Ugezi Tiger Lodge

Situation Profile

INTRODUCTION

Ugezi Tiger Lodge
UGEZI TIGER LODGE is located amongst the picturesque slopes of the mountains forming the gorge area of the Cahorra Bassa dam, Tete Province, Mozambique.

The lodge comprises of:
· 4 x En suite thatched cottages, each accommodating 6 pax - fully serviced.
· 1 x En suite thatched cottage, accommodating 8 pax - fully serviced.
· 2 x En suite thatched cottage, accommodating 2 pax - fully serviced.
· 1 x En suite thatched cottage, acommodating 9 pax - fully serviced.
· 4 x air conditioned en suite thatched cottages, each accommodating 6 pax - fully serviced.
· Camping facilities with adequate communial male and female ablutions. Occupants unlimited.
· A 240m² thatched lapa overlooking the dam, containing the main well equipped kitchen, full bar, dining/leisure area and reception. A pleasant thatched umbrella covered area on deck.
· Braai Pit plus minus 30 pax.
· Sparkling Pool.
· A permanent jetty and a launching area for those who bring their own boats.
· An option to fish the river 43km below the dam wall between April and September.

General information
Visitors travelling by road must ensure that they carry adequate fuel to navigate Zimbabwe and adhere to indicated speed limits. They must also show reflective triangles in front of a towing vehicle and at the back of the trailer etc being towed.

Obtain the present exchange rate for the conversion of Rand to Zim dollars and Mozambique Meticais from your Bank. Exchange only enough money to comply with your requirements in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The Lodge is provided with a permanent electrical supply. Socket outlets in the camp have a 230V 50Hz supply and are of the same type as the standard 16A 3Pin types used in the RSA.

Visitors must provide their own toiletries and towels – Remember mosquito repellants.

Obtain prophylactics for Malaria from your GP and stick to the prescribed dosage. Use other mosquito deterrents such as Peaceful Sleep, Tabart and Citronella oil based preperations from dusk to dawn. Complete Malaria treatment on return to country of residence.

Cottages and the communial ablutions are provided with hot water units and ventilation fans – some cottages are also provided with air-conditioning.

Bar and Restaurant facilities are available to all lodge visitors.

Angling information:
It is recommended that anglers provide their own tackle, however tackle for spinning and trawling (not fly) can be hired at the Lodge.

Lines with breaking strains from 8 to 20kg and rods and reels to suit are generally used.

Angling is generally good throughout the year.

For Tiger fish spinners (No 3 to 5) with silver or polished red copper blades and red reflecting stickers on the outside or polished red copper Efzet or Toby spoons deliver good results when trawlled or cast. Use keel sinkers ± 500mm in front of spinners when trawling to prevent twisting of the line.

There are more than 40 species of angling fish in the dam, of which Tiger fish, Bream, Chessa, Cornish Jack and Vundu are the most popular.

Tiger fish up to 14kg were caught in the dam, with the average weight from 4 to 8kg.

Ugezi Tiger Lodge is a fly fishing haven – the biggest tiger on fly to date was 4.5kg.

The best angling results are obtained when angling from boats.

FACILITIES

ACTIVITIES

Accommodation offered at this Establishment

ADDITIONAL INFO

Historic background of Cahora Bassa Dam:
Many people recognized the potential of the Zambezi river, beginning with David Livingstone when he came upon a narrow gorge, called Kebrabassa, in 1858.

Literally translated “Kebrabassa” means “where the work cannot go on”, presumably because of the rapids in the gorge. Kebrabassa was later changed to Cabora Bassa and more recently to Cahorra Bassa.

The Cahorra Bassa Dam project started as a joint project between the Portuguese and South African Governments in the late 1960’s. Surveys had correctly shown that the physical features of the Cahorra Bassa Gorge were theoretically ideal for a hydro-electrical scheme, but the practical aspects were somewhat different due to endless Political wrangling. Contractors erected the biggest hydro electrical scheme in the Southern Africa region at an inaccessible site, and on a river best known for its violent and unpredictable floods. The tropical climate produced sweltering heat one moment and torrential rain the next. There was a continued shortage of skilled labour. Tropical diseases such as bilharzia, malaria and yellow fever also plagued labourers. They were also under a constant threat of hostile forces.

Despite all the problems, the river was closed with a double curved arch wall in 1974. This enclosure formed a man made lake 270km long with an average width of 10km’s.

The lake contains 52 000 000 000 (fifty two thousand million) cubic meters of water, more than twice as much as South Africa’s total water storage capacity. The station is equipped with five generators, each with a rating of 480MVA/220kV, rotating at 107 rpm by Francis type turbines. At that time it was the second biggest hydro electrical station in the world.

Six kilometers away a surface rectifier station converts the 220kV AC to 533kV DC. The power is then transmitted to the Apollo substation near Pretoria with two mono polar lines where it is inverted to 275kV AC and connected to the ESKOM grid. The transmission line utilizes 7000 towers, 40m high, and 1414km of steel core aluminium conductor. The transmission losses are ± 60MVA per line.