Xugana Island Lodge

Accommodation

Following a complete rebuild, Xugana Island Lodge has emerged with a fresh new face while retaining the easy-going atmosphere that made the original camp so popular. Accommodating just 22 guests in 12 spacious safari suites, the camp feels intimate and wonderfully peaceful.

Positioned discreetly beneath the trees, the suites enjoy varying outlooks across open water, reed-lined channels and lush Delta vegetation, each offering a slightly different perspective on life in the Okavango. Enclosed viewing decks provide privacy while allowing guests to remain immersed in the sights and sounds of the Delta.

Inside, the tented suites are bright and comfortable, with ceiling fans and spacious en suite bathrooms featuring double vanities, an indoor shower and an outdoor shower beneath the open sky. Two of the suites can be booked as interleading, making them ideal for families or friends travelling together.

Main Area and Dining

Shaded by mature ebony and mangosteen trees, the main area feels more like a secluded garden than a conventional lodge. Open-sided lounges and dining spaces overlook the lagoon, creating a wonderfully peaceful setting in which to relax and watch life on the water drift by.

The recent redesign takes inspiration from the Lesser Striped Swallows that have always nested around camp. Deep blues, burnt oranges and crisp whites echo their markings, while the graceful curves of the buildings recall the birds’ distinctive mud nests. The result is elegant and contemporary, yet still firmly rooted in its surroundings.

Fresh, varied meals are served buffet-style, allowing guests to select according to their preferences. Meals are enjoyed family-style around a single long table, often accompanied by the guides and camp manager. It is a lovely opportunity to chat with fellow guests and get to know the local team. Between activities, the swimming pool provides a peaceful place to unwind with views across the lagoon, while fish eagles, passing mokoros and the occasional chorus of hippos provide the soundtrack to daily life.

Location and Access

Set within the private Shinde Concession in the eastern Okavango Delta, Xugana Island Lodge occupies one of the most spectacular permanent water sites in Botswana. The lodge has a wonderful location overlooking a shimmering papyrus fringed lagoon.  The landscape is a maze of permanent channels, reed-lined lagoons and palm-covered islands, while the larger islands support a surprising abundance of wildlife.

Xugana has a wonderfully relaxed island atmosphere. Despite its recent rebuild, it remains refreshingly unpretentious, with a warm, welcoming feel that has drawn guests back for generations.

Guests reach Xugana by light aircraft, followed by a 20-minute boat transfer through the permanent waterways to the lodge.

Activities and Seasonality

Life at Xugana revolves around the water. Its spectacular permanent lagoon ensures that boating and mokoro excursions are possible throughout the year, regardless of annual flood levels. Guests can explore the permanent channels and lily-covered lagoons that make this part of the Okavango so special, while birdwatching is rewarding in every season.

Unlike many Delta camps, Xugana also offers superb walking safaris on the larger islands surrounding the lagoon. Led by qualified, armed walking guides and accompanied by a back-up guide, these walks provide a wonderful opportunity to experience the Delta on foot while encountering elephant, buffalo and other wildlife from a completely different perspective.

There are no game drives at Xugana. Instead, the emphasis is firmly on slower, more immersive experiences centred around the water and on foot. Fishing for bream and tigerfish is available throughout most of the year and is only suspended during January and February, allowing fish populations time to recover and ensuring the fishery remains healthy.

One of Xugana’s greatest strengths is its consistency. Because the lagoon retains permanent water throughout the year, boating and mokoro excursions are always available, while walking safaris are offered year-round. This makes Xugana an excellent choice for travellers seeking a classic water-based safari, whatever the season.

Wildlife

The islands surrounding Xugana Island Lodge support a full variety of Delta wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, red lechwe and other plains game. The permanent channels are home to hippos and crocodiles, while the rarer sitatunga may also be seen in the reedbeds. Predators are very much part of the area too, with lion regularly encountered, including on walking safaris and occasionally from the boats, while leopard are also present.

Unlike many water-focused camps, Xugana offers a surprisingly varied wildlife experience. The larger islands support an impressive diversity of species, while exploring quietly by boat, mokoro and on foot provides a more intimate perspective than a traditional vehicle-based safari. Birdlife is exceptional throughout the year, with a rich variety of wetland and woodland species benefiting from the permanent water.

Decades of low-impact tourism have resulted in remarkably relaxed animals, adding to the peaceful atmosphere for which Xugana is known.