A warm welcome to Xigera

The drought of 2019 is officially over, as the Okavango Delta floods with life-giving water in 2020. Coming from the catchment area in Angola, the first big wave of water raced over dry land and empty channels to reach Xigera in mid-March. It pushed with urgency, creating much excitement, and now the floodwaters have nearly reached all the way to Maun.

This first wave brought with it new life: hippos, crocodiles, frogs, fish, and a number of other aquatic species have returned home, and a sense of calm has overcome all creatures, including plants and trees, which have returned to a full flush of green, softening a previously desperate landscape.

We are experiencing wonderful wildlife activity at Xigera right now. Our lone female lioness, Sisilia has spent the last month in close proximity to the Lodge with her four cubs, As a single mother, it is quite a feat to have raised this first litter of cubs to a year old. Read more.

There are two males and two females, so when the males move out on their own in a year’s time, she will always have the company of her two daughters. This will become the nucleus of the Xigera pride. We have 15 known lions in the area and this is an exciting prospect for all the guides to keep track of in the months to come.

Ikalaheng (Ike) Mogalakwe was born in Maun and he attended school for a part-time diploma in Accounting and Business studies at the University of Botswana. Whilst he was studying, he also worked at the Central Transport Organisation as a Senior Supplies Assistant. Read more about Ike.

Despite the completion of the lodge being temporarily postponed due to the current situation, it is looking more beautiful than we could have imagined, and with the flood already in, we are looking forward to welcoming our very first guests later in the year to experience this wildlife-filled, water-wonderland Xigera has always been renowned for.

With warmest wishes for now,
Mike and Marian