Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge: Our full report
Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge, like its sister lodge Xudum, occupies an island within 62,000 acres of private ...
... reserve amidst the seasonal and permanent waterways of the Okavango Delta. The idyllic channels, lagoons and floodplains are explored mainly by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) and by motorboat when water levels permit. The lack of sizeable dry land restricts lengthy game drives, particularly during the annual flood from around March to September, and limits stable wildlife concentrations. With only nine tents, Xaranna focuses on exclusivity, pampering and offering its guests a memorable water and wilderness experience.Due to its remote location and watery surroundings, getting to Xaranna requires an approximately one hour transfer by 4WD vehicle and boat from the nearest airstrip. This provides an introduction to the beauty of the area and a chance to see some wildlife. On our most recent transfer to Xaranna we spotted a variety of birdlife and shared the channel with a wallowing elephant who was feeding on waterlily roots. Depending on water levels, guests usually arrive at the lodge by boat.
A floating jetty leads up to the lodge’s split-level main area, with dining room to one side and an elevated lounge to the other. Both have wooden floors, canvas roofs and are open-sided to maximise the sweeping views out across the channels, fringed with classic Delta tree lined silhouettes. Steps off the dining room lead to a sandy open air firepit with camp chairs, and a well-stocked curio shop is reached via a walkway to the rear.
The nine tented rooms are well spaced along sandy pathways either side of the main area, providing privacy and unhindered views of the surroundings. It’s about five minutes walk to reach the furthest rooms so those needing to be closer must please advise us in advance. The spacious rooms are of a wood, canvas and mesh construction, each with a private outdoor shower, sala (day bed) and plunge pool. Internally they have air conditioning and heating, a bedroom area, en suite with indoor shower and a luxuriously deep bath, and a separate toilet. The bedroom is furnished with a plush four-poster bed draped in a mosquito net, bedside tables and lamps, fans, a round cushion covered sofa and writing desk. Additional amenities include a digital safe, international 220 volt plug points, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, insect repellent and spray, umbrella and toiletries (soap, conditioner, shampoo, body lotion and washing powder for underwear). Snacks and drinking water are also provided. There is no tea and coffee station but hot and cold drink requests can be noted on a chalkboard or ordered by intercom and a cool box is provided to keep drinks cold.
The décor throughout the lodge is an unusual blend of contemporary, rustic and industrial styles. The waterlily inspired colour scheme combines soft greens, pinks and browns with whitewashed wood. The overall effect is light, airy, colourful and a little quirky in places.
Guided activities available from Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge include mokoro excursions, boat trips (water levels permitting), walks on the islands with an armed guide and game drives in open 4WD safari vehicles. Spinner fishing (catch and release) is offered between March and December. Scenic helicopter flights and massages can also be arranged, for an additional cost. There is a massage menu and pricelist in each tent which details the options, from foot to full body massages.
This region of the Okavango offers beautiful scenery and a true sense of the inner Deltas myriad of waterways, lagoons and floodplains. The lush environment attracts a spectacular range of birdlife and aquatic loving animals such as painted reed frogs, hippos, reedbuck and red lechwe. The islands are also home to baboon, warthog, leopard, steenbok and small numbers of impala, tsessebe, kudu, wildebeest and zebra but those expecting to see a wide variety and large concentrations of big game are likely to be disappointed. There are big game sightings in this area, such as elephant, giraffe, lion and buffalo, but most seasonally migrate through here in search of larger tracts of dry land which supports greater grazing or prey populations.
On our most recent visit in June 2012 we found the typically high standard of service and guiding we’ve come to expect of &Beyond lodges such as Xaranna. Overall the service is friendly and very attentive, with each guest assigned a housekeeper and a butler. The only minor dissatisfaction was that during our game drives the guide was more focused on trying to locate big game at the expense of passing by some of the smaller but equally interesting sights, but to be fair this was due to the pressure of guests who were under the misconception that they would see plenty of big game here.
Our view
We do not recommend that you come to Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge to search out big game, but instead come to experience the idyllic waterways of the Okavango Delta; for its spectacular birdlife and its smaller creatures such as the pretty painted reed frogs; and for the pampering service and the plush accommodation. Most of our safari-goers agree that a change of pace and scene, cruising along the tranquil waterways of the Delta, is a welcome interlude and highlight to any Botswana game viewing safari.
