Impalila Island Lodge

I have been going to Impalila Island lodge for the last 6 years, mainly to enjoy the thrill of catching tiger fish, but in 2004 with my wife and 15 year old son for a 25 year wedding anniversary trip.

First the location:
Impalila is a small part of Namibia surrounded by Botswana and Zambia. The island itself has the Zambezi on one side and the Chobe on the other. The "delta" where the Chobe and Zambezi join is linked ...
...review and mini-travel guide for Impalila and this area of Africa. It really is a magnificent lodge, and because of the small number of guests (there is staff/guest ratio of about 6 staff per guest) it beats most of the Chobe and Kasane lodges hands down. Try it at least once in your life you will love it!!

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I have been going to Impalila Island lodge for the last 6 years, mainly to enjoy the thrill of catching tiger fish, but in 2004 with my wife and 15 year old son for a 25 year wedding anniversary trip.

First the location:
Impalila is a small part of Namibia surrounded by Botswana and Zambia. The island itself has the Zambezi on one side and the Chobe on the other. The "delta" where the Chobe and Zambezi join is linked to the Chobe National park for excellent game viewing, and is also home to hundreds of different bird species. Victoria Falls are about 55 km away and can be accessed through Zambia (Livingstone) or Zimbabwe (Vic Falls).

A few words about the lodge and staff and what you can do and what is included and not and I will finish with some comments on practical elements such as health, clothing, access and so on.

The lodge is situated on a small set of rapids on the Zambezi. It has 8 twin or double bedded individual bungalows wih full maid service and great comfort. The lodge operations are a leader in the local ecological tourism initiative and are also part of the program to train and employ local people into jobs of responsibility. Two of the bungalows are large enough to fit another bed or possibly two beds, and the lodge can arrange this for you.

See the web site for prices, but book directly through the Islands in Africa site and there is room for some negotiationas well as a total package including flights, transfers, etc. They are extremely helpful, and if Karis is still working for them in JNB, it will be easy.

The price includes all meals (including a great packed lunch if you are going out and about), local wines and beers and soft drinks with the meals and for the day excursions, and, to allow yourself to travel light a free laundry service 7 days a week, same day return. Last year the Chef was German and the food was superb. Requirements such as Vegetarian and so on can all be coped with.

The staff are magic. They have staff who are experts on trees and flowers, birds, small and large wildlife, as well as an extensive knowledge of the fishing.

You can laze around the lodge - take a look at the pictures, they do not exaggerate - or indulge in one of many excursions. These include a guided walk on the island taking in over 25 different species of trees and the famous 2000 year old Baobob tree (which you can climb if you are adventurous, it was a look out post for the South African Army when they were on the Island, and the view is over 50 km in each direction!!), and a "shooting the rapids" in the local dug-out canoes. The whole delta area is magnificent for birdlife and a boat and individual guide are available whenever you want. Then there is the Chobe National Park which you can visit by boat and on land - a guarantee to see many elephants, lots of Buff, Impala, Lions, etc. The waters are full of crcodiles, Hippos etc, and you can also visit the local fishing and farming villages - take some sweets for the kids!! For those who want to see one of the natural wonders of the world, it is an easy day trip to Victoria Falls either on the Zambian side or the Zimbabwe side. The falls are only about 60 km away, but be aware that UK citizens need to pay for their visa for Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Finally apart from all of this there is probably some of the best Tiger Fishing in the world on both the Zambezi and the Chobe. Over the last 5 years I have seen the fish get bigger (they operate a no kill policy) and last year we caught 4 fish over 9 kg between the 4 of us in a weekend (as well as many others between 3 and 8 kg). The lodge can arrange all the gear and if you are into something different, you can fly fish for tiger. You don't need to go on the boat, great sport can be had right in front of the lodge. Again, individual boats with 2 and max 3 people per boat and your personal expert guide and boatman.

