Botswana Fishing For Tiger On Okavango Delta

OKAVANGO CHOBE 10 DAY FISHING SAFARI

Included in this package:
Pickup from Maun International Airport, Botswana,
Road transfer from Maun Airport to Motsentsela Tree Lodge,
1 Night Motsentsela Tree Lodge,
Road transfer from Motsentsela to Maun Airport,
Scenic air transfer over Okavango Delta from Maun to Shakawe,
Collection and drop off from/to Shakawe,
4 Nights Kubu Queen houseboat,
Scenic air transfer from Shakawe to Kasane,
Pick up from Kasane airport,
4 Nights Ichingo Chobe River Lodge with middle 2 nights on The Ichobezi houseboat,
All meals,
Drinks at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge,
Fuel and tender boats,
Park fees,
All activities - fishing from the house boat Kubu Queen and from various islands in the Okavango Delta, mokoro excursions, guided walks,  boat rides, game viewing from boat, fishing at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge and off The Ichobezi houseboat,
Transfer from Ichingo Chobe River Lodge to Livingstone Airport, Zambia,

The houseboat Kubu Queen is a perfect live aboard, from which to conduct fishing safaris. The Kubu Queen is based in the pan-handle at Shakawe.

She has three double cabins, a well-equipped galley, lounge/bar, spacious shower/toilet facilities, and two tender boats for the best Tiger Fishing in the Delta.

The boat is chartered to one group at a time for their exclusive use. So privacy, exclusivity, flexibility and remoteness are the key elements of this experience. As the boat is fully self contained, we can moor anywhere we feel like for the night - be it alongside a remote island or a quiet lagoon - anywhere which takes the groups fancy! Guests on the Kubu Queen enjoy one of the most wonderful water experiences in the Okavango.

While the majority of visitors arrive to sample the fishing, it is a wonderful area for birdwatchers.

Game viewing can be done by boat into the Chobe National Park where huge herds of elephants come down to drink together with an extensive array of other game such as buffalo, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck, puku, lechwe, impala, baboons, etc. The evening boat  trip, with quiet sundowners on the river surrounded by elephants is an unforgetable experience.

The Chobe is a smaller graceful river with deep pools and a lot of still water combined with a series of rapids and white water in front of the Lodge. It has firm banks and is bounded on one side by the Chobe National park where in the evenings vast quantities of wild animals , especially elephants, come down to drink.

The Lodge has two unique jet boats which allow for particularly fine fishing in both the rapid systems on the Zambesi and Chobe rivers. These are the best fly-fishing venues for Tigerfish with fish in the 3 to 6 kgs range and offering a great challenge in the fast flowing streams.  For this we usually fish a maximum of two to a boat.  

The Zambesi is a large free flowing river with areas of wide and deep water, fairly swiftly flowing , and the home to the large Tigerfish. It has essentially reed banks but interspersed are wonderful white sandbanks for the crocodiles and hippos to rest on. In the deeper waters we tend to find
he small shoals of the large 6 to 9 kg Tigerfish.

We have a series of good quality boats all with 75hp or 90 hp motors, which allows us to access the whole stretch of the Zambesi from Mambova rapids to Kalimbeza sandbanks  - about 120 kilometers.

Bird watching is a year round pleasure with over 400 recorded species and a combination of waterbirds and good dry land birds on the island. It is an excellent place to see all the summer migrants from  September through to March.

Excursions by Mekoro (dugout canoe ) into the small islands which exist in the Chobe River and form part of the rapid system. The experienced polers are also knowledgeable in all the various bird species to be found during the trip. This is subject to river conditions.

Guided walks on the Island are very interesting as there is a varied ecology and the villages offer an insight into traditional African life. From the top of an ancient Baobab tree one can view the meeting place of the four countries.

The lodge also operates a four roomed , eight bedded , luxury Safariboat  - The Ichobezi - in the Zambesi and Chobe River systems. This offers two dedicated tender boats with all the activities and hospitality standards of the lodge plus the added excitement of cruising and overnighting in some of the remote areas of the Caprivi.

