, but because of a strong easterly wind, right on the nose, we were airborne for nearly 4½ hours! Though we did get a grand view of Caprivi Strip.

Caprivi Strip is one of those wondrous results of European Colonial logic, a thin strip of land that was essential to someone's cause when they were dividing up Africa, just for the benefit of depriving another colonial power of access to either minerals or transport. The end result is a strip of land attached to the north east corner of Namibia that is about 20 miles wide, and 250 miles long; ending at the junction between the Chobe and Zambeizi Rivers. At this junction lies Impalila Island, settled between both rivers, and a network of small streams and channel, but for our purposes - still in Namibia. Though there are agreements about exactly where the legal boundaries are between Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, these were generally disregarded to folks on the river, provided you didn't actually 'land' in another country. This gives the lodge a unique facility of being able to offer guests a very wide range of water activities, from fishing, game and bird viewing, to general sight seeing trips in local dug out canoes.

		The Lodge Lodge Pool Area Bar Area Main Lodge Balcony Main Area

The Lodge has 12 bungalows and they are all built within the natural habitat of the island. If there is a tree there, you build around it or utilise it as a feature



For river activities the Lodge has a variety of boats which can be used. For game trips into the Chobe National Park there are the small, very fast aluminium boats, which are also used for fishing, or if you want a more sedate ride then you can opt for a trip in one of the native dug out canoes. The dug outs are very useful if you wish to get very close up pictures of the local game and especially the bird life in the area - they are very quiet!



Our first afternoon saw our party split between fishing and game viewing; though only after we had been settled into the sumptuous facilities of the lodge. Discrete bungalows built long the backs of the river, each with a private balcony overlooking the river and surrounding countryside. Immediately after we had settled in, we were treated to our first sampling of the very fine produce of the kitchen, to say that the chef could choose which Paris restaurant she would like to work in, would understate her talents - especially given our location in a remote part of tropical Africa; every meal was a culinary delight.

Sue took the game drive with our fiends, and her sightings are captured below. The bird life was absolutely amazing, given that we had luckily timed our visit with the last of the draining of the flood plains, and the start of the main water-bird breeding season. This is all to do with the annual cycle of the river, and the richness of the fish life, for the newly hatched young birds. A real 'twitchers' paradise!



This is just a selection of the wildlife seen over a 3 hour period, well until the sun went down and the flash on the camera decided not to work!!

		African Fish Eagle White Breasted Cormorant Greater Egret Greater Egret Greater Egret

		Finch nests Malachite Kingfisher Pied Kingfisher White Breasted Cormorants Rookery Unidentified Wading Bird

		Yellow Billed Stork Baboons

		Crocodile Elephants Bull Elephant Mother and baby at dusk Elephants coming to drink

		Elephant group at dusk Hippo Poku Water Bison Water Monitor

This was just one short afternoon. Our friends Ned and Steve went on a whole day game cruise and saw many more animals including Lions and had their lunch on the river bank with the company of a family of Elephants coming down to drink!

Jeri went fishing, and basically just tried a lot of lures that we had thought might work on the speciality species of the Zambeizi - Tigerfish! They didn't really work, and we then took serious heed of the advice of our guide.

The following morning after the customary Impalila wake up call - the Hippos roaring in the river, we headed for breakfast and then straight out onto the river for a full day of fishing.

Our guide - Victor, suggested that we head upstream, and because of the wind, we spend some of the early part of the day trolling for Tillapia, as the Tigerfish would not be feeding strongly, due to the wind, and best time would be around midday. Off we went - at high speed up the river, with occasional halts for brief wildlife picture shots; the guides we found were excellent boat men, and not scared of using the throttle to avoid wasting time just travelling. We slowed some 25 km upstream and were advised to try some of his small Rapala Raps, as he had inspected our lures and found little that would be of interest to either the Tillapia or Tigerfish.

So come and join us…….




The week long trip is now over. Our friends Ned and Steve had not only enjoyed a full day game cruising in the Chobe National Park they had also taken a day trip to Victoria Falls. The trip was arranged by the Lodge and they provided all necessary paperwork for passing between the various countries. The trip to the falls also included lunch, visit to the local museum, market and a trip to a dangerous animals sanctuary.

Departing is always difficult when you have had such a good time, but we were in for a treat on the flight back as we were to do some low level flying over the Okavango Delta. At this time of year (July) it was in flood and the scenery was amazing. We saw game but Sue has yet to perfect the technique of taking photographs through the window. Below is a series of some of the sights we saw, including a group of Elephants



We arrived back in Windoek in time for lunch and some souvenir shopping and then our flight back to London.

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