Xaro Lodge

Where Xaro Lodge sits on the Okavango Panhandle

Xaro Lodge stands on the bank of the Okavango River in the Panhandle, the long, channelled arm of the river that runs south-east from the Namibian border before the water fans out into the Delta proper. The lodge lies downstream of Shakawe, roughly 40 kilometres from the Mohembo border post and about 350 kilometres from Maun by road. This is river country rather than classic game-viewing country: papyrus beds, riverine forest, deep permanent channels and sandbanks, with the Tsodilo Hills rising out of the sandveld an hour or so away.

Getting there

Xaro is reached by water. Guests drive to the reception point at Samochima village, leave the vehicle there, and transfer to the lodge by boat along the river. Arriving by air is also possible: flights land at Shakawe airstrip and the lodge arranges the road and boat transfer from there. The boat approach is part of the character of the place, and it means the lodge itself is quiet and separate from the road.

The tents

Accommodation is in Meru-style tents raised under thatch and shade, each en-suite, with a honeymoon suite among them. The Botswana Tourism Organisation records the property at nine rooms and eighteen beds, which puts Xaro firmly in the small-lodge category — the sort of size where the camp does not feel busy even when it is full.

Facilities

There is a swimming pool, wifi, and a spa offering massage treatments. The lodge describes itself as locally owned, and it is run at a scale where the same small team handles guiding, boats and the kitchen.

Fishing the Panhandle

The Panhandle is the part of the Okavango system most associated with angling. The permanent, deep channels here hold tigerfish and bream, and the fishing is done from boats working the channel edges and backwaters. Botswana applies a closed season on the Okavango in January and February each year, so anglers should plan around it.

Birding

Xaro describes birding as one of the main reasons guests come, and the Panhandle earns that. The riverine forest, papyrus and sandbanks around Shakawe hold species that are difficult to find elsewhere in Botswana, and the nearby breeding colonies on the river cliffs are a well-known draw in the warmer months. Birding is done mostly from the boats, at water level, which is what makes it productive.

Tsodilo Hills

Xaro runs guided trips to the Tsodilo Hills, Botswana’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the densest concentrations of rock art anywhere in southern Africa. The hills are a full-day outing from the lodge and are reached by road; the site is of continuing spiritual importance to the San and Hambukushu communities of the area, and visits are guided.

Boat cruises, walks and scenic flights

Beyond fishing and birding, the lodge offers river cruises, guided bush walks from camp, and helicopter scenic flights over the Delta, including doors-off flights and a combined helicopter-and-game-drive option that reaches areas the boats cannot.

When to visit

The Panhandle holds water year-round, so unlike much of the Delta it is not dependent on the flood arriving. Winter months from May to September are dry, cool at night and comfortable for boating; the summer months are hotter and wetter, and are the better time for birds, with migrants present and the colonies active. Anglers should note the January-February closed season.

Who it suits

Xaro suits travellers who want the Okavango’s water rather than its big game — anglers, birders, photographers, and anyone routing between Namibia’s Caprivi and Maun who wants a proper stop rather than a night in transit. It pairs naturally with Tsodilo, and with the other Panhandle camps upstream and downstream. It is not a Big Five game camp, and it does not pretend to be.

For more places to stay nearby, see our guide to accommodation in Shakawe.