Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari (Botswana)

January 8, 2025

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Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last summer, I enjoyed one of my best holidays ever, an ultra-luxe safari in Botswana. You can read my trip reports here:

Today: Review of Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari (Okavango Delta, Botswana)

Located on a private island surrounded by the Okavango Delta’s epic landscapes, Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is considered one of the ultimate luxury safari lodges in Botswana. Here, guests can silently glide past hippos in canoe-like mekoros, take in the vastness of the Delta and see elephants, giraffes and zebras from above in a helicopter, go on a horse riding or motorboat safari, visit local villagers, or simply relax in the beauty of the lodge. Belmond’s flagship safari lodge reopened in November 2015 after a ten month rebuild that took both the lodge’s design and environmental credentials to a new level. Each of the 12 spacious and light-filled deluxe tented rooms has its own plunge pool and deck, positioned in such a way that when guests retire to their rooms they are afforded total privacy and can see no signs of human life – only Botswana’s unique animals and birds.

Have you ever stayed at Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari features in my top 10 list of the best safari lodges in Botswana.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The 1000th UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Okavango Delta in northwest Botswana is an oasis in the Kalahari desert. The largest inland delta on the planet, this rare ecosystem is home to some of the world’s most endangered animals and some of Africa’s most luxurious lodges. A stone’s throw from the safari lodge, limitless floodplains, pristine waterways and abundant food attract elephants, buffalo, antelope and other large herds, all followed closely by the attentive eye of the notorious African predators. When the Delta’s flooded, usually between May and October, the water wonderland comes to life and is best explored by boat. In the other months, the focus is more on land-based activities including nature walks, village visits and exhilarating horseback & helicopter safaris.

Xaxaba Island, the home of Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, was one of the first camps in the Okavango Delta in the early 1900s. As explorers and crocodile hunters alike were drawn to the Delta, the Wilmot family established Xaxaba, which means “island of tall trees”, as the first permanent safari camp in the area. When the family decided to change the lodge to another island a short way upstream in 1975 they took the Xaxaba name with them. After changing hands to the Zimbabwean couple Paul and Penny Rawson, Xaxaba became part of the Belmond portfolio in 1993, before changing its name to Eagle Island Camp in 2000, and finally becoming Belmond Eagle Island Lodge in April 2014. After a ten-month closure and almost total rebuild, since reopening in November 2015, the lodge ranks among the most famous safari lodges in the country, offering a luxury tented safari experience.

After arriving by bush plane on the lodge’s private airstrip, guests are taken by safari vehicle to Eagle Island Lodge’s main pavilion, which is just a 5 min drive from the airstrip. Housing a lounge- and dining area, the pavilion’s design was inspired by the massive ant nests that are found in the area, with organic shapes rising from the ground and bending around the camp’s ancient trees. In the lounge guests can relax by a large fireplace and artisanal style bar made from locally sourced timber, while in the dining area they can gather around the open-style kitchen and pizza oven at meal times. Both areas have stunning Delta views, and are linked by an external deck. The design features a white, brown and bright yellow colour scheme, inspired by the bird the lodge is named after. In front of the main pavilion is an open camp, a perfect setting to swap safari tales with fellow guests under a blanket of stars.

Each of the 12 spacious deluxe tented rooms has its own plunge pool and deck. Housed on raised wooden platforms and shaded by traditional African thatched roofs, the centerpiece of the room is an oversized bed that looks out over the Delta. The unusual grey mosquito netting makes for easier viewing of animals at night. Botswana’s mining tradition inspired the copper finish of the bed heads; each one perforated with tiny holes in a water lily pattern that allows light to filter through and flicker on the bed. The open-plan bathroom is equipped with a free-standing bathtub, two wash basins, and indoor and outdoor showers. Elegant echoes of colonial camp days are felt throughout, including hand-stitched leather pockets for binoculars on custom-designed tables and a mini bar that looks like an explorer’s toolbox and reveals drawers and hidden cupboards full of complimentary drinks and guest amenities.

