Xigera Safari Lodge

Overview

Named after the pied kingfisher who makes its home in these watery channels, Xigera Safari Lodge sits on the western edge of Moremi Game Reserve, with private access to one of the most beautiful and biodiverse corners of the Okavango Delta. Surrounded by picturesque papyrus swamps, winding waterways and wooded islands, it occupies a genuine wetland paradise, a landscape that shifts with the seasons as the Delta floods and recedes, transforming the terrain around the lodge throughout the year.

Xigera Safari Lodge is discreetly nestled into its surroundings, clad in scorched timber that allows it to blend quietly into the environment rather than dominate it. This sensitivity to place extends to the wildlife too, which continues about its business largely undisturbed by the presence of guests. Elephants plod past at their leisure, giraffes browse contentedly on nearby acacias, and the sense of being a quiet observer within a thriving ecosystem is present from the moment of arrival.

Inside, the interiors are as thoughtfully composed as the setting outside. Exceptional, one off pieces of pan African art are blended with natural wood furnishings, creating spaces that feel both curated and warm. Deep, buttery soft chairs invite guests to settle in with a good book, or simply to gaze out over the sweeping panorama of the African bush beyond.

Every design choice seems intended to draw the eye back outward, keeping the surrounding wilderness at the centre of the experience. The food and wine served here are exquisite, and the team takes great care with presentation, treating each dish as its own small work of art, a fitting complement to the artistry found throughout the rest of the lodge.

Accommodation comes in the form of twelve luxurious suites, each individually decorated and themed around a different local tree species, giving every room its own distinct character while maintaining a cohesive sense of place. Among them, the Baobab Treehouse stands out as a particular highlight, built within an impressive 33 foot high sculptural structure that feels more like an artwork than a conventional guest room. Every suite includes an ensuite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers, allowing guests to bathe surrounded by birdsong and open sky, and each opens onto a private deck with wonderful views out over the lagoon, perfect for watching the Delta’s ever changing light.

Safari experiences here are as varied as the landscape itself. Game drives take place in open backed vehicles, offering wide, unobstructed views of the surrounding plains and waterways, while walking safaris provide a slower, more intimate way to engage with the environment on foot.

For a true taste of traditional Delta travel, guests can also explore the channels by motorboat or mokoro, the region’s classic dugout canoe, gliding silently past reed beds and islands in search of wildlife that few other forms of transport allow you to reach. These waterways are home to the rare and elusive sitatunga antelope, a semi aquatic species perfectly adapted to this watery habitat, as well as the striking Pel’s fishing owl, a rare and much sought after sighting for keen birdwatchers.

Beyond these specialities, the wider area supports an impressive range of mammal life, including red lechwe, spotted necked otter, buffalo, reedbuck and tsessebe, all moving through the wetlands and surrounding woodland. Predators are well represented too, with lion, spotted hyaena and leopard all present in the region, adding an element of anticipation to every outing. Whether by vehicle, on foot or gliding quietly across the water, every safari from this lodge offers a genuine chance to encounter some of the Okavango Delta’s most remarkable and sought after wildlife, set against one of Africa’s most extraordinary natural landscapes.