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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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).

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.

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!!.

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!!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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