Stays at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge include full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner along with drinks including alcohol (some premium brands and imported champagnes come at an additional cost). Rotating menus are offered with options ranging from light and healthy to indulgent; special dietary requests can be catered for. Most meals are served in the main pavilion, although the hotel staff can also set up a romantic table on the private deck of your room for a more private dining experience. On selected nights, the lodge also offers bush picnics between the morning and afternoon safari activities, as well as barbeque dinners around the campfire. Prior to dinner, guests can also have an aperitif in the Fish Eagle Bar, which is housed in a small hut in front of the main pavilion; the bar is named after the majestic bird of prey that swoops to catch fish in nearby waters.

Eagle Island Lodge is one of the best lodges in the Delta to take a helicopter flight, since the Delta’s largest helicopter tour company – Helicopter Horizons – has a base near the lodge. Out on the water, guests can feel the way that the Delta flows, but in the air they can see just how vast the system is, how the channels fit together, and how the animals are spread out over islands and in the water itself. After being safely strapped into a helicopter with no doors, guests can feel the wind on their face, have uninterrupted views of the landscape and animals below them, and take photographs without reflections in windows. Helicopter tours can be mixed with champagne lunches on islands, with fishing trips during the fishing season, and with a horseback riding safari. These half- or full-day excursions start with a game-viewing flight over channels and islands, before reaching the stables at the border of the Moremi Game Reserve.

When Belmond Eagle Island Lodge was rebuilt in 2014, it was designed with the lightest footprint and best sustainability practices in mind. During renovations concrete buildings from the old lodge were demolished and 1350 tons of concrete rubble removed from the area. While the old lodge relied on diesel powered generators, the new lodge has around 850 solar panels in a 210kWp Photo Voltaic (PV) system, saving an estimated 144,000 litres of diesel a year. Around 30,000 liters of water a day are used at the lodge but thanks to the Delta, Belmond is able to avoid transporting supplies onto the site. Water is pumped in from the Kavango River during high water periods and from a borehole in times of low water. This goes through a treatment plant involving a series of settling tanks, multi sand filters, carbon filters and ozone. A reverse osmosis system then processes the treated water for drinking and cooking, and guests are given reusable bottles to refill.

Eagle Island Lodge belongs to the portfolio of the Belmond Hotel Group fomerly known as Orient Express until its rebranding in 2014. Belmond is a hotel and leisure company that manages a ultraluxe collection of 49 iconic hotels, trains and river cruises in 24 countries, bringing together some of the world’s most sensational journeys and destinations. It ranks among the most exclusive hotel brands in the world. With Belmond, you can stay in timeless hotels in Venice, Rio and St. Petersburg, embrace the spirit of adventure at Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat, glide along the rails through the Swiss Alps, soar across the Andes, or explore the mystifying rivers of Myanmar. In 2018, Belmond was acquired by LVMH (‘Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy’), the owner of brands like Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Fendi.

For the full Botswana nature experience, Belmond Eagle Island Lodge can be combined with stays at Belmond’s other luxury Botswana lodge: Savute Elephant Lodge, a Belmond Safari in the Chobe National Park. The heart of the most biologically diverse game reserve in Botswana, the Savute is where the BBC and National Geographic have captured some of their best wildlife documentary footage and where guests can watch the live wildlife show every day and night. At Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge, guests can go out on safari every morning and afternoon, but one of the most memorable experiences comes from simply sitting on the private deck of their tented room as a parade of elephants walks by, mere metres away. The 12 tented rooms are shaded by traditional thatched roofs and built on raised wooden platforms for better viewing over the Savute. Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge is a 50 min bush flight from Belmond Eagle Island Lodge.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Belmond Eage Island Lodge is best visited during the Okavango Delta’s annual flood (June to September), when water from Angola makes its way through the delta from the north to the south. This is when wild animals are drawn to remaining sources of water and thus easily seen. When the flood recedes (generally between October and May), game viewing can be patchy and disappointing (but that’s the case for most lodges in the Okavango Delta that lack a permanent water body nearby).

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is located in the southern parth of the Okavango Delta, and is one of the last areas to get flooded during the annual flood. Unfortunately, over the past years, climate change has affected the Okavango Delta, with prolonged droughts and reduced rainfall in Angola, leading to lower water levels in the delta – especially the southern area where the lodge is located – and affecting animal life. For example, I visited the lodge at the end of June – when the annual flood is supposed to be in full swung – but the water levels around the lodge were quite low and the entire area looked very dry. That said, despite the dry conditions, the wildlife viewing around the scarcer water was exceptional (with incredible leopard and lion actions, as you can see in my YouTube video).

