Xugana Island Lodge, a venerable establishment in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, has recently undergone a complete rebuild, reopening in April with twelve luxurious accommodations. Situated directly on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the lodge offers an immersive natural experience with unparalleled waterfront views and a rich array of wildlife. Guests are welcomed into a world where modern comfort meets the untamed beauty of the Delta, providing a distinct alternative to the famous game drives of Chobe National Park,focusing instead on boat-accessible wetlands.

The accommodations at Xugana Island Lodge transcend the term “tents,” despite their canvas walls. Each 915-square-foot structure is a cavernous, contemporary space featuring hardwood floors, woven area rugs, and framed artwork inspired by the blue-hued lagoon. Standard offerings include a canopied king-sized bed (convertible to twins), an enclosed viewing deck for up-close Delta views, a desk, and a wardrobe.

Photo Credit: Forbes

The separate bathroom area boasts a double vanity and both indoor and outdoor teak wood showers, thoughtfully stocked with eco-friendly bath products, sunscreen, and pest repellent, allowing for unique moments like spotting an African fish eagle while showering under a steady stream of hot water.

The central hub of Xugana is an elegant open-air reception and dining area, where guests gather for meals or relax on cushioned loungers overlooking the lagoon. Amenities include a small library with books on the Delta’s ecosystem and a curio shop offering local crafts and souvenirs. The lodge also features a swimming pool overlooking the lagoon, a thatched-roof bar, and a unique overwater firepit extending into the Delta—an ideal spot for sundowners and stargazing, offering views of the Milky Way and the Southern Cross.

Dining at Xugana Island Lodge is a culinary experience. Meals are typically served buffet style at the main lodge with daily rotating menus, including diverse options for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea with sweet and savory bites. Dinners are set menus with a selection of meat and fish, side dishes, salads, and a cheese platter, accompanied by red and white wine pairings from South African wineries.

For a truly memorable occasion, guests can arrange a private floating dinner on the lagoon, subject to hippo activity. The thatched-roof waterfront bar is well-stocked, offering local spirits like The Sentinel Okavango Gin and Amarula, and each room is equipped with a coffee and tea station, complete with shortbread cookies.

A variety of activities and experiences are included with a stay, such as boating on motorized vessels to spot crocodiles, hippos, and elephants, and serene mokoro rides—traditional dugout canoes propelled by skilled polers—through papyrus-lined waterways. Guided nature walks, often on nearby Palm Island, reveal hidden treasures like warthogs, marula trees, sausage trees, and various wildlife, including red lechwe, baboons, and zebras. World-class birdwatching is also a constant option, with over 400 species in the Delta. For an additional fee, guests can opt for a helicopter tour, offering a breathtaking aerial perspective of the region.

Xugana’s genuine hospitality is a defining feature, evident in thoughtful touches like hot water bottles during chilly morning boat excursions, cold drinks and freshly baked herb scones or biltong on afternoon outings, joyful staff performances of traditional songs at dinner, and warm welcomes with cold towels upon return to the property.

The lodge is family-friendly, welcoming children aged six and older. It offers a dedicated family accommodation with two connected double-occupancy tents and a convertible living area for additional guests. All included activities are kid-friendly, andDesert & Delta Safaris provides an Ultimate Family Safari program, offering private vehicles and guides, tailored activities, kid-friendly welcome packs, flexible mealtimes, and engaging guides skilled in animal tracking, bush skills, and cookie making.

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Committed to accessibility and sustainability, Xugana Island Lodge features wooden ramps for wheelchair maneuverability, an accessible tent, and roll-in showers. As an Eco-Certified Resort, it operates entirely on solar power and has replaced bottled water with a reverse osmosis (RO) purification system. The recent rebuild prioritized reducing environmental impact, using sustainably-sourced materials, designing high-pitched roofs for natural cooling, and carefully preserving existing vegetation, making it difficult to discern recent construction amidst the vibrant wildlife and thick vegetation.

Located on Xugana Lagoon in the heart of the Okavango Delta,access to the lodge is primarily via Safari Air Cessna from Botswana’s Kasane and Maun regional airports. After landing on a rural airstrip, a short, scenic boat cruise through papyrus-lined waterways leads guests directly to the picturesque waterfront lodge. Nightly rates start from $1,290 per person, double occupancy, in peak season, with all meals included.