Xugana Island Lodge

a very strong focus on wet safari activities

Xugana Island Lodge is located in the Shinde Concession in the Okavango Delta area of northern Botswana.

This is a pleasant mid-range camp, set in a stand of dense ebony and mangosteen forest on the edge of an unusually broad lagoon to the north of the concession.

The camp is one of the oldest in the delta, so much so that it almost feels historic.

It’s fronted by broad extensive split-level decks, which lead up to the main building, a traditional structure, open-sided under thatch, containing a small bar, gift-shop and dining area. Out front there are further dining areas and a nice campfire area above the water. In a clearing amongst the trees behind there is a small pool on another elevated deck area.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Xugana Island Lodge is in eight semi-detached waterfront cabins. Approached from the side, there is a nice verandah out front, overlooking the lagoon. The main structure is of traditional reed-work walls under thatch. Inside, they feel much more conventional, with stud-work walls and close-boarded floorboards. The beds are fitted with large mosquito nets and cooling is provided by a floor-standing fan. An indoor bathroom has conventionally plumbed basins, shower and toilet.

Activities

Xugana Island Lodge provides the following limited range of guided activities …

• Mokoro canoe safari
• Motorboat safari
• Walking safari

When it comes to trip shapes and durations in Botswana, most visitors combine 2, 3 or 4 lodges by light aircraft over 6-12 nights, one or two of which will usually be here in Okavango Delta, combined with the Linyanti Waterfront and/or Makgadikgadi areas.

These trips are often done in combination with further nights at the Victoria Falls and/or down in the Cape.

The usual stay duration here on the Shindi Concession is 3-4 nights.

Seasonality

The May-Jun flood season is a period of transition from the hot wet summer to the cool dry winter and is a great time to visit, with lots of baby animals around and the magical arrival of the floodwaters.

Temperatures can drop towards freezing during the night, but this has little adverse effect on safari, the days are gorgeous and there are virtually no insects around.

The majority of camps are also significantly discounted during this time.

On the Okavango Shinde Concession the various camps have very different activities and so are affected differently as the seasons change.

The two northerly properties, Camp Okavango and Xugana Island Lodge, are both very much focused on water-based activities, with motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari both usually being available throughout this season. Some limited walking safari is also possible on the various islands.

The two southerly properties, Shinde Camp and Footsteps Camp, both have vehicles and therefore offer a wider range of activities. The presence of permanent deepwater channels means that motorboat safari is available year round. During this season mokoro safari usually only becomes possible once the floodwaters have started to arrive. Vehicle safari tends to be reasonable rather than strong.

The Jul-Sep dry season is the classic time to visit the Okavango Delta and is considered the best time for wildlife viewing, as many animals are drawn to water from the surrounding area.

During Jul-Aug the cooler temperatures at night can continue but it is great for safari.

This is very much the high season in terms of prices and visitor numbers.

The two northerly properties, Camp Okavango and Xugana Island Lodge, are both very much focused on water-based activities, with motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari both usually being available throughout this season. Some limited walking safari is also possible on the various islands.

The two southerly properties, Shinde Camp and Footsteps Camp, both have vehicles and therefore offer a wider range of activities. The presence of permanent deepwater channels means that motorboat safari is available year round. During this season mokoro safari is usually strong, but reduces through August as the floodwaters recede. At the same time the vehicle safari tends to improve, with more dry land available and animals increasingly clustering on the southern plains.

The Oct-Dec hot season represents the transition period between the peak of the dry season and the start of the rains. Temperatures can become uncomfortably high in advance of the rains, particularly in Oct-Nov.

Boating activities may be unavailable except for those camps with access to permanent deepwater channels.

If significant rainfall does arrive, it usually comes in short sharp showers and generally has little negative effect on safari conditions. The rains may cause some animals to disperse but sightings remain strong.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted during this period.

The two northerly properties, Camp Okavango and Xugana Island Lodge, are focused on water-based activities, with motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari both usually being available throughout this season. Some limited walking safari is also possible on the various islands.

The two southerly properties, Shinde Camp and Footsteps Camp, have vehicles and therefore offer a wider range of activities. The presence of permanent deepwater channels means that motorboat safari is available year round. During this season mokoro safari is usually no longer possible. Vehicle safari tends to be at its best, with more dry land available and animals increasingly clustering around the few remaining waterholes.

The period Jan-Apr is the main green season in the Okavango Delta, when the area experiences the majority of its rainfall, with Dec-Feb period threatening the greatest chance of rain.

The temperatures and humidities are usually higher than usual but overall, conditions are pleasant enough.

The majority of camps are significantly discounted throughout this season so it is a very smart time to travel, particularly towards April.

The two northerly properties, Camp Okavango and Xugana Island Lodge, are focused on water-based activities, with motorboat safari and mokoro canoe safari both usually being available throughout this season. Some limited walking safari is also possible on the various islands.

The two southerly properties, Shinde Camp and Footsteps Camp, have vehicles and therefore offer a wider range of activities. The presence of permanent deepwater channels means that motorboat safari is available year round. During this season mokoro safari is usually no longer possible. Vehicle safari also tends to be slightly weaker, since the wildlife is more dispersed, but there remains a good amount of resident wildlife to be seen.

Getting there

The camp can only be accessed by light aircraft into the nearby Xugana Airstrip, which has daily flight connections with all other camps in Okavango, Linyanti, the main airport at Maun (for connections to Central Kalahari, Nxai, Makgadikgadi and Johannesburg) and north to Kasane (for connections to Livingstone and Victoria Falls).

Although it is possible to drive from the airstrip to camp, most guests arrive by motorboat. It takes about half an hour to wind your way through the papyrus channels and traverse the Xugana Lagoon to arrive at the lodge jetty.

It is also possible to arrive into the area by motorboat from the end of the Mopane Tongue. Penetrating the delta by boat can be fun and provide a heightened sense of adventure

usually combined with at least one other camp in Botswana