Finally, the lodge can arrange an special aerial view of the delta where the two rivers join, Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls. All is on the website or available at the drop of an e-mail

Then there are the mornings and evenings. Tell the guys what time you want to wake up and hot water, tea, coffee and everything else is delivered to your Bungalow at the time. Then sit on the veranda drinking the morning tea or coffee and watch the monkeys in the trees, listen to the water over the rapids, watch the Hippos in the pool or just leave a few biscuit crumbs and see how many different birds come to you.
Afterwards, breakfast - no buffet, what you want cooked to order how you want it and eaten under cover or outside. Then off for the day or however long you want or for a laze around the pool and a look at the extensive library of reference books (you can take books with you on excursions to help identify birds, wildlife, plants, trees etc).

When you get back from the actiities, walk, excursion or whatever, a sundowner with a great snack, a few drinks, a chat with your companions at the lodge, a shower and then a great dinner - the cook will propose the menu to you in the morning and you decide if you want that or have a special request. Quite a few of the vegeatbles are grown in their own garden and the rest come every day fresh from the market. The meat is superb, even my South African friends said it was great. So a nice dinner with good wines (complimentary) then a last relax in the lounge, confirmation of what you would like to do the next day and then to bed. After two days you really feel as if the batteries are recharged.

For me I like the fact that there is no television or radio (although sadly there has been mobile phone coverage for the last 2 years). The staff sit with you, talk with you, answer questions, and are all fully qualified rangers with really extensive knowledge.

I recommend the web site of Islands in Africa for pictures that are good but do not really do justice to the lodge. As stated, prices are on the web and can vary depending on currency rates. Now for some practical aspects - health, clothing, malaria, access, temperature etc. Again, I am giving my experience, but e-mail the lodge for more details for specific months of the year etc.

Climate. I have been to the lodge in July, October and November. The rainy season used to be predictable but these days it is not always the case. The water level depends on the rains in Angola and Zambia in the months before - May rains cause water rising in end June, early July. On the July trip the water was very high so the visit to Vic falls was spectacular. When I went back in November of the same year the level had dropped and there was no water going over the main falls. In July the temperature was between 30 and 35 during the day with occasional showers. The lodge will supply waterproof clothing. However, the shock is at night - between 3 and 8 degrees so bring a good pullover or something warm for the evenings and mornings. When it is chilly you go to bed to find a nice hot water bottle already in place!!.

October was different - twice we have had heavy evening thunderstorms that cleared the air, but otherwise the temperature was climbing beyond 40 in the day and was still warm (20 or so) at night. Take a good sun block but the lodge does have some.

November is similar, but if anything even hotter. It is fine when you are on the water and moving and when you walk on the Island (as there is always shade available). The lodge will supply a parasol for everyone on both the boat and for anything else, and you always go out with a sufficient supply of cool drinks, water, beer, and so on. But drink plenty and keep putting on the cream!!

Health, first aid, etc.

The lodge is capable of giving first aid treatment and has a fully equipped bush emergency kit and the rangers are trained in how to use it and cope with most emergencies. In the unlikely event of something really serious happening, Kasane Hospital is about 30 minutes away and in extreme cases, ambulance aicraft can land direct on the Island for evacuation.

The lodge has a plentiful supply of creams, anti-insect spray, headache pills, gum up the bowel pills, and so on. In addition you sleep under nets and there is an anti-insect coil, sprays and creams in the room for you as well as in the lounge area.

Again, during the day there are plenty of parasols at the pool side.

Malaria - to take the pills or not? Theoretically Chobe, Kasane Vic Falls and Livingstone are on the edge of the malarial area. In practise you choose, but be aware that some tablets react badly with alcohol and can cause stomach upsets. Personally I make liberal use of the sprays and creams available and make sure there is an intake of tonic, with or without the Gin. The staff who are there for some years, do not the pills and so far seem to be OK. Again a personal decision but you are "on the edge" of the malarial area. IMPORTANT - if you decide to take the pills make sure you keep up the full course for the 2 or 3 weeks needed after you come back. If you make a late decision, any pharmacy in Kasane or South Africa can sell you the correct pills relevant for the area but be aware that you should still start the course a few days before you leave for it to be at all effective - you can get pills which are 2 times week for 4 weeks rather than once a day for 2 or 3 weeks.

