Eagle Island Lodge sits on Xaxaba, a small island in the Okavango Delta, the UNESCO-listed inland water system of northern Botswana. It is one of the country's original safari lodges, shaded by indigenous trees and ilala palms and looking out over a lagoon. There are 12 tented rooms, each about 82 square metres and raised on a wooden platform, with a private deck, a plunge pool, an oversized bed and indoor and outdoor showers. The public spaces have been rebuilt and now hold a dining room, a lounge with a bar, a library and a campfire circle, with the Fish Eagle Bar right at the water's edge. Life here follows the water. Guests head out by mokoro, the traditional dugout canoe, by motorboat and on foot, with game drives on land as well. The lodge has its own airstrip and helipad, so a helicopter flight over the channels is easy to arrange. Birdlife is abundant, and elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile are regular visitors, with big cats on the island too. Meals and drinks are included, along with at least two game activities a day.
- Nearest airport
- Private airstrip on Xaxaba Island, 0 Miles / 0 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 12 tented rooms
- Taken whole
- The whole lodge: 12 tented rooms
Insider tip Book a helicopter flight from the lodge's own helipad: the doors are open, so it is the clearest way to see and photograph the channels and islands of the delta.
Why I choose it It gives the Okavango from water, land and air in one stay, from a small lodge with only 12 rooms. It pairs well with Savute Elephant Lodge for a helicopter journey across northern Botswana.