Under the gaze of the sacred Tsodilo Hills, donkeys are chased off the runway as we land in Shakawe in a tiny, six-seater plane. Within minutes of touching down, I’m in a car belonging to Nine, a member of the River Bushmen, the region’s dominant San tribe.
Electrical shops, petrol stations and pharmacies flash past – along with cows – but the busyness drops off as we turn into Nxamasere, a Botswanan village of just 1,500 inhabitants.
People travel to Botswana from all over the world every season to observe the country’s kaleidoscopic wildlife in its natural habitat – most, though, don’t come to Nxamasere. The village’s name comes from a San word describing the sound of the wind moving through the trees, but so often in this remote location, in the lesser-traversed north-west of the Okavango Delta, the wind is outsung by the bee-eaters and owls, or drowned out by the ribbiting frogs. The village is small, but it has developed rapidly recently. There’s a hospital, a water well and Nxamaseri Island Lodge.
Electrical shops, petrol stations and pharmacies flash past – along with cows – but the busyness drops off as we turn into Nxamasere, a Botswanan village of just 1,500 inhabitants.
People travel to Botswana from all over the world every season to observe the country’s kaleidoscopic wildlife in its natural habitat – most, though, don’t come to Nxamasere. The village’s name comes from a San word describing the sound of the wind moving through the trees, but so often in this remote location, in the lesser-traversed north-west of the Okavango Delta, the wind is outsung by the bee-eaters and owls, or drowned out by the ribbiting frogs. The village is small, but it has developed rapidly recently. There’s a hospital, a water well and Nxamaseri Island Lodge.
Wildlife in the Okavango Delta includes hippos, elephants and fantastic birdlife
It takes effort to reach Nxamaseri Island Lodge – by plane, then vehicle and, once we reach the water of the Okavango, boat. The small, intimate stay is one of the oldest in the inland delta, a waterway renowned for its wildlife, particularly birds. The Desert & Delta Safaris team, many of whom hail from the surrounding community and local tribes, take logistics in their stride, managing guests seemingly effortlessly. The journey is made easier, too, by state-of-the-art green technology, such as silent electric water vehicles.
It’s this kind of progressive, sustainable approach – think, solar-powered lodge systems – that make Desert & Delta not just efficient, but an unparalleled spearhead of safari sustainability in the industry, garnering respect from global conservationists and scientists, who utilise their lodges (nine, nationwide) for research. And it’s not just technology: wildlife and local communities are at the heart of what the company does, with ancient knowledge used alongside cutting-edge science to preserve the country’s magical landscapes.
It takes effort to reach Nxamaseri Island Lodge – by plane, then vehicle and, once we reach the water of the Okavango, boat. The small, intimate stay is one of the oldest in the inland delta, a waterway renowned for its wildlife, particularly birds. The Desert & Delta Safaris team, many of whom hail from the surrounding community and local tribes, take logistics in their stride, managing guests seemingly effortlessly. The journey is made easier, too, by state-of-the-art green technology, such as silent electric water vehicles.
It’s this kind of progressive, sustainable approach – think, solar-powered lodge systems – that make Desert & Delta not just efficient, but an unparalleled spearhead of safari sustainability in the industry, garnering respect from global conservationists and scientists, who utilise their lodges (nine, nationwide) for research. And it’s not just technology: wildlife and local communities are at the heart of what the company does, with ancient knowledge used alongside cutting-edge science to preserve the country’s magical landscapes.
A family lodge
The set-up is simple, but the experience is luxurious. First thing in the morning, you’ll hear the thudding jumps and chatter of vervet monkeys chasing one another over the roof, and the squawking of countless birds; by night, it’s the nocturnal snorts of the hippos beneath you and the heavy breathing and shuffling of the anteaters that keep you company. The sonics are incredible: you’re really sleeping in the wild.
Rooms
Eight private lodges, accessed by sturdy walkways, sit on stilts above the swamp. Inside, you’ll find giant, cocooning beds drawn cosily with nets, and equipped with hot water bottles when you turn in for the night. Each has a walk-in shower, a desk and its own private teak deck. The lodge is kitted out with everything you need, including WiFi – though, thankfully no TVs or speakers, as the wildlife provides the daily entertainment. The rooms were renovated in 2024, and are stocked with safes, all-natural bug repellent, sunscreen and other toiletries, and you’ll get twice-daily deliveries of hot water and ice buckets, too.The set-up is simple, but the experience is luxurious. First thing in the morning, you’ll hear the thudding jumps and chatter of vervet monkeys chasing one another over the roof, and the squawking of countless birds; by night, it’s the nocturnal snorts of the hippos beneath you and the heavy breathing and shuffling of the anteaters that keep you company. The sonics are incredible: you’re really sleeping in the wild.
What’s for breakfast?
No need for an alarm here: the vervet monkeys will have you up and at ‘em. Those heading out for early safaris, fishing sessions or cave hiking are provided with a get-up-and-go selection of pastries, breakfast burritos and hot drinks. On more leisurely mornings, the spread is more decadent – bacon and eggs, pancakes, toast, cereals, exotic fruits and oats.
