Xigera Safari Lodge

a very strong focus on wet safari activities

Xigera Safari Lodge, pronounced “kee-jirr-ah”, is located in the extreme south of the Moremi Central area of the Okavango Delta area in northern Botswana.

The camp is set on a remote island location in the extreme southwest of the Okavango Moremi area. It is a truly lovely little place, certainly one of the prettiest and probably our favourite ‘wet’ camp in the delta. The luxuriant vegetation in this area gives the camp a distinctly tropical feel. The circle of land upon which it is built is called Paradise Island, a name which it truly lives up to. It somehow feels particularly remote.

The main building is an open-sided structure under thatch, containing very comfortable lounge and dining areas, spilling out onto a deck, with views back towards the footbridge. Just beyond there is a secluded swimming pool area, whilst on the other side of the bridge a board-walk leads out into the lagoon to a lovely circular viewing deck, which is sometimes used for dining.

One aspect that we always appreciate is the amount of wildlife that tends to come into camp. As well as the usual vervet monkeys and baboons, lots of animals use the footbridge to cross the water, especially at night, and there is a sand-trap to catch the footprints of hyenas, wild-dogs, civets, mongooses and leopards. The camp often posts photos of resident elephants dismantling various parts of the camp in their attempt to get at the delicious seed pods which fall from the trees here. One guest even reported meeting a leopard up on the board-walk.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Xigera Safari Lodge is in ten suites, accessed via an extensive network of raised walkways and take the form of large luxury tents with private verandahs and indoor and outdoor bathrooms. The rooms are really well spaced and most of the verandahs are very private. One of the rooms is a large unit with two bedrooms each with their own bathrooms, so suitable for groups of adults as well as families.

Activities

Xigera Safari Lodge provides a range of guided activities …

• Mokoro canoe safari
• Motorboat safari
• Walking safari
• Vehicle safari (Dec-Feb)

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 in Moremi Central tends to be limited to just 2-3 nights, since the range of activities is reduced compared with the surrounding concessions.

Seasonality

The Moremi Central area can be visited year round, but there are considerable seasonal variations.

The Jul-Sep dry season is the classic time to visit the Okavango Delta and is generally considered to be the best time for wildlife viewing, as animals are drawn to the water from surrounding areas. Temperatures can drop towards freezing at night, particularly during Jul-Aug, but the days are perfect for safari. There are also very few insects around. The flood in this central part of the delta should be strong at this time, turning large parts of the area into a gorgeous water-world, but receding fast into September. This is very much the high season in terms of prices and visitor numbers.

Oct-Dec is the hot wet season when temperatures and humidities can become uncomfortably high, particularly during Oct-Nov, in advance of the rains. With the floods having receded in most areas, the wildlife tends to become very concentrated around the few remaining water sources, making for very strong wildlife viewing. Boating activities may become less widely available except at those camps with access to permanent deepwater channels. If rainfall arrives, it is usually in the form of short showers and has little effect on safari. Some animals may disperse, but sightings remain strong. The majority of camps are significantly discounted during this period.

Jan-Apr is the main green season, when the area experiences the majority of its rainfall and temperatures and humidities have dropped. At this time the landscapes are green and beautiful with lots of babies around, providing a great contrast to the harshness of the dry season. Dec-Feb threatens the greatest chance of prolonged cloud and rain. As the seasonal waterholes become replenished, some animals disperse from the area in search of better grazing, but sightings remain strong. The majority of camps are significantly discounted throughout this season.

Getting there

Access to Okavango Moremi Central is by light aircraft from Maun and Kasane or other camp airstrips. Each camp is served by its own local airstrip.

usually combined with at least one other camp in Botswana