THE BAOBAB SUITE

The baobab is a prehistoric species which predates mankind. Native to our African savannah, it is a symbol of life and positivity in a landscape where little else can thrive, and has adapted to its environment, absorbing and storing water in its vast trunk during the rainy season, and producing a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry. Known as “the tree of life”, the baobab is truly iconic - and its suite of the same name is suitably spectacular, with beautiful sculptures and cabinetry.

OUR SUITES AT A GLANCE

  • Each of the 12 air-conditioned suites – including the Family Suite – offers absolute privacy and seclusion, with panoramic views over the Delta

  • Feel at home with 184-square-metres (1980-square-feet) of indoor and outdoor living space, including an airy bedroom, a separate lounge and dressing room area

  • Spacious bathrooms offer both indoor and outdoor showers, with freestanding baths overlooking the Okavango wilderness

  • Secluded private outdoor decks feature peaceful outdoor gazebos and king-size daybeds for quiet moments, and quality family time in nature
  • Modern amenities, including flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi access and in-room safe

  • Indulge in spa and beauty treatments in the privacy and comfort of your suite

  • With indoor and outdoor dining areas for up to four guests, enjoy private dining on request

  • Full room service is offered, with suites offering a butler store, fridge, kettle, plates, cutlery and glasses

  • All suites are individually handcrafted from FSC-certified cedar, with a vaulted, tensile roof cover 

  • In your suite, discover a watercolour painting kit and a wildlife compendium to record your sightings and take home as a complete record 

THE DESIGN DETAILS

Num Num Dining Table by Charles Haupt. Created in patinated bronze and glass, the Num Num collection of bronze tables is inspired by the native South African shrub of the same name, which grows prolifically along the coast.

Asht and teal custom Kassena Server by Dokter and Misses, inspired by the patterned adobe structures built by the Kassena people, who live in the Tiébélé region on the border of Ghana & Burkina Faso. The geometric patterns wrapped around the cabinets are derived from two literary texts in the Sotho and Tsonga languages.

Abstract nude - carved, incised and painted wood by Cecil Skotnes, who was known especially for his painted and incised wooden panels, striking woodblock prints, public murals, tapestries and sculpture. He pioneered a way of producing art that used earth pigments and indigenous wood to construct visual stories about the African past.

Ceramic bedside lamps by Ardmore, designed to capture the rich plant life and wild creatures of the Moremi Game Reserve, and made exclusively for Xigera. The lamps each depict a different animal and are adorned with patterns, colours and motifs that reference the fabrics and colour scheme of the suite.

“Itafile” ceramic side-tables (“itafile” means “table” in Xhosa) by Madoda Fani. They feature the rhythmically patterned carvings that have become the artist’s signature, calling to mind overlapping fish scales or insect exoskeletons. The tables’ strong mushroom-like silhouettes and all-brown colour palette draw the eye to the delicate details and incisions animating their surface.

Three stripe Karakul by Coral & Hive, an all-women, ethically operated company with some of the most talented weavers in South Africa, whose skills have been passed down for generations. The lounge carpet is made from Karakul wool, from sheep that are raised in the Karoo, in South Africa.

Kiaat and bronze “Tritons” table by sculptor Stanislaw Trzebinski. The bronze legs are inspired from the coral reefs he swam amongst as a child. They are produced from bronze using lost wax casting and finished with a natural patina.

Timber wardrobe by Otto du Plessis, with etched brass doors depicting landscapes and botanical scenes taken directly from the surrounding Moremi Reserve. These were based on drawings of baobabs, palms and other plants common to the Delta by Trevor Potter, a resident artist at Bronze Age.

Bronze woven nest bowl by Trevor Potter. Drawing inspiration from weaver birds’ nests, this bowl gives the impression of a woven nest form. It is polished on the inside and patinated on the outside.

Leadwood Seed Pod. Working in bronze, Sarah Heinnaman crafts a collection of table top sculptures of seed pods – specifically drawing reference from her immediate environment – or in this case the plants found in the Okavango Delta. The exquisite bronze sculptures were especially produced for Xigera Safari Lodge from the plants of the region used to name the guest suites.

Bronze Bowls by Charles Haupt, who together with Otto du Plessis, has spearheaded the functional design side of Bronze Age Studio. Created in patinated bronze and gold leaf, the bowls are inspired by natural growth patterns, cast in bronze, finished with a unique patina and gilded with gold leaf.

Glazed ceramic tableware collection by Chuma Maweni, a master of hand-thrown ceramics, who was the single largest individual supplier for the lodge, producing every item by hand, himself.

Ebonised walnut and bronze bed by Duchenne cabinetry, in partnership with Southern Guild, combining African totem references with traditional timber craft. The lily finals were sculpted by Trevor Potter and are cast in bronze, each one shaped to a unique configuration. The headboard fabrics were selected by Toni Tollman from the most exclusive and luxurious European fabric houses.

Twin separate upholstered bed selected by Southern Guild, which commissions, produces and exhibits contemporary collectible design by the most compelling talents in South Africa. Southern Guild, along with Toni Tollman, curated, commissioned and designed all of the furniture in the lodge.

African Jacquard custom bedspreads, designed to complement the colours of the suite.

Marula and knobthorn side tables by Adam Birch, who spent seven months on site at Xigera carving more than 150 large-scale timber sculptures for the lodge. He worked alongside a team of local carpenters, training them in woodworking skills that will stay with them for life.