An al fresco breakfast at Nxamaseri Island Lodge
You’ll find a stone pizza oven on the swamp decking, as well as options including poke bowls, superfood salads, sandwiches and plentiful vegan and vegetarian options on a charming à la carte menu. Other meals are served family- or buffet-style, with varied options but little waste. You can opt in or out to have all dining included.
Dinner looks to the Botswanan larder. Expect to try quality steak and multiple variations of seswaa, a hearty stew, often made with beef and pepper, and typically served over creamy polenta.
Days can be spent exploring the waterways and floodplains of the Delta by mokoro, a traditional canoe that was once made from ebony but is today crafted from sturdy fibreglass. Gliding along the water, you might spot bejewelled dragonflies, magnificent water lilies, birdlife including kingfishers, herons, African fish eagles, jacana and storks, and creatures of a larger silhouette, including crocodiles and hippos.
What about lunch and dinner?
You’ll find a stone pizza oven on the swamp decking, as well as options including poke bowls, superfood salads, sandwiches and plentiful vegan and vegetarian options on a charming à la carte menu. Other meals are served family- or buffet-style, with varied options but little waste. You can opt in or out to have all dining included.
Dinner looks to the Botswanan larder. Expect to try quality steak and multiple variations of seswaa, a hearty stew, often made with beef and pepper, and typically served over creamy polenta.
Is there a bar?
Where there’s a luxury safari camp, there’s a cocktail-shaker extraordinaire ready to prime you with sundowners after a long day spent exploring. At Nxamaseri, expeditions are often accompanied by cooler boxes, and members of the team even surprise guests with pop-up bars in the middle of remote locations, so you can enjoy a tipple surrounded by waterside reeds, soaking up views of the tie-die pink and orange sky. Back at the lodge, there’s also a fully stocked bar that’s especially hot on Botswana-distilled gins and South African wines.Amenities
A warming firepit sits front and centre of the lodge’s communal area, and the property is developing a small spa area – but, let’s be real, the focus here is the wildlife. Nxamaseri Island Lodge is a front-row seat to one of the world’s greatest shows, complete with stereo sound.Days can be spent exploring the waterways and floodplains of the Delta by mokoro, a traditional canoe that was once made from ebony but is today crafted from sturdy fibreglass. Gliding along the water, you might spot bejewelled dragonflies, magnificent water lilies, birdlife including kingfishers, herons, African fish eagles, jacana and storks, and creatures of a larger silhouette, including crocodiles and hippos.
Activities include exploring the surrounding waterways on electric boats
Come afternoon, you might want to head out fishing, catching giant tigerfish that require all your body weight to wrestle them onto the boat. Or perhaps you’d rather take an hour’s drive (or short helicopter ride) to the four hills of Tsodilo: the Male, the Female, the Child and the First Wife. Here, you can hike a Unesco World Heritage site, glimpsing ancient red and white cave paintings that date back as far as 600 AD, to the Khoisan civilisation. Local guides will tell you about the shamanic history of the rock art and the powerful ties this land has to the supernatural.
The landscape is a pharmacy, pantry and armoury for Botswanans. Get a sense of its importance at the small lodge shop, where lotions, potions and essential oils are on sale, as well as locally crafted silverware, including elephant-shaped butter dishes, and straw woven baskets and tableware.
Then, get out of your dusty, sweaty cargo pants and linens, ready for them to be whisked away in the daily inclusive next-day laundry service.
Come afternoon, you might want to head out fishing, catching giant tigerfish that require all your body weight to wrestle them onto the boat. Or perhaps you’d rather take an hour’s drive (or short helicopter ride) to the four hills of Tsodilo: the Male, the Female, the Child and the First Wife. Here, you can hike a Unesco World Heritage site, glimpsing ancient red and white cave paintings that date back as far as 600 AD, to the Khoisan civilisation. Local guides will tell you about the shamanic history of the rock art and the powerful ties this land has to the supernatural.
The landscape is a pharmacy, pantry and armoury for Botswanans. Get a sense of its importance at the small lodge shop, where lotions, potions and essential oils are on sale, as well as locally crafted silverware, including elephant-shaped butter dishes, and straw woven baskets and tableware.
Then, get out of your dusty, sweaty cargo pants and linens, ready for them to be whisked away in the daily inclusive next-day laundry service.
Guests can enjoy yoga alongside wildlife activities
Things I should know…
How impressive Desert & Delta Safaris’ ethos and approach is. Established in 1982, 16 years after this country gained independence, the 100 per cent Botswana-owned company takes a community-first approach to safari. Each camp is managed by local communities and Botswanan personnel. Some of the senior management were even early lodge construction crew, with a training programme in place to enable back-of-house staff to become leaders and guides at the lodges. And then there’s the company’s first all-female park ranger team, Chobe’s Angels, which works out of the riverside lodge.Within a short walk I can find…
It isn’t advisable to go walking around the Botswana wilderness alone – there are hippos. Instead, jump in an electric boat with some of the incredible team and head out in search of wildlife.The Lowdown
A stay costs from £569 per person per night, based on two people sharing; desertdelta.com