Getting Around
Part of the excitement of visiting us, is the getting around! We offer a fully integrated private air charter service, which operates single engined Airvan’s, Cessna 206’s, 207’s, 210’s, Cessna Caravans & twin engined Britten Norman Islander aircraft. "Unless a private charter is requested, your flight transfers have been booked on a "seat on plane" basis. Flight times are arranged according to each day's requirements and to fit in with activities, thus the plane may pick up and drop off other guests en-route to your destination. Times therefore vary from day to day and will be communicated to you the afternoon before departure. Flights to Kasane for Victoria Falls/Livingstone depart early to meet the scheduled road transfers; so early morning activities for guests departing on these flights are curtailed.

Should you wish, private charters can be arranged, in which case you will be the only guests in the plane and you may specify your departure times. We are happy to quote separately for private charters."

We also use private powerboats for transfers. In fact we are the only safari company in Botswana to offer such a service for travel between lodges enabling for you to have a truly unique experience. Our vehicles at the lodges are either open Toyota Land cruisers carrying a maximum of 7 people Each vehicle has a removable canvas roof enabling for shade and ample storage space for cameras, binoculars etc.
 
One of the great things about staying in our Lodge is that all our rates are fully inclusive, offering excellent value. Included in our accommodation rates are all game activities (whether they be by vehicle, on foot, in a mokoro or a power boat), meals (buffet breakfasts/lunches and al la carte dinners), drinks with meals (soft drinks, local wines and beer), national park fees, laundry and medical evacuation insurance.

Baggage Restrictions
Due to the nature of travel in light aircraft, with the emphasis on safety and space concerns, baggage is restricted to 20 kgs per person including hand luggage. This baggage must be soft sided so to allow for it to be packed properly. If you do have extra bags or have suitcases heavier than the specified allowance, we must be advised in advance as soon as the booking is made so we can make arrangements for the baggage to be transferred or stored at cost.

Health Precautions, Vaccinations & Important Information
Vaccination requirements change from time to time and we suggest clients consult their local doctor or health department for the latest health precautions. Malaria including Plasmodium Falciparum exists in certain areas. All clients must consult with their own MD or the Centre for Disease Control regarding the use of anti-malarial tablets prior to departure. There are many brands available and we recommend that clients consult their doctor, health clinic or health department as to which brand they should take. For walking activities at Xugana Island Lodge a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Suggested Items to Pack
Generally, casual comfortable clothing is suitable throughout the year. The most practical items to pack for safari are:-

• T-shirts
• Shorts or a light Skirt
• Binoculars and a camera
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Light, compact raincoat is a good idea for the summer
• Sun block, Lip balm, sunglasses, hat and insect repellent
• Swimsuit, as all the Desert & Delta Safaris properties have swimming pools
• Fleece or sweater and a warm jacket for game drives (necessary, even in summer)
• Jeans or safari trousers for walking at the water properties, evenings and cooler days
• Blouses with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes)
• Layers of clothing are most practical for the fluctuating day/night temperatures of Botswana. Dull and/or neutral colours are more suitable for safari, while white is not practical. It is best to pack hardy, durable clothing.

The Best Time to Explore Botswana
Botswana is a year round wildlife destination and because of the location of Xugana Island Lodge, we are able to plan a safari to suit your needs. However, there are certain seasons that are more suitable for special interests than others. The following information is to be treated as a guideline as weather patterns and wildlife rhythms are never predictable and can never be guaranteed at a specific time or in a specific area.

Bird viewing – October to March
The summer season in Botswana welcomes a large variety of migrant birds from the northern hemisphere which use Botswana, and more specifically the Okavango Delta, as preferred areas for breeding and feeding. The first migrants arrive from the Northern Hemisphere during September. By December all the migrants will have arrived which means there are 20% more birds in Botswana during the summer months compared to the winter months. The period from December to March is very active and the colours, more specifically the birds in breeding plumage, are spectacular. The Okavango Delta is a birders paradise which entertains both the experienced ornithologist as well as the eager amateur. One of the highlights of the birding calendar takes place during September/October when the carmine bee-eaters arrive from Central Africa and often seen in their hundreds on the Savuti Marsh. Of particular interest, they make use of the large Kori Bustard, by riding on their backs as they move through the grass of the marsh and kick up fleeing insects. Another highlight is the heronry at Gadikwe Lagoon, which provides nesting sites for hundreds of birds. (The Gadikwe lagoon is situated between Camp Moremi and Camp Okavango and/or Xugana Island lodge, and is a highlight to visit as part of the boat transfer between the lodges.) For guests who are spending three nights at Xugana Island Lodge, a full day Okavango excursion can be arranged which incorportates a visit to Gadikwe, walks on the Okavango Islands – a picnic lunch under the shade of a tree on one of the Islands and even a refreshing dip in the waters of the Okavango Delta on one of the shallow sand banks along the way. Due to the heronry being shared by a variety of species it is active from July to March and is at its busiest from September to December when breeding colonies of herons are joined in the shallows, and among the low trees and swamp-fig thickets, by marabou, yellow and saddle-billed storks, sacred ibis and egrets. Flapping, noisy and colourful breeding displays can be enjoyed at close quarters.

