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  Solomon Islands Wilderness Lodge  
 

  "The Solomon Islands comprise one of the most culturally, linguistically, and biologically diverse places on Earth"  
 
Welcome to Wilderness Lodge

Situated lagoon-side by Peava village, Gatokae Island, at the southeastern tip of the Western Province, the wilderness lodge features traditional construction using sago palm leaf, wild bitalnat palm and village-sawn hardwood with exotic timber and pandanus mat interior. 

Catering for a maximum of eight guests, the lodge has been designed to meld the atmosphere of the Gatokae rainforest and ocean with the lifestyle of the neighbouring small village whilst retaining Western comforts and convenience.

You have some of the world's best diving,most prolific and varied fishlife, lush tropical rainforest, and spectacular scenery right on your doorstep. 

 

The lodge has prime access to the three wild and uninhabited islands of Bulo, MaleMale, and Kicha, the 2900 foot jungle-clad peak of Mt Mariu, and ancient fortified villages and ceremonial sites.

The surrounding ocean provides freediving opportunities unsurpassed anywhere on Earth - pristine unexplored reefs with caves, swim-throughs, abyssal dropoffsand an extraordinary array of life from the tiniest exotics and crustaceans to wahoo, sailfish, and tuna. 

 

 

Nick Blanche, owner/manager of Go Tours Travel has just returned from Wilderness Lodge where he had a break with his wife Michele and 2 daughters Kia and Sharni

 

   
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
Kia, Sharni & Cory's kids
 
Michele and kids
 
Nick with breakfast
 

Cory caught this on a handline

 
 

 

Wilderness Lodge is unique


Incredibly diverse marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the fascinating old culture of ritual headhunting which persisted into the twentieth century are yet to be studied. 

Activities at Wilderness Lodge


Resident schools of barracuda and electric blue fusileers are a fixture on the points and walls, and the thousand-foot deep channel between Peava and MaleMale Island has a resident school of spinner dolphins.


The reef and rainforest scenery represents a photographers dream. Hornbills,eclectus parrots and megapodes coexist with frigate birds, terns, herons, and sea eagles. 

 

The surrounding reefs and islands have provided unique opportunities to the world's best underwater photographers and appeared in leading journals and books.

Local footpaths and old logging roads provide incredible scope for the hardcore mountainbiker - all never ridden before.

 


 
   

     
 
       
       

The area is completely untouched and unexplored by sportfishermen.      Some suggestions......

trolling for Skipjack, Yellowfin and Bigeye Tuna, Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel, Wahoo, several Trevally species, Barracuda, Rainbow Runner, Mahi Mahi, Red Bass, Green Jobfish, shark, Sailfish, Dogtooth tuna, Coral Trout, Blue, Black and Striped Marlin and many other species around the islands just offshore......

bluewater trolling the FADs [the closest of which is just 5 n.m. from the Lodge], Matikai ocean reef, seamounts, and Kavachi submarine volcano for Blue, Black, and Striped Marlin and big yellowfin tuna. The Solomons has the most intact tuna stocks on Earth and gamefish numbers are commensurate with this food supply......

polaroiding on the sand and coral flats in Marovo Lagoon for bonefish, tarpon, milkfish, barracuda, queenfish, GTs, blue, golden, Papuan and diamond trevally (jacks)......

hunting Spot-tail Bass and Mangrove Jack on the upper reaches of the Varea and Gevala Rivers......

bottom fishing for all kinds of reef fish......

casting lures for Blue, Lowly, and Bigeye trevally, queenfish, and coral trout off the lodge jetty. We even catch Spanish Mackerel up to 30lb live baiting from the jetty......

And who knows what else is out there.

THE BOATS

The lodge currently has two boats available for charter:

23 foot Haines Hunter centre console sportfisher with 225HP Honda four-stroke outboard fully setup for offshore trolling - suitable for up to 80lb standup gear. All safety gear, auxillary outboard and liferaft

19 foot Yamaha open skiff with 40hp Honda four-stroke outboard, with rodholders, rodbuckets, gaff, GPS, EPIRB,and flares, suitable for lagoon and river casting, and trolling and diving around the offshore islands - suitable for up to 50lb standup gear.

We will be basing a modern 30 foot gamefishing boat at the lodge in the near future to further assess the incredible bluewater potential, looking for large blue and black marlin, giant tuna, and compiling data to establish a catch & release sportfishery in the offshore waters of the Western Province.