Botswana expert
Geographics
- Location
- Okavango Delta Safari Reserves, Botswana
- Ideal length of stay
- We recommend a stay of two nights at Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge or three nights for those seeking time to just relax and enjoy the tranquil setting. The lodge often forms part of a trip with Sandibe Safari Lodge, and Nxabega Safari Camp – which are also owned by the same company, &Beyond.
- Directions
- Xaranna Delta Lodge is accessible only by light aircraft; about 25 minutes from Maun or 1½ hours from Kasane, followed by a combination 4WD vehicle and boat transfer of about one hour, depending on wildlife sightings on the way. Helicopter transfers directly to the lodge can also be arranged at additional cost.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- During our latest visit to Xaranna we found the food to be of the usual high standard we’ve enjoyed here previously. Special dietary requirements and private meal requests are catered for on request.
For breakfast we were served delicious muesli with yoghurt and fresh sliced pineapple, papaya and guava. This was accompanied by toast, ham and herbed cheese. Our choice of eggs with bacon was cooked to order and to drink we were offered juice, tea and coffee.
Following the morning activity, lunch was tasty chicken kebabs with naan bread and a spicy butternut and red cabbage salad.
An assortment of sweet and savoury snacks, fresh fruit and hot and cold drinks filled any gaps for afternoon tea.
The day was rounded off with a satisfying dinner of panzanella salad to start; a choice of springbok steak and green pepper sauce or fish with pesto sauce, along with potatoes, baby carrots and courgettes for the main; and a strawberry and yoghurt mousse to finish. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Drinks included
- Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge has a well-stocked bar where almost all the drinks are included in the price (bottled water, soft drinks, local beers, spirits and a selection of (generally) South African wines). Excluded are premium brand imported whiskies, French champagne and a selection of vintage wines.
Special interests
- Solo Travel
- Solo travellers on holiday will love Xaranna’s policy of no single supplements. It’s a place for exploring waterways by mokoro, perhaps for chatting to like-minded people on a 4WD game drive and for enjoying spectacular birdlife when you’re on a solo safari holiday.
- See ideas for Solo Travel in Botswana
- Luxury
- The opulent rooms at Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge offer a plush retreat in the bush, with four-poster beds, private plunge pools and luxuriously deep bathtubs. The team provide attentive service and an opportunity to change pace and enjoy the beautiful surroundings on a luxury safari.
- See ideas for Luxury in Botswana
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Children are welcome at Xaranna.
- Property’s age restrictions
- Children aged 5 years and younger cannot join in any of the scheduled activities for safety reasons. At the discretion of the lodge manager, children aged 6 to 11 can participate in game drives. Children aged 16 may join in mokoro activities. It may be possible to arrange a private vehicle for short drives with younger children on request, at additional cost. Only children aged 16 and over can participate in nature walks.
- Special activities & services
- A child minder can be arranged, if requested in advance, for an additional cost.
- Equipment
- An extra single bed can be added to create a triple room for a child to share with the parents. There is only one triple room permitted at the lodge at any one time.
- Generally recommended for children
- We’d recommend Xaranna for children aged 12 and over as potentially dangerous animals do roam through this unfenced camp. Children must constantly be under their parent's supervision.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Xaranna
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
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100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
50% success
50% success
50% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- The generator is usually run from about one hour before guests get up until one hour after they go to bed, but it can be run overnight on request. A battery and inverter system provides limited power (i.e. for lights) when the generator is off.
- Communications
- WiFi is available in the lodge’s main area for guests who have their own laptop or internet device. There is no guest computer, though the lodge’s office computer can be used on request. Contact can be made with reception and between rooms via an intercom system. There is no guest telephone or cellphone coverage for external calls. The lodge has a satellite phone to contact Maun in an emergency.
- TV & radio
- None
Sustainability
A quick guide on how to reduce carbon footprint
A commitment to reduce their impact on the environment and a desire to protect biodiversity are key issues for Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp.
