Nature and wildlife will always be the star of the show in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, but art and design come a close second at Xigera Safari Lodge, where everything from the architecture and interior design to the décor and landscaping showcase the creative talents of African artists.
Created by a team including Toni Tollman – daughter of Red Carnation Hotels founder Beatrice Tollman – and South African architects Anton de Koch and Philip Fourie, in partnership with Cape Town gallery Southern Guild, the lodge will feature the work of 30 African artists and craftsmen when it opens in June.
The art-centric lodge is situated on two islands in the Moremi Game Reserve, with 12 individual suites that float above the water, allowing game to pass underneath. Suites and public areas will include custom-made décor and furniture including comfy ‘nests’ created by South African artist Porky Heffer, bronze lily flower basins by sculptor Otto du Plessis and a totemic firepit sculpture by artist Conrad Hick, forming the focal point of the lodge.
When they are not admiring the art, guests can explore the waterways surrounding the lodge via canoe, glass-bottomed mokoro or motorboat,
or set off on a private walking or photographic safari, game drive, helicopter excursion or catch-and-release fishing expedition. Rates start from US $2,550 per person per night.
www.xigera.com