The Lodge collects its clients by boat from the Kasane immigration office in Botswana  for the short trip across the river to the island. Kasane is readily accessible by road from both South Africa and Namibia and in addition there are now frequent flights from Johannesburg to Kasane .
Private charters regularly fly directly onto the Island where there is an excellent 1400 meter all weather gravel airstrip.

Botswana Fishing For Tiger On Okavango Delta - You'll find the fish waiting for you in the main Okavango river and in the secret lagoons that lie within the papyrus fringes. No doubt you'll want to experience that shock-take of a river-bred tiger, but be assured that the various species of largemouth bream and tilapia that abound are not to be disregarded.

Many anglers who catch a tiger or two then turn their attentions to tilapia or nembwe (olive bream). Throw in huge catfish and slender African pike which also engulf a fly and the Okavango becomes a fly angler's Paradise.  Much of your time will be concentrated on the main Okavango River - as well as the smaller Boro and Ngoga Rivers and on some of the quieter back-waters and lagoons in that area.

Impalila Island lies at  the confluence of the  Chobe and Zambesi rivers,  which is also the meeting place of the four countries, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The nearest town is Kasane in Northern Botswana and the Victoria Falls are only some 80 kilometers downstream.
The major fishing attraction is Tigerfish.  These legendary fighters are equipped with an extraordinarily large  tail  and a specialized bone structure allowing them to accelerate like a rocket and hit your bait like no other fish of equal size.  Their teeth are formidable and they prey on other fish up to 40% of their own weight. They grow up to 18 lbs but even four pound specimens fight like champions. Tiger are essentially a summer fish being more active in the warmer water so the traditional season is September through to February when the rivers are also low and clear.

They do catch a range of Bream, (Yellow bellied, Thin face, Hump back, Three spot etc ) - they go up to three kilograms and being predatory fish give a good account of themselves.   These are generally winter fish with June through to August being peak time. We  from time to time,  also target Barbel [ catfish ] which go up to 18 kilograms.

Some fishing is done from the banks and rocks in the rapids but we are always careful about the potential hazard of crocodiles. When clients arrive they are allocated a Guide and boat and then free to do whatever fishing they would like for the duration of their stay. We fish two to a boat for fly fishing.

Fishing for Tigerfish and Bream in both the Chobe and Zambesi Rivers. The Lodge is particularly renown for the quality of its guides and their success in landing Tigerfish, especially when fly-fishing. High quality tackle is available for guest use.

There is fishing access to over 30 kilometers of Chobe River,  over 120 kilometers of Zambesi River  and many many kilometres of waterways in the Kasai wetlands.  Each of these areas offers a different fishing experience providing excellent fishing in what is undoubtedly the premier Tiger fishing water in Africa.

Motsentsela Tree Lodge is a small lodge ideally situated on a game farm on the outskirts of Maun.  The lodge consists of seven large Meru tents, each with en-suite toilet facilities, catering for a maximum of fourteen guests.  The tents are large enough to be very comfortable, simply furnished but stylish and attractive.  All tents are on raised wooden decks, surrounded by trees and are well spaced for privacy.

Ichingo Chobe River Lodge is a secluded and private, owner managed lodge,
offering , together with The Ichobezi the ideal personalised venues to get away from it all, for families,  couples or small groups who wish to experience Africa at its finest and enjoy all that it has to offer.  Ichingo Chobe River Lodge is situated on Impalila Island  in the very north eastern region of Namibia and because of its location can be considered as a Chobe / Victoria Falls destination.
 
The main thatched complex consists of bar, lounge and dinning room and is spacious with large windows.  The front is bordered by a large teak deck, which surrounds two large trees, a Leadwood and a Birdplum, from which the lodge gets its Setswana name.  Off to one side is a swimming pool also with teak deck surround.

Ichingo is a luxury tented lodge accommodating a maximum of sixteen people in twin bedded large Meru tents, each with cupboards, tables, electric lights etc, 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.

All Year

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