The camp’s history in protecting the local environment can be traced back until 2013, the first year when it was awarded the highest rating for responsible tourism in Botswana. To keep this legacy alive, an entire team is behind the efforts to reduce carbon footprint.
Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp has now fully operational hybrid energy solutions installed and in use, showing significant savings in non-renewable energy consumption. One advantage is that despite the high cost of implementing hybrid systems, once invested and implemented it saves operational cash which would have been spent on generator fuel.
Electrical equipment was replaced with more modern energy efficient options, such as inverter air-conditioning systems in guest rooms, LED light bulbs across the camp and timers on all heavy-use equipment to manage energy consumption.
These measures led to a reduction in carbon footprint of 4,500,000kg per year, and more than 80% of the energy consumed is generated from renewable energy sources, while still maintaining the high levels of service and luxury treatment for guests.
See more great sustainability projects in Botswana
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- A comprehensive first-aid kit is kept at the lodge and guides carry field kits on activities. Both managers and guides are first-aid trained. In an emergency, medical evacuation to Maun can be arranged. Please note that it is only possible to fly out of camp during daylight hours as the bush airstrips do not have any lighting at night.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- Guests are escorted to their rooms after dark as potentially dangerous wildlife does pass through this unfenced lodge. Alarms are provided in the rooms for use in case of an emergency.
- Fire safety
- There are fire extinguishers in the common areas and outside each tent.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Fishing
Guided walking safari
Helicopter
Mokoro
Night drive
Extras
- Disabled access
- Not Possible
- Laundry facilities
- A full laundry service is included.
- Money
- Each room has a digital safe. The lodge does not offer any money-exchanging facilities.
- Accepted payment on location
- Cash payments may be made in GB pounds, US dollars, euros, South African rand and Botswanan pula. MasterCard and Visa credit cards are accepted; Amex is not.
Other lodges in Okavango Delta Safari Reserves
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Kwara Camp
Kwara Camp's private reserve boasts land and water activities year round, with excellent game-viewing opportunities and access to permanent channels of the north-east Okavango Delta.
Little Vumbura
On a secluded island within a private reserve, Little Vumbura combines superb game viewing with a broad diversity of habitats in a truly picturesque setting.
Shinde Camp
With experienced staff and a wealth of activities, Shinde offers a traditional safari in an exceptionally varied and wildlife-rich environment.
Splash Camp
Set in the Kwara Reserve, offering superb wildlife viewing year-round, Splash offers both land and water activities led by guides with a particular knack for tracking big game.
Chitabe Lediba
Chitabe Lediba, in Botswana's southern Okavango Delta, is a small family friendly safari camp; it offers great dry-land safaris and in our experience consistently delivers good game sightings.
Kanana
In a beautiful part of the Delta, Kanana focuses on fantastic water activities and birding – including exclusive access to an impressive heronry.
Sandibe Safari Lodge
The luxurious Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge lies in a private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, beside Moremi Game Reserve, with superb big-game viewing.
Chitabe Camp
In the southern Okavango Delta, the excellent Chitabe Camp concentrates on dry-land safaris in an area that we've found particularly good for wild dog sightings.
Shinde Footsteps
Small and simple, but comfortable, Shinde Footsteps focuses on walking safaris as well as game drives; it also runs a special children's programme so is particularly suitable for families.
Gomoti Plains
Overlooking a tributary of the Gomoti River, Gomoti Plains Camp is a classically designed camp with very comfortable tents in a good game-viewing area.
Nxabega Tented Camp
Nxabega offers a selection of both land- and water-based activities, plus very good guiding, food and service, but game viewing can be somewhat erratic.
Tubu Tree Camp
A traditional tented camp with a distinctive tree-house feel, Tubu Tree offers some of the best game viewing in the Jao Reserve.
Vumbura Plains
Indulgently stylish and luxurious, Vumbura Plains offers superb game viewing and birding on an exceptionally varied private reserve.
Jacana Camp
Jacana Camp is a small safari camp with an informal island feel; it is ideal for water-based activities in the Delta and offers excellent birdwatching.
Kwetsani Camp
Deep in the Delta, overlooking a floodplain, Kwetsani Camp is a small, high-end camp with good access to areas for land and water-based activities.