Plants, Vegetation and Botany – December to May
After the first rains, the landscape in Botswana transforms into a subtle green blanket. Grasses shoot and leaves appear on what seems to be dead plants and it is a wonderful time of the year to experience the magnificent sprout of life in Botswana. The vegetation is lush and green and most of the plants are in bloom. February is peak flowering time for water lilies and the landscape is decorated with wild flowers. Savuti, in particular, and the area between the river and the wooded dunes in Chobe, break out in bright yellows, whites and purples among the green blanket that covers the ground. The sweet smell of fresh grass and wild sage at Savuti fills the air and adds to the raw assault on the other senses.

Mammals and Wildlife
When the summer rains start towards the end of November the barren looking earth of Savute comes alive. Its rich new grasses are a magnet for herds of Burchell’s zebra and wildebeest, which can be found on the Savute marsh where they foal before making for the lush grazing grounds of the Mababe Depression further south to the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Large herds of Buffalo gather from the Okavango and move through toward the mainland of Moremi, where there are now sufficient pools of water to sustain them. As the rains cease towards the end of February and the pans vaporise as the dry season looms the herds gather once again. Closely followed by predators, they make their annual journey from Savute to the Linyanti to arrive around April. During the winter months the banks of the Chobe River, and the Xakanaxa area of Moremi become the lifeblood of the wildlife, as there is no surface water in the surrounding bush. Elephant and buffalo are also migratory, making seasonal movements of up to 200 kms from the Chobe river where they concentrate in the dry season to the pans in the Mopane woodlands to the south near Savuti, where the food source is very nutritional. November to March are great months as the air clarity is unparalleled, trees begin to burst into life, the new grass is green and lush, skies are dramatic as big clusters of clouds precede the rains and babies are being born. It’s a wonderful time for the photographer as there is action, colour and visibility. April to October bring about cooler mornings with high relative humidity that leads to wonderful early morning misty magic especially over the water. The buffalo begin to group into large herds and visit the river areas more often as the seasonal pans begin to dry. Along the Chobe river, breeding herds of elephant increase in density daily as they visit the rivers and pans with permanent waters. African wild dogs den in June and it is possible to witness exciting hunts in the Savuti and Moremi areas. Animals begin to concentrate at the permanent water sources, as do their predators. Soft early morning and evening light combined with dust provides the opportunity for many dramatic photo settings. In July the bush is bare and the dust pervades but there is plenty of action and with patience and perseverance the rewards are great.

Climate
SUMMER - October to March.
The summer or rainy season begins in October and ends in March. In October the weeks preceding the coming of the rains tend to be the hottest with temperatures soaring up to 40ºc or more. Cloud coverage and the arrival of the first rains towards the end of November or in early December cool things down considerably, although usually only for a short period. During the rainy period, which lasts until the end of February or early March, the days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with afternoon thunderstorms – usually in short, torrential downpours during the late afternoon. Day time temperatures can rise to 38ºC and night time temperatures drop to around 20ºC - 25ºC. Northern areas receive up to 700mm of rain per annum while the Kalahari Desert area averages as low as 225mm per annum. Rainfall tends to be erratic, unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometres away there is no rain at all. Showers are often followed by strong sunshine so a good deal of the rainfall does not penetrate the ground, as it is lost to evaporation and transpiration

WINTER - April to September.
The days are dry, sunny, clear and cool to seductively warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Day time temperatures generally reach 20º C and evening temperatures can be as low as 5ºC and in some areas can plummet below freezing. Virtually no rainfall occurs during the winter months