BELMOND Belmond Safaris (Eagle Island Lodge)
Set on a private island in the Okavango Delta, Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is the water-facing sibling in Belmond's three-lodge Botswana circuit — more polished and design-forward than Khwai River Lodge, and arguably the most luxurious of the trio. It suits travelers who want a high-thread-count safari: 12 tented suites with private plunge pools, a celebrated sunset bar, and game experiences that shift between boat, mokoro and 4x4 depending on flood levels.
Honeymooners, milestone-anniversary travelers and design-minded guests who want delta scenery from a plunge pool and don't need rugged authenticity. Also strong for birders and photographers during high-water months (roughly May–August), when water activities are in full swing.
You're booking in low-water season expecting mokoros and boats — you'll get game drives only, at a water-lodge price. Also skip it if you want classic canvas-and-paraffin bush character; the design here is deliberately modern and polished, not rustic.
Warm, personal, and consistently praised — staff learn names fast and send guests off with song. Management duos (Baker and Rachel in recent years) set a tone that feels familial rather than formal. The weak spot is maintenance response: when something breaks — a heater, AC, hot water — fixes can be slow and reluctant.
Generous and well-executed, with à la carte dinners, wood-fired pizzas at tea, and flexible kitchen accommodations for dietary needs. The South African wine pour is steady, and Okavango gin is on tap. A minority find dishes over-sauced or overly ambitious; simpler would land better.
The strongest category. The 2015 rebuild produced enormous tented suites with freestanding tubs, indoor and outdoor showers, walk-in closets, plunge pools and decks facing the delta. Air-conditioning is generally effective, though a handful of older reports mention it struggling in peak heat.
On Xaxaba Island inside the delta, 15 minutes by air from Maun, with the airstrip a few hundred meters from the lodge. Only three vehicles operate the private concession, so sightings rarely feel crowded. Game density depends heavily on water levels — a critical planning point.
High price, high delivery when conditions cooperate. Guests who arrive in low-water years with no boat activities and reduced game feel the cost more sharply.
Modern, architect-driven, and a clear departure from traditional bush-lodge aesthetic — grays, coppers, sculptural walls. The Fish Eagle Bar at sunset is the signature moment and lives up to its reputation.
Warm, personal, and consistently praised — staff learn names fast and send guests off with song. Management duos (Baker and Rachel in recent years) set a tone that feels familial rather than formal. The weak spot is maintenance response: when something breaks — a heater, AC, hot water — fixes can be slow and reluctant.
Generous and well-executed, with à la carte dinners, wood-fired pizzas at tea, and flexible kitchen accommodations for dietary needs. The South African wine pour is steady, and Okavango gin is on tap. A minority find dishes over-sauced or overly ambitious; simpler would land better.
The strongest category. The 2015 rebuild produced enormous tented suites with freestanding tubs, indoor and outdoor showers, walk-in closets, plunge pools and decks facing the delta. Air-conditioning is generally effective, though a handful of older reports mention it struggling in peak heat.
On Xaxaba Island inside the delta, 15 minutes by air from Maun, with the airstrip a few hundred meters from the lodge. Only three vehicles operate the private concession, so sightings rarely feel crowded. Game density depends heavily on water levels — a critical planning point.
High price, high delivery when conditions cooperate. Guests who arrive in low-water years with no boat activities and reduced game feel the cost more sharply.
Modern, architect-driven, and a clear departure from traditional bush-lodge aesthetic — grays, coppers, sculptural walls. The Fish Eagle Bar at sunset is the signature moment and lives up to its reputation.
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