Clothing - travel light - shorts, tee shirts, some long sleeved light shirts to protect your arms from the sun and keep the evening chill away, good walking shoes if you want to visit on land, and trousers for the evening. If you go between April/May and end of July, take a pull-over or jacket for the evening. I would always recommend a light weight jacket or sweatshirt for the evenings at the other times of the year. The dress is casual, and you can buy excellent quality bush shirts, jackets, blouses, hats, and so on at the lodge for about the same price as JNB airport duty free.

The lodge offers an every day laundry service - just put your clothes in the basket in the morning or afternoon and they are back the same day so you can travel light.

Electricity is standard 240volt but is supplied by a generator that cuts off about 45 minutes after the last guest has gone to bed every bungalow has an adaptor for European and UK plugs - if you want to stay up there will always be someone with you. There is a high power torch in each bungalow. Water iis heated by individual gas heater for each bungalow and the tap water can be drunk but this is not recommended until it is boiled (it is pumped directly from the Zambezi). There is always a flask of cold drinking water in the bungalow and hot water when you want it.

Finally, acess or how to get there. If you can afford it or have a group of 6 or more, the lodge can arrange charter of aircraft from JNB to the small airstrip on the island. Otherwise access is through Kasane, Livingstone or Vic Falls. A note on each below:

Kasane Botswana - serviced by Air Botswana. The closest (5 km and 15 minutes from the Island) and also the cheapest as there are no visa payments for UK citizens in either Botswana or Namibia.

Livingstone - Serviced by Zambian national compnay, South African and Nationwide. Easy flight, and only about 50 km from the Island. However, to avoid Zimbabwe you go through the "back" gate at Kazangula to Botswana and then to the Island. Allow two hours for this as you have to get a ferry across the river and pass three frontiers and thus fill out 3 entry forms and 2 exit forms - a little tip, make sure you have a pen and pick up a few forms at the entry point and fill them out for the exit and for the return trip - it saves time on the way through and pre-fill them for the exit . If you coem through Zambia, you can buy duty free at JNB airport, Botswana & Zimbabwe are members of SACU so there is no more duty free, just as in the EU. You may want to take a side trip for an hour or so and visit the Zambian side of Victoria Falls either on the way in or the way out. You can also book a helicopter overflight at Livingstone airport

Zambian multi-entry visa costs $60 on arrival per person for UK and Italian citizens - I can't comment on other nationalities.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, serviced by many airlines but notably South African. Vic Falls is always one or the other - either so easy or absolute hell. The transfer is a bit shorter than Livingstone, but can take longer depnding on the borders. As I have not done this route for a while I do not know what the current visa fee is. In 2004 it was $30 (and I think 20 pounds) for a single entry and $ 50 for multi-entry. They did give back US $ in change and not Zimbabwe dollars but again this may have changed. One hint in Zimbabwe, when you recieve a bank note of over $20,000 Zimb dollars check the expiry date. They are photocopied notes on watermarked paper which have a validity of 2 or 3 months only. This is validity date is printed on the note. If you go through or to Vic Falls, obviously the falls are worh a visit and the Zimbabwe side is more scenic and a better view than the Zambian side. In additon, the arts and crafts market at Vic Falls is worth a visit - First get your transfer driver/guide to be with you when if you change hard currency to Zimb currency or have plenty of low denomination notes. If you change on the street or at the market you will get a rate that could as much as 5 or 6 times bettr than the official rate at the bank, but watch out for the "half note trick" and various other rip offs. Give your hard currency to the guide and make sure you take a close look at the local money before yours is handed over. Keep your guide with you when you shop. You must haggle and do not be afraid to walk away - the guys will follow you to the minibus to make the last offer. Also take some tee-shirts and such like - you will be surprised at the curios you can get for a tee-shirt. We got a nice wooden Hippo and a carved Warthog for my son's three year old Nike shoes!!

So thats it for a critique, review and mini-travel guide for Impalila and this area of Africa. It really is a magnificent lodge, and because of the small number of guests (there is staff/guest ratio of about 6 staff per guest) it beats most of the Chobe and Kasane lodges hands down. Try it at least once in your life you will love it!!

 

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