 

 

Cost per person $1886.50AUD 

 based on three  share

*plus taxes  *plus insurance

What to bring

Return airfares with Solomon Airlines - Brisbane via Honiara to Seghe


Return boat transfers Seghe - Wilderness lodge
7 nights accommodation at Wilderness Lodge
3 great meals per day.


2 days fishing sun up - sundown in a 6 metre Yamaha longboat 40HP


2 x 4.5 hours fishing in a 6 metre Yamaha longboat 40HP
Use of fishing tackle


Australian collectable taxes.

$1886.50 per person based on 3 share

 

 

¨"teva" type all terrain/river sandals - all the footwear you'll need

ultra-light poly/cotton, short-sleeved, collared shirt in a light colour

¨ fast dry shorts

¨ cool, light coloured cap or booney hat

¨ lightweight, light coloured Tshirt

¨ lightweight waterproof spray jacket

¨ comfortable waterproof day pack – use as your carry-on

¨ polarized sunglasses

¨ comfortable mask, snorkel & fins – if possible try out prior to departure

¨ camera and plenty of film & batteries at outbound duty free

¨ disposable water camera

¨ 30+ water resistant sunscreen

¨ insect spray

¨ prickly heat powder

¨ energy drink powder

   

 

Deepsea Spearfishing at it's best  ...

 

Cory and Gideon with a nice haul   Cory and a malagori  

 ... how easier it is

   
Yvonne with a nice Jobfish   Gideon and a Spanish Mackrell   Pete speared an excellent Coral Trout

Hi Nick,

Had an awesome time thanks! Speared a fair few fish and did some great freediving too. Lots of tuna caught on line as well. James grabbed a lot of photos underwater around Mbulo Island in the coral cave swimthroughs. I think Corey will probably update his website with a few (let me know if you want me to burn a CD for you) I have attached a couple for you to check out.
We only had one small hickup, the return flight was moved from Seghe and the plane bailed on us prior to its departure and had a bit of a wait while they sent another plane to pick us up! No big deal though.

All in all very fun and relaxing.

Cheers
Greg

 


How to get to Wilderness Lodge

 

 

 

+ experience some of the world's best freediving & snorkelling   + self-guided coastal walks     + endless natural and cultural photo opportunities

+ exploring Bulo Island in an outrigger canoe     + trolling for dozens of different species of fish   + night hunting coconut crabs in the rainforest with flashlight

and coconut baits   + taking in the classic tropical island scenery and atmosphere of the lodge     + learn about the unique culture and history from the village people

+ climbing Mt Mariu and Mt Vangunu    + take a motor canoe trip up the wild Gevala River    + explore ancient fortified villages deep in the rainforest

+ take part in traditional ara   and buna  [a rainforest creeper-derived stupefactant] fish drives    + BBQs at Male Male and Kicha Islands

+ visit the village gardens and learn subsistence agriculture techniques    + walk and swim the pristine Kele river

+ boat trips taking in the incredible sceney of Gatokae and Marovo Lagoon   + see the world-famous woodcarvers of Marovo at work in adjacent Peava village

+ visit Kavachi Submarine Volcano [weather permitting]

 

+ guided walks to the wild weather coast and remote Biche and Mbeu villages    + fishing on the beach at the lodge for breakfast or dinner

+ listen to custom stories told by village elders    + surfing unknown reefs and islands   + chasing skipjack and yellowfin tuna schools offshore

+ share some of your knowledge and experiences with the 50 primary students of Peava community school

+ see pre-Christian skull shrines , gravesites, and sacrificial altars    + daytime and nightime reefwalking    + take classes in traditional mat-weaving, basket-making, woodcarving, and dugout canoe building

 

+ nightdive the lodge fringing reef and the offshore islands with local divers    + birdwatching hornbills, eclectus parrots, red-knobbed fruit pigeons, and many endemics     + night trolling for barracuda

+ learn about efforts to preserve the area's biodiversity    + peruse the lodge's collection of ethnology and historical information

+ learn about Kavachi Submarine Volcano, and the tectonic forces that radically change the seabed


 


Simply email Nick with your enquire and we will give you a very informative quote on your next Solomon Islands Adventure

 

Conditions apply; The above prices were correct at the time of printing



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