Snydert

My husband and I are spending 2 weeks on our first trip to Africa in November. I have a conference in Stellenbosch at the end, so we must end up in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Can anyone weigh in on this itinerary. Our travel agent suggested the following:

Day 1 - Arrive Johannesburg - fly to Maun in early afternoon, stay at Xakanaxa (Moremi)
Day 2 - stay at Xakanaxa (Moremi)
Day 3-4 - Xugana Island (water delta camp)
Days 5-6 Savute Safari Lodge
Days 7-8 Muchenji (Chobe area) - with a side trip to a small village
Days 9 cross to Vic. Falls (quick guided tour) fly to Cape Town
Day 10-11 Cape Town
Day 12 - Stellenbosch - Spier (conference location)
Day 13 - Stellenbosch - Spier
Day 14 - Fly to Johannesburg to return home

I am concerned that I have not heard much about Xugana would it be a good idea to A) go with this itinerary B) chose a different camp (if so which camp) or C) just stay longer at Xakanaxa or somewhere else and just skip Xugana.

gypsyleo

Your travel agent has created an lovely itinerary with a good balance of water and land camps in various locales across Northern Botswana - the Okavango Delta, Savute, Chobe, Moremi. This itinerary will provide you with a good mix of landscapes and settings for a variety of land and water safari activites.

Xugana is an intimate, relaxed, 4* camp overlooking a lagoon in the Delta. Lovely camp. For more info on this camp, visit: http://www.desertdelta.com/lodges/lo...a-island-lodge

In interest of full disclosure, I am Botswana Tourism's USA rep, and am personally familiar with each property listed in your itinerary.

Vegantraveler

I spent a few days at Savute Safari Lodge in Dec 2008 and liked it a lot. Even though the guides kept apologizing that the elephants had dispersed (it had recently rained in the area) we kept looking around us and seeing elephants in every direction. Plenty of other stuff as well - and the camp itself & rooms (huge!) are superb.

I do have some reservation about the Xakanaxa area (not the camp itself). There are three camps right next to each other, i.e. Xakanaxa, Camp Moremi and Okuti. And there's a fairly busy public campsite nearby. So it can get a bit too 'crowded' for some people. We saw one leopard in a bush surrounded by 7 vehicles and this was in December, not the busy season. However, the Xakanaxa area is beautiful and there's plenty of game around. Just don't be surprised to see some other vehicles around.

Xugana is one of the first camps I ever visited in Botswana and I really wanted to go back there on this trip, but it didn't work out. The lagoon in front of camp is one of the most picturesque of any settings I have seen in the Delta. It is definitely more of a water camp than anything else, but in a mix with other 'land activity' camps, I would opt for it any time. Be sure to do some boating in the area. It is truly spectacular. Very good choice for serious birders too - I saw my first Black Coucal here as well as various other Delta specials.

Lionlove

I stayed at Savute Camp (Wilderness Safaris), not far from Savute Safari Lodge and it was absolutely wonderful. Everything you could want they provided: bush breakfasts/lunches, sundowners, drives on land, in water, TONS of elephant, lovely, lovely staff. The tents were simple but beautiful with private decks. And Stellenbosch is beautiful. Have dinner at La Colombe in Constantia if you can...Exquisite! Enjoy your trip!

andrean

Xugana can be recommended with certainty. What makes this lodge unique is the fact that it is located in the heart of the Okavango Delta, a water wilderness area which is certainly a huge draw card for Botswana. As you are combining Xugana with the Xaxanaka area of Moremi as well as Savuti and the Chobe area, this two night stay will add great value to the overall experience of your Botswana visit. The lodge itself is wonderful. It is an authentic Okavango Delta safari lodge with only eight rooms. The lodge is located right on the edge of an island which overlooks the Xugana Lagoon allowing for constant relationship with and great views of the water element of the Okavango. In addition, the activities offered from here are a unique diversification from the traditional game drives which are offered at the other places you will be staying. These activities include focus on the smaller elements of this fascinating environment and include mokoro (traditional Canoe) excursions, boat trips and guided nature walks on the islands in the area surrounding Xugana. Wildlife sighting can include hippo in their very natural environment, the elusive Sitatunga (a shy and rare aquatic antelope with boat like feet for walking on the floating papyrus beds), Elepehant, Buffalo, Giraffe, and a multitude of animals which inhabit this area as well as an incredible diversity of bird species. Over and above this, Xugana Island Lodge is 100% run and managed by Motswana people. This definitely adds value and an insight into the incredible citizens of this country – they are great, really professional, friendly and have created a “home away from home” environment for guests to enjoy the Okavango Delta in.



Given the combination of areas which you will be experiencing within Botswana, to travel all that way and not experience the true Okavango Delta would almost be a shame. I strongly advise you to include and maintain your stay at Xugana Island Lodge.

Snydert

That you for all the input, it is great. I definitely think we should do a water lodge. It sounds like Xugana is really nice.