Location & Facilities

At the confluence of the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers, in the heart of real Africa, lies a special Lodge: the Ichingo Chobe River Lodge, also known as "The Gem of the Chobe".
Ichingo is a luxury African Lodge providing the 'All Africa' experience in one of the world's finest wetland areas with spectacular game and bird viewing, and the opportunity to land a mighty Tigerfish.
The Lodge is a member of the Hotel Association of Namibia. It also has its own airstrip on the island with customs and immigration facilities, ensuring that your stay starts off with the convenience and good service that will typify your visit

Electricity
220V and 12V standard electricity supply

Accommodation & Rates

Ichingo is a luxury, tented lodge accommodating a maximum of sixteen guests in large twin bedded Meru tents, each with cupboards, tables, electric lights etc, plus its own private thatched en suite bathroom and balcony.
All tents overlook the river with the main lodge buildings being built over the river and consisting of a lounge and bar with a separate dining room, all under thatch and situated under large shady trees.

Rates
Rates in ZAR/ Per person sharing per Night
Green season:     01 Dec 2008 – 31 March 2009  R2250.00
Shoulder season: 01 April 2009 - 31 May 2009    R2600.00
High season:       01 June 2009 to 30 November 2009 R3200.00

Children under 12yrs sharing - Green season R1125 / Shoulder season R1300 / High season R1600

What is included
Accommodation, all meals, house wines and local beers, all soft drinks and water, Park fees, fishing licenses, Namibian Tourism levies, all activities including game viewing by boat, fishing, bird watching and guided walks and all water based transfers from Kasane river border post.

What is not included
International flights, Transfers to Kasane River border post, Beverages not specified, items of a personal nature e.g. gratuities, laundry, travel insurance.

Children
Ichingo River Lodge accepts children of all ages.

Credit cards
Payment can be made by credit card prior to arrival, however, there is no credit card machine at the Lodge.

Activities

Games and Game viewing
Relax and enjoy a variety of games including Scrabble, Thirty seconds, Drafts, Chess, Backgammon, Playing cards and Trivial Pursuit.
Game viewing by boat into the Chobe National Park is a remarkable experience - where huge herds of elephants come down to drink together with an extensive array of other game such as buffalo, giraffe, leopard, lion, kudu, waterbuck, puku, lechwe, impala and baboons. The evening boat trip provides the guest with the unforgettable experience of witnessing a true African sunset, while being surrounded by herds of Elephant and supping on a cold sundowner.

Bird watching
Bird watching is a year round pleasure with over 400 recorded species and a combination of water birds and woodland birds on the island. It is an excellent place to see all the summer migrants from September through to March. There is a wide variety of habitats covered by the vessels and all guides are competent birders.

Fishing
World famous for their Tigerfish and Bream, the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers will delight and challenge both the angling enthusiast and the novice. With over 100 kilometres of rivers and waterways available to guests, we offer you the best possible chance of experiencing the thrill of landing a legendary Tigerfish or the satisfaction of catching any one of the many other species found within the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers. The lodge is particularly renowned for the quality of its guides and their success in finding those elusive spots that will yield the best catches. 

The Impalila area is unique in that it offers year round Tiger fishing. This is due to the giant flood plains upstream which hold the annual Zambezi floodwaters, keeping it warm and nutritious and allowing incredible fish breeding habitat. During the winter months, floodwaters recede, leading to ideal Tiger feeding conditions when the rest of the river systems are too cold for Tigerfish activity.

Please remember that there is a strict catch and release policy in place which is in line with the conservationist ideals of the area.

For those looking for an even greater challenge, the unique rapids within the river systems offer unrivalled experiences for those wanting to enjoy the skillful art of fly-fishing. Knowledgeable guides, excellent boats and high-quality equipment all combine to make any stay with the Ichobezi River Lodges an anglers idea of Utopia.

 

 

How to get there

International Flights go to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) or Livingstone (Zambia). Transfers between Vic Falls & Livingstone airports and the Kasane immigration office can be arranged.  Guests are then collected by boat from the Kasane immigration office in Botswana for the short trip across the river. Kasane is also readily accessible by road from both South Africa and Namibia. 

Private charters also regularly fly directly onto Impalila Island from Victoria Falls and elsewhere, where there is an excellent 1400 metre all weather gravel airstrip. The co-ordinates of the airstrip on Impalila Island are S17° 46’ 48’’ E025° 11’ 23’’. The reference is FBKE (Kasane 031 3.6nm).

Visa requirements
SADAC members do not need a visa to enter into Zambia. A general indication of visa costs is between USD 20 and USD 80 per person (please check details with your travel agent). Full passport details must be sent in 72 hours before travelling to Zambia in order for a waiver to be arranged.