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Lake Murray Lodge

Lake Murray Lodge

Lake Murray

Nestled among the trees on an island spit, the lodge overlooks beautiful Lake Murray. Here in the remote reaches of Papua New Guinea, you truly feel that you are on the edge of the earth. The almost unbroken quiet of the lake is barely disturbed by the gentle sounds of dugout canoes seamlessly gliding through the water. Despite some Western influences, the tribes in this remote area still maintain many of their ancient and traditional customs and ways of life.

Lake Murray Lodge has a clean and fresh design, the main building is designed with a wraparound veranda from which you can enjoy the breathtaking sunset over the tranquil lake. You’re accommodated in 12 individual cabins built around the edge of the water. Wake in the mornings to the sounds of the tropical insects and birds while taking in the wonderful view of the lake from the private veranda.
Each cabin is constructed with local timber and sago woven matting to reflect the natural location. They are furnished with king twin or double beds, ceiling fans, modern ensuite bathrooms and a private veranda. In keeping with the eco-friendly philosophy, the entire lodge operation is powered with the latest technology in solar power. This provides 24-hour electricity with 240-volt power, a luxury in this remote location. A large garden provides fresh vegetables and fruit on site. The kitchen staff cook on a wood-fired stove and outdoor grill for the daily catch. Lake Murray is only accessible by private charter from Mount Hagen or Karawari Lodge.

At about 2000 square kilometres in the wet season, Lake Murray is the largest lake in Papua New Guinea. Island communities of stilted houses dot the water landscape of the lake. The tribes that inhabit the small, remote villages live their life on the water. Dugout canoes are their primary mode of transportation, and the abundant stock of freshwater fish provide their staple food source. You will be welcomed to the various villages, where you can witness and interact in a number of activities including traditional weaving, face and body painting, tribal warrior demonstrations, and traditional sing-sing. A sing sing is the unique celebration display that is unique to each tribe and typically expressed through traditional dress, song and dance.

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Amenities

Activities, Bar, Walking & Trekking

Inclusions

Our Offers

Other Options

The camp is located in the remote inner reaches of the Okavango Delta, with just eight luxurious en-suite tents which are raised to ensure all guests have views of the floodplains. The dining and sitting areas are also raised on decking around a massive ancient fig tree. Ebony, knob thorn acacia, and sausage trees provide shade on warm days. A small swimming pool and sun deck is the perfect spot to relax and cool down. At dinner, enjoy your meal while watching the brilliant sunsets. A well-stocked bar ensures a delicious sundowner is always available. 

The sparkling clear and clean waters are the pulse of this region attracting herons and other species of birds as well as elephants, predators and prey. No crowds and no safari vehicles are fighting for the best views. 
Activities include game viewing in 4x4 vehicles, but the best experience is on foot or by gliding silently through the Delta by mokoro. Weave your way through small palm-dotted islands. You may hear the elephants' morning calls in the distance. With your guide, see these giants taking their daily baths, and maybe spot a mother gently bathing her calf. 

Game viewing includes a wide variety of other game in the Delta, including impala, lechwe, hippo, crocodile, and lion. Migratory water birds like the yellow-billed storks and slate egrets come to hatch their young around the area depending on the season. Sometimes you may just spot the sitatunga antelope's nostrils floating above the surface of the water, as it hides from leopards and wild dogs.

Kanana

Okavango Delta

Set on an island in the panhandle of the Okavango Delta, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful areas in the world, this lodge is one of the oldest in the area. It has been recently refurbished and is meticulously cared for by its staff. With a unique charm and atmosphere, the lodge has 7 double chalets and 2 family chalets all tented with with fans, en-suite bathrooms, room safe and a veranda. All the chalets are thatch covered with tented bedrooms and bathrooms made to a very high standard. Each chalet enjoys a view over the waterways and is unobserved by neighbours. There is a large deck with an open lobby and restaurant area, a bar-fridge and the food is simply delicious and plentiful. 

The lodge offers water-based activities, including boating and mokoro trips among the network of beautiful channels that comprise the area. Nxmaseri is one of the few lodges which can guarantee Mokoro trips all-year-round, due to its location high up in the panhandle. These are conducted in the shallow and narrow channels, where the birdlife is in abundance but where the hippos don't go. From the steel bottomed speed boat, you can see hippos in the deeper channels and on shore. Take a boat and go fishing, sit on the shady deck and watch the birdlife passing, enjoy the pool or relax by having a massage overlooking the stunning Okavango panhandle. 

Close to the magical Tsodilo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Botswana’s greatest treasures, see "Our Offers" for an exceptional experience there.   

Other activities include helicopter flights/flips (additional cost) over the delta, as well as cultural and natural history tours.  Weather permitting, guests may also dine on the floating jetty, enjoying the most spectacular sounds and sights at sunset.

This is a magical and truly "away from it all" lodge, where you will enjoy spectacular bird and wildlife spotting and some of Botswana's most memorable sunrises and sunsets.

Nxamaseri Island Lodge

Okavango Panhandle

This is probably one of the most spectacular permanent water sites in the entire Okavango Delta. Xugana Island Lodge is situated on a wooded island abutting the lagoon and takes full advantage of this magnificent site. The thatched common area, comprising a viewing deck, bar, lounge and curio shop, is still the original building put up in 1974 when Xugana became only the second lodge ever built in the Okavango Delta. Set within the well-established garden is a refreshing swimming pool and sun deck. 

The lodge accommodates only sixteen guests in large, raised, reed and thatch lagoon-facing chalets, with en-suite facilities and private viewing decks optimally placed on the shaded fringe of the island. The comfortable chalets are attractively furnished and have fan, safe, tea and coffee-making facilities 

Mokoro trips in eco-friendly dugout canoes built to the traditional design, boat safaris to lagoons and islands and wilderness walks give guests the chance to see the Delta wildlife such as sitatunga and lechwe antelope, crocodile and hippo, as well as the other big game that frequents the islands and edges of the river. Bird-watching opportunities are outstanding, and the bream and tiger fishing can be excellent at certain times of the year. The peaceful boat ride back across Xugana Lagoon during the spectacular African sunset will provide you with lifelong memories.

Xugana Island Lodge

Okavango Delta

How our Tent Ratings work

These are based on our personal experience of the hotel, camp or lodge and should not be compared against ratings you find elsewhere. We intend to guide you and don’t be put off by a low tent rating as some of our favourites fall into the 2 and 3-tent categories.​

It is also important to bear in mind that standards vary from country to country and a 4-tent hotel in South Africa cannot be compared with a 4-tent hotel in another part of the world. 

To summarise our grading system, we have considered the following.

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High in both quality and luxury of experience, and property must have ‘wowed’ us on many levels.

This is our benchmark for excellent service and experience, location and /or activities. 

Good relative value, excellent location and/or experience, and offering an ideal base for exploring the area.

Budget-focused stopover property, sometimes it’s the ideal location on a driving itinerary.

Don’t be put off, these stays are comfortable and a perfect pit stop on a journey where the choices may be limited. 

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Your Adventure, Your Way

All good things start with a conversation and planning your holiday shouldn't be like flicking through a catalogue. Email us, book a free consultation, or give us a call, to get your next bespoke adventure underway.

Phone:

+44 (0)7516 766404

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