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ODDBALLS PALM ISLAND LODGE
OKAVANGO DELTA
THE
CAMP
Oddballs
Palm Island Lodge Camp is a relaxed and informal camp, so much so that
elephant have been known to visit the camp!
Oddballs is one the first camps established in
the Okavango Delta. The camp is located on
the south-western edge of Chief’s Island and is the ideal location
for an undisturbed getaway and thrilling encounters with wildlife.
Oddballs is accessible
by light aircraft only and is just a 20 minute scenic flight from Maun
over the beautiful Delta.
We cannot guarantee
the times of your flights in and out of camp, but we will do our best
to accommodate your arrangements. Our air charter company must enforce
a strict luggage limit of 10kg per person - you should not need more
than this, as all camping equipment is provided. Any excess luggage
can be stored at our office in Maun. A
guide is dedicated to you for the duration of your stay.
Dome
Tent
Reed Honeymoon Suite
Accommodation
is in 2-man dome tents that are set on elevated wooden decks, and
shaded by reed shelters. Each tent is equipped with mattresses,
duvets, linen, pillows, towels and a light. Striking
outdoor showers and ablutions are shared. For those that prefer
en-suite facilities there is always the beautiful, privately situated
Honeymoon Chalet which is made from reeds and has a huge double bed
for extreme comfort, with its own view of the Delta.
There
is no time of year, which is "better" than any other to come
to Oddballs and each season offers something slightly different, but
equally worth experiencing:
Winter is
from May – September:
The days are
warm and night temperatures cool.
Rainy season
is from October – April:-
Temperatures
climb and do not drop much at night.
The water
begins to dry up, leaving just the main channels and extensive green
floodplains from which it is possible to see more game than when the
water is higher.
Facilities:
Comfortable
bar and lounge area and a raised viewing deck,
overlooking the delta – a perfect place to enjoy sundowners
and capture special sunsets on camera
GAME
VIEWING/ACTIVITIES
The
stillness of the Delta is treasured at Oddballs and no motorized
activities offered, but instead quieter activities such as guided game
walks and mekoro excursions. A
mokoro (pl. mekoro) is a dug-out canoe and is the traditional water-craft of
the Okavango. A mokoro accommodates
two guests and a skilled poler, who is also your dedicated
professional guide and born
and bred in the Okavango, and is the perfect way to truly experience
the tranquility of the Okavango Delta.
Excursions
usually start by mokoro, after
which you will walk on some of the larger islands in the area. Walking
will be an integral and significant part of your experience at any
time of year, although the extent of your walks will depend on your
tastes. Guests usually go out in the early morning, having a late
breakfast on their return, and again in the afternoon, and some choose
to go out for the whole day with a packed picnic lunch. Sometimes
the opportunity arises where you can visit your poler’s village,
meet the elders and perhaps his family.
Mokoro
Moments
MOKORO
TRAIL
Camping
in the bush is a unique and special way to experience the Okavango and
Oddballs is known for our Mokoro Trails deep into the Delta.
Sit back and enjoy the peaceful ride in a mokoro as you make
your way through winding channels, lined with reeds and inhabited by
reed frogs, insects and birds, and into the Moremi Game Reserve, an
area renowned for its diverse bird and animal life.
These
trails are available from the beginning of June until mid November.
All equipment and provisions are supplied by Oddballs and all
you need to do is bring your own sleeping bag and torch. Camping
equipment (tent, sleeping mat and pillow, cutlery, crockery, pots and
pans) and food are all provided.
For
those guest wanting to experience the Mokoro Trail there is a minimum
of 4 nights stay, your first and last nights will be spent at Oddballs
and then your middle 2 (or
more) nights are spent camping on the Mokoro Trail. Longer trails, for
up to a week or more are also regularly conducted. There are no
facilities outside of Oddballs, and guests will be thoroughly briefed
prior to their departure as to what to expect on trail.
THE
OKAVANGO DELTA & MOREMI GAME RESERVE
The
Okavango Delta is a large wetland surrounded by the Kalahari desert.
The Okavango is a unique ecosystem and has large populations of
African mammals, birds, and other animals. Conservationists have taken
a great interest in the preservation of the Delta. The delta people
have long inhabited the waterways of the north and like their
ancestors many centuries ago, still travel to and fro across the
region in mekoro (dugout canoes). According
to scientists, the waters of the Okavango Delta are among the purest
of any inland waters in the world.
Moremi,
hunted by the Bushman as long as 10,000 years ago, was initiated by
the Batawana tribe and covers some 4,871 km2, as the eastern section
of the Okavango Delta. Moremi is mostly described as one of the most
beautiful wildlife reserves in Africa. It combines mopane
woodland and acacia
forests, floodplains and lagoons. It is the great diversity of plant
and animal life that makes Moremi so well known
AFRICA
MEMORIES TIP
Never
pack your camera away – you never know when opportunity presents
itself! Whether it from the air, sitting on the deck enjoying
sundowners or walking on the islands, keep your camera ready and
capture those special memories.
Okavango
Delta Memories (Photographs by Natalie Knibbs©)
Contact:
Africa
Memories Travel cc.
Natalie Knibbs,
Tel: +27 -31 7632427;
Fax: +27 -31 7631034;
email info@botswanaholiday.co.uk;
Cluster Box 5034, Augusta Country Estate,
Hillcrest,
3650,
Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
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