About this hotel
General information
Xigera Safari Lodge sits beneath a canopy of old trees on an island in the Okavango Delta, on the western edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. Its twelve suites and shared spaces are raised on steel posts above the floodplain and linked by timber walkways, so the floodwaters pass freely beneath, and no bricks or concrete went into the build. The lodge works as a living gallery: furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles and sculpture were made for it by some 80 African designers and makers, and nearly every piece carries a story.
Solar power covers 92% of the lodge’s energy, single-use plastic is banned and organic waste is composted on site. Xigera backs research on predators, giraffe, raptors and cranes, as well as education and farming projects in the nearby village of Habu. Children are welcome from the age of six. Rates cover all meals and most drinks, guided activities, scheduled yoga classes and daily laundry.
Location
The lodge lies among papyrus swamps and wooded islands on one of the Okavango Delta’s main waterways, on the western fringe of the Moremi Game Reserve; the Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Maun is served by direct scheduled flights from Johannesburg (about 1 hour 30 minutes) and Cape Town, with charters from Kasane. From Maun a 25-minute light-aircraft flight lands at the lodge’s airstrip, a 10-minute drive from Xigera.
Spa
The Spa at Xigera has two treatment rooms finished in calm, natural tones. Face and body treatments follow three themes — restoring, calming and purifying — and use Tata Harper’s natural skincare: the menu runs from Tata Harper rituals to B | Africa signature exfoliations and wraps and OPI manicures and pedicures, and treatments can also be booked in the suite. Beyond the spa, a wellness programme brings in visiting experts in mindfulness and holistic healing, and yoga classes run to a schedule.
Sports & leisure
There are no fixed timetables at Xigera: each party has a dedicated guide for the whole stay and plans the days with them. The surrounding islands hold sitatunga, red lechwe, spotted-necked otter, elephant, buffalo, reedbuck and tsessebe, with lion, leopard, spotted hyena and wild dog seen often — big cats sometimes cross the footbridge to the neighbouring island. The lodge lies in an Important Bird Area, home to the elusive Pel’s fishing owl. Activities include:
- game drives in custom-built four- and six-seat 4×4s set up for photography and stocked with binoculars, leaving at first light or later in the morning, with private drives on request;
- guided bush walks (from 13);
- mokoro outings in traditional dugout canoes, poled almost silently along the narrow channels (from 13);
- motorboat trips into deeper channels and lagoons with hippo and crocodile, plus double-decker boat cruises;
- catch-and-release fishing from March to December, just outside the Moremi Game Reserve;
- 30-minute helicopter flights that take off from the lodge itself;
- the Baobab Treehouse, a baobab-shaped tower with an open-air deck for sundowners and a picnic dinner, or a night in an open-air bed under the stars;
- stargazing by the fire on the lookout deck, led by the guides;
- a tour of the lodge’s art and design collection with a manager or guide, and photographic safaris with guides who know how to position the vehicle or boat;
- an air-conditioned Technogym fitness centre, a library on Botswana’s natural and cultural history, and a boutique.
For children
Young guests have their own programme of activities about Africa, its wildlife and local communities, with age-appropriate wilderness adventures, small turndown surprises in the suite and special menus.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen works on an “anything, any time” basis, leaving guests to choose what, when and where they eat. Menus change daily, draw on African ingredients and local traditions and include lighter, vegetarian and vegan dishes; more than 90% of the fresh produce comes from Maun.
- the dining room — an open kitchen where guests eat alongside the chefs;
- The Boma — open-air tables on the deck above the Delta, with after-dinner gatherings around a sculptural fire pit;
- the bar — cocktails and a deep wine list, next to a climate-controlled cellar of wines and champagnes from around the world, South Africa included;
- the waterside lounge, built around a vast copper fireplace shaped like a water lily, the Xigera emblem;
- bush breakfasts, picnics and private meals on the suite’s own deck.
Swimming
The swimming pool and its relaxation deck look out over the river and the Delta floodplains.
Rooms
Twelve air-conditioned suites: eleven Guest Suites, each individually designed and named after a Delta tree or plant (Fan Palm, Marula, Baobab, Waterlily and others), and a two-bedroom Family Suite. They are built of FSC-certified cedar under vaulted tensile roofs and placed for complete privacy and open views over the Delta.
Each suite has air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, a safe, a fridge, a kettle with crockery, room service, a watercolour painting kit and a bird and mammal compendium for recording sightings.
Guest Suite
A bedroom, separate lounge and dressing area, and a bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers and a freestanding bath facing the Delta, plus a private deck with a gazebo and a king-size daybed; the area covers indoor and outdoor space. Sleeps two.
Family Suite
Two bedrooms — one king, one twin — each with its own bathroom, dressing area and outdoor shower, sharing a lounge that opens onto a wide deck over the Delta. Sleeps up to four: two adults and two children.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.