Soon after taking-off from Maun, as we fly low over seemingly endless expanses of semi-arid terrain and undulating grasslands, I spot a female elephant and her calf. These are the first animals I see in Botswana, and to me, they are a remarkably fitting first sighting. Representing two generations, the two elephants tell the same story as Xigera Safari Lodge, which passed into the care of the Tollman Family four years ago and was given a new lease of life, having been first opened by Wilderness Safaris in the mid-1980s.
Xigera’s tale is one of renewal, rebirth and family legacy. The lodge comprises of just a dozen uber-luxurious contemporary suites, fashioned from timber and movable, so the terrain remains unblemished. The suites are linked to the lodge’s main areas via elevated boardwalks which wind between trees interspersed with art pieces, sculptures and installations.
Set out lengthways to maximise its connection with the Delta, The Xigera Family Suite is the lodge’s largest accommodation offering and is not overlooked by anything or anyone, apart from bush buck and greater kudu nonchalantly grazing nearby, and a few overhanging trees teeming with birdlife. Every part of the two-bedroom suite gently flows into the other, with breathtaking vistas towards the floodplains via floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors which open onto a terrace that runs its entire length.
In every room, the exquisite detailing and exceptional taste and skill of Toni Tollman and her design team manifests itself in restrained yet splendidly individual décor, punctuated by handcrafted bespoke furniture, original artworks, rich fabrics and an unpretentious array of delicate, tasteful embellishments including Ardmore lamps, vases and objets d’art, to cast-metal lily-patterned shower trays. The freestanding brass tub in my enormous bathroom is perfect for a long soak at the end of a day on safari, complete with hot water provided by Xigera’s own photovoltaic farm, which fulfils all the lodge’s energy needs.
A sprawling, self-contained and sympathetically executed design-led oasis of indoor-outdoor living spaces, decks and al fresco seating areas, The Xigera Family Suite is a large and spacious yet warm and inviting home-away-from-home that one would never wish to leave if the Delta’s wildlife was not beckoning. On the first morning, from the comfort of my plush bed, I wake at dawn to witness a glorious sunrise, complete with vivid stripes of red and amber streaking across the horizon, which I will hopefully never forget.
On my first game drive, huge elephants amble past our vehicle, an elder king of the jungle lets out a mighty roar just a few metres in front of me and we silently observe a female leopard and her two cubs sleeping in tall grass. All of my Botswanan safari expectations and more are met by Xigera, the Delta, and my guide – Oratile Gotshajwang, nicknamed “Des” – on my first day.
Like everyone I come into close contact with during my stay at Xigera, Des is warm, compassionate and caring, and genuinely wants to help with small but poignant touches like photographing a moment with his camera that I cannot capture nearly as well on my iPhone; escorting me back to my lodgings after dinner; or ensuring that I am furnished with a cocktail at just the right moment. It is this sense of friendship, albeit fleeting, that is palpable throughout Xigera and slowly but surely captures my heart during the days and nights that follow.
From sundowners atop the lodge’s one-of-a-kind Baobab Treehouse, to cruising along the Boro Channel and speeding past a bloat of a few dozen hippos, what I see, encounter and experience at Xigera elicits a wealth of feelings ranging from excitement and awe, to romance and affection for both the creatures that occupy this remarkable part of the world, and the inimitable team that lovingly runs the lodge. I am beyond smitten with Xigera and the beauty of the Okavango’s wilderness and verging on distraught when it’s time to check-out and leave. Xigera is truly an Okavango Delta safari experience like no other.
From Dhs36,725 (US$10,000) for up to four people including full board, drinks, game drives and airport transfers.
Xigera.com
