Xakanaxa Camp in a Nutshell
Xakanaxa Camp (the X’s are pronounced with clicks) gets its name from the region in Moremi it is located in. It has the stature of being one of Botswana’s first safari camps. We like it because of the fact that it has retained the feel of the old ‘tented” safari camps and that it is located on a permanent river (providing boating activities the year through). The camp boasts relaxing views of authenthic Okavango landscapes from raised wooden decks . The game viewing here is right up there with the best Botswana has to offer. Recent developments have seen this lodge being taken over by one of the bigger safari companies – Desert and Delta Safaris.
Fast Facts
- Lodge with 12 “Meru” style canvas tents on raised decks
- 24 guests Maximum
- Price range of USD510 – USD920 pppn
- Inside the Moremi game Reserve
- Game drives in open 4×4 vehciles / boating activities
- Access by road, light aircraft transfer or boat
How to Get There
Most people fly into Xakanaxa Camp using the nearby airstrip. You can fly in from Maun (35 minutes) or Kasane (1 hour). This part of Moremi is also easily accessible by vehicle, meaning you can self drive to this lodge or stay there as part of a mobile safari. To add an adventurous twist to your stay, you can also transfer into (or out of) this lodge from lodge locations further upstream (Kwara, Shinde, Xugana, Camp Okavango)
Game Viewing and Activities
Because of its location in the heart of the Moremi Game Reserve, this camp would never disappoint in this department. The main attraction here is the game drives in the Xakanxa, 4th Bridge and Dead Tree Island areas. The game viewing is very productive because of the abundance of dry land, floodplains and woodlands, proving a diverse array of habitats.
The boating activities are excellent, especially from September to October. Guides take you upstream to the “heronries,” where thousands of birds breed on floating islands. Generally, birding and game viewing on the river is good all year though. Note that no walking, off road driving or night drives are permitted from this camp.
This part of Moremi is a public area. It is never super busy but you will come across other park users on activities.
The Camp environment
Xakanaxa Camp has just been acquired by one of the bigger and most experienced safari companies in Botswana – Desert and Delta Safaris (since 2018). The first thing they did was to close the camp and give it a facelift. Fortunately they retained the classic tented camp model and stuck with the “Meru” style canvas tents – its nice to have a choice of camps that allow for a traditional safari experience of actually sleeping under canvas….it adds a bit of character. Each of these Meru tents is on a raised deck overlooking the river in front of camp. You will find all the standard comforts of an all inclusive safari camp in the tents and en-suite bathrooms.
The main area is thatched and situated right in front of the open water. The thatch works great to keep things cool during the day and there are ample leather sofas to relax in. There are two pool areas – one with a river view and the other set back in the grounds. The fire deck juts out right over water, making it an inspiring place to have a drink around the fire.
The whole property itself boasts ancient lofty riverine trees – it is well shaded.
What we think
This is a convenient lodge if you book a private guide and vehicle with us – we can guide you out of this camp as it is located within a game reserve.
It is great that they stuck with canvas tents – this is getting rare in Botswana.
The game viewing here is top notch. You could use it as a safari camp to tick off big sightings and stay here for extended periods because it is so productive. This part of Moremi is exceptionally beautiful – genuine Okavango scenery.
Katia Haskins 
PO Box HA 74 HAK