The Okavango
The Okavango is the Garden of Eden, an unspoilt, untouched, intensely romantic and exciting peek at the world as it was made. Teeming with life of every conceivable sort, it challenges and rewards in ways that that no one can predict, and few anticipate. Desert sand and mountain water meet and mate and the result is the Okavango, arguably the most beautiful place on Earth, haven of peace and tranquility, wildlife heaven and wilderness par excellence.
Wildlife
An astonishing array of species cohabit in the Okavango, be they plant, animal, bird, insect or reptile. Low nutrient levels mean that sheer numbers of any one species is sacrificed to variety, and few of Africa’s wilderness areas can boast the diversity the Okavango can. Desert and wetland species exist side by side, elephant frolic in the water while the cats, small and large, grit their teeth and take the plunge when they feel they have to. Baboons cavort, crocodiles bask, hippo frolic…
The Lodge and Accommodation
Oddballs’ Enclave is an adjunct to Oddballs’ proper, a secluded, 10-bed addendum with its own dining area, its own spectacular view, and bigger, walk-in mini Meru tents, with king-sized beds, and all en-suite, al-fresco Okavango-style. Without going over the top we’ve created something with greater creature-comforts, without breaking the bank and without resorting to the gold tap. Oddballs’ Enclave fills a niche in the market, for those who want to be able to stand up in their tent, luxuriate in a large bed with crisp white linen, experience the authentic Okavango, and all in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere without pretension.
Guides, People and Activities
Our guides are the same men you have come to admire and respect, the swampmen of Sedibana village, perfectly at home in their place, in their mekoro, in their environment. Our staff are the same singing women of the Okavango, resplendent in their dazzling smiles. Our cooks are the same Oddballs’ has had for years – call that decades. Kelekile, Otimile, Pony, and a few shining up through the ranks the way these came. For a manager you may have Moduelo, ‘MD’, ‘The Doc’ or sometimes ‘Mike’ – the funniest man in the Okavango; or you might have KT, who can and does fix absolutely anything and everything; or Matsaudi, who grew up with us and serves as our historical reference source, remembering everything we have forgotten; or any one of us, actually, because our staff know their jobs, and our ‘managers’ are there more to give you a single point of reference than they are to tell everyone what to do.
Our Environment
And because we love the Okavango we operate no generators, we offer no motorized activities (you will either be gliding through the waterways in a hand-made mokoro, or you will be walking on your own two feet across the islands), solar powers our batteries and heats our water, and every little bit of rubbish is bagged and flown up and out of the Okavango altogether.