Although Eagle Island Lodge lacks a dedicated spa facility, a selection of therapies can be given by therapists in the room (indoor or outdoor) or in a small spa room right next to the main pavilion. Africology treatments are used, with potent natural ingredients such as hydrating aloe ferox, mineralrich green rooibos and marula, hailed by the beauty industry as a “miracle oil”.

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is not fenced off, so guests are required to be vigilant at all times. Leopards, lions, buffalos, and elephants are present in the Okavango Delta, and there is no physical impediment to them entering the area around the lodge. Under no circumstances are guests allowed to walk around the lodge at night, unless accompanied by a staff member. Do not worry though as it’s all part of the excitement of being immersed in a true African safari.

Belmond Eagle Island Lodge can only be reached by small aircraft, either from Maun (30 min flight) or from another camp in Botswana. The thought of flying in a small one-engine plane can make some travelers – including myself – nervous. That said, the flight itself is spectacular and offers lovely views of the delta, with wildlife gathering or galloping below. Belmond Safaris uses Mack Air a third party for the flights between its lodges. Since its launch in 1994, Mack Air hasgrown to become one of the most advanced air charter companies in Southern Africa. The current fleet of Mack Air is quite modern and consists of 19 Cessna Grand Caravan EXs and 3 Cessna 206 Stationairs.

Malaria is common in the northern parts of Botswana such as the Okavango Delta (where Belmond Eage Island Lodge is located) and Chobe National Park, particularly during or after rainy season from November to April. Medications can be used to prevent the chances of contracting malaria. For advice on the use of any malaria prophylaxis, you need to contact the health authorities or your local travel clinic prior to your travels. In addition to any prophylactics, the following mitigation measures are recommended: cover your arms, legs and feet in the evenings and apply a mosquito repellent containing DEET.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 8/10 (only private plunge pools)
Rooms: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 8/10 (only in-room treatments)
Service: 9/10
Wow factor: 8/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall experience: very good 8,2/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks when booking Belmond Safaris via Virtuoso:
- Room upgrade
- Daily breakfast
- Early check-in
- Late check-out
- A private dining experience for up to two guests once during stay, served on the balcony of your room or at a private location within the lodge
- Stays of 6+ nights will also receive a wellness credit for 2 guests, once during their stay, applicable towards a 60-minute treatment).

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks when booking Belmond Safaris via Belmond Bellini Club:
- VIP welcome treats with a local taste
- Buffet or full breakfast for 2 daily
- Complimentary upgrade based on availability at time of check-in
- Up to $200 USD hotel credit per stay ($200 per stay for select suites; $90 per stay for rooms)
- Complimentary WI-FI access

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel of the Belmond Hotel Group (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari offers year-round safari activities. While each season brings a unique appeal, wildlife numbers are concentrated between June and October. These drier months also allow for seasonal game drive opportunities.

The best time to visit the Okavango Delta is during the dry season from June to September. Although called the ‘dry season’, the water levels of the Okavango Delta are at their highest point in these months as the flood waters are arriving from Angola, with animals flocking to the waters from the dry hinterland. This is also when many camps can offer water activities (e.g. boat rides, mokoro tours). Going by the rule of thumb, water in the Delta starts to flow in June (when it arrives from the Angolan Highlands), while by the end of August, most of the water has passed through the Delta and water levels start to drop again.
In the summer months (December to February), the temperatures are soaring and thundershowers are frequent. During this time of the year, some areas in the delta become waterlogged, making road travel challenging and airstrips trickier to traverse. That said, excellent game viewing can be enjoyed in the summer months too, in the right areas with good resident game and permanent water channels. Also, if you are a birder, the best time to visit the Okavango Delta is generally during the summer months when the Okavango is bursting with resident and migratory birds.

HOW TO GET THERE

Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari can only be accessed by light aircraft into the nearby airstrip, which has daily flight connections with other camps in Okavango, Chobe, Maun Airport (which is the main tourist getaway to Botswana) and north to Kasane (for connections to Livingstone and Victoria Falls). Flight tim from Maun to the lodge is 20 minutes and Belmond takes care of booking all transfers and flight.