Duba Explorers Camp
Intimate and elegant, Duba Explorers Camp promises a firm safari focus in a remote corner of the Okavango, led by a team who value the highest guiding and hosting standards.
Mapula Lodge
For an affordable yet varied safari encompassing a range of eco-systems, the traditional Mapula Lodge takes a lot of beating.
Mma Dinare
Beautifully located in a private concession overlooking the Gomoti River, the traditional Mma Dinare is very well-priced for the Okavango Delta.
Duba Plains Camp
Duba Plains Camp is a traditional yet luxurious safari camp, best known for the thrilling lion behavior interaction that is often see during the day.
Pom Pom Camp
Amidst stunning Okavango Delta scenery, Pom Pom offers idyllic mokoro trips in season, great birdwatching, and increasingly good big-game sightings, especially leopards.
Baines' Camp
Baines' Camp is a well-run, intimate camp in a pretty part of the Okavango, offering a range of activities and the option to spend a morning walking with elephants.
Stanley's Camp
In a private concession south of Moremi Game Reserve, Stanley's Camp offers 4WD game drives, seasonal water activities and a superb elephant interaction.
Little Tubu
Little Tubu is a new, traditional camp with just three tented chalets and a distinctive tree-house feel. The areas around it can be explored by water and land-based activities year round.
Pelo Camp
In a pristine wilderness environment deep in the Okavango Delta, the seasonal Pelo Camp is tented yet comfortable, with activities focusing on excursions by mokoro.
4 Rivers
4 Rivers is a new camp in a previously in accessible area of the excellent Kwara concession.
Rra Dinare
Located in a private concession in the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, overlooking the Gomoti River, Rra Dinare is a traditional-style, well-priced camp.
Jao Camp
In a beautiful area with fantastic water activities, Jao combines an idyllic location with high levels of luxury and service, and a top-end spa.
Seba Camp
Seba Camp is a luxury camp in a lovely location that offers the full range of water and land safari activities, depending on the time of year. This camp is particularly suitable for families.
Setari Camp
Setari Camp stands on an island dotted with palm trees, close to the base of the Okavango’s ‘Panhandle"
Okavango Explorers
The traditional, tented Okavango Explorers Camp offers a mix of walking, canoeing and game drives led by great guides in a wildlife-rich area.
Abu Camp
Abu Camp is an exclusive safari camp on the western side of the Botswana's Okavango Delta - offering superb elephant-back safaris and opportunities to walk with them too.
Kiri Camp
Kiri Camp is the latest Okavango offering from the excellent team behind Machaba. In an exciting new location in the heart of the Delta we cannot wait to visit this new camp.
Karangoma
New for 2024, Karangoma is a classic, tented camp offering walking, canoeing and game drives, in partnership with the local Bukakwe San clan.
Okavango Walking Safari
The Okavango Delta Walking Safari camps in a secluded Okavango Delta Reserve where there are few roads; the ideal location for a walking trail led by an expert guide.
Duke’s Camp
On a remote island within a vast private concession, the eclectic Duke’s Camp is nestled among mature trees overlooking wildlife-rich plains of the Okavango.
Sitatunga Island Camp
Tucked away in a pristine corner of the Okavango Delta, the exclusive Sitatunga Private Island is a water-based camp offering boating, mokoro trips and fishing.
Atzaro Okavango
With a high level of tasteful luxury promised at Atzaro, we think it will be best suited to travellers seeking a touch of pampering alongside their safari.
Mokolwane
Deep in the heart of the Okavango, Mokolwane promises adventure in a largely untouched area.
Eagle Island Lodge
Eagle Island Lodge is a luxurious camp with international-style facilities including air conditioning and intercom in each room; offering water based activities in the Okavango Delta.
North Island Okavango
Deep in quintessentially “Okavango” territory, between deep-water and dry-land habitats, North Island focuses on a luxury safari experience with very good wildlife viewing opportunities.
Mbamba
Deep within the northern Okavango, the classically styled Mbamba is set to open in a wildlife-rich private concession in April 2025.
Qorokwe Camp
Luxurious and contemporary, the relatively new Qorokwe Camp is a gem in the Okavango Delta, offering land- and occasionally water-based activities in a prime wildlife area.
