The Orient-Express Eagle Island Camp: Luxury Surrounded by the Wildlife of the Okavango Delta

The Eagle Island Camp is one of three Orient-Express properties located in Botswana, Africa, on the little island of Xaxaba (pronounced ka-kava), in the Okavango Delta. The Eagle Island Camp overlooks a large lagoon fed by the waterways of the Delta.

The lodge enjoys shade of tall palm trees and indigenous trees; the camp's location is considered as one of the most pristine natural locations in the Okavango Delta. We visited in July 2009, winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

To reach the camp, we took a light aircraft flight from Kasane, and the total trip took 80 minutes, but only because there were two stops at other camps to pick up guests.

The Okavango Delta

The KwandoRiver (Cuando in Portuguese) originates in Angola and spreads its waters into the Delta as it enters Botswana through Shakawe, and ends around the Maun area. The Okavango Delta is found exclusively in Botswana; it is a river that does not empty into the sea, and it disappears into the earth or the water evaporates as it travels into the more arid regions of Botswana.

The Okavango Delta is the world's only largest inland delta and it is home to approximately 40 species of large mammals, and around 400 bird species; the plant life is also abundant. The Delta may be known as a swamp, but the water is remarkably clear, and is heavily stocked with fish, which is perhaps why the area is rich with the famous Fish eagles

The hottest months in the Okavango Delta in Botswana are October through December, with mean maximum temperatures of 95F. The coldest months are June and July with a mean minimum of 75F daytime and low- 40's F at night. The rains usually fall between November and April with the heaviest downpours occurring in January and February.

Reception/Arrival

When we landed at the Eagle Camp's private airstrip, a large safari car was waiting for us to take us into the lodge (a 2-minute drive). Matt the driver, was also our guides for the duration of our stay. We drove up the small circular driveway, and waiting for us was the entire staff, standing on the steps of the main lodge, singing traditional songs of the land... what a welcome it was!!

After the singing stopped, we stepped out of the car, and we were greeted by the management team, a young husband and wife team who were filling in for the regular managers. We were led to the Boma (a circular area with a fire for), and we were offered a cool drink, and briefed about the camp rules and safety information.

We were given a personalized card outlining our schedule for the next two days; all activities, of course, are only a suggestion, and guests may stay at the camp and do nothing at all!

Accommodations/Tents

A guide led us to our tent #8, named after the Barbet bird. The luxurious, enormous tents at the Eagle Island Camp have been placed on raised wooden platforms, each having a wonderful private patio from where one can observe the wildlife in the marshes.

All tents, while super-luxurious, are eco-friendly in that if removed, they do not damage the environment. The only semi-permanent fixtures are the wood bases set in the ground to place the tent platforms on. The decks are furnished with chairs and a hammock, which my husband quickly claimed, as soon as we dropped our belongings on the bed!

All the gray water and sewage is treated on site, and are returned to the surrounding area after treatment. The waters returned to the eco-system are friendly to the environment, we were told. The lodge produces its own energy by means of solar panels. All rubbish is taken by plane back to the Kasane for proper disposal. The power is off at 11:00 pm and is turned back on at 5:00 am.

The tent's interiors are very luxurious, with a king size bed, and a very romantic mosquito netting that is drawn shut at night (by the staff, of course). There is air conditioning and heating (you only see the vents), but the days being cool, we didn't turn it on, but at night, the heat came on! There is a desk, a coffee table, an arm chair, and other useful furnishings.

Also, in the dressing area, there is an electronic safe, his and hers closet, robes, two lined ponchos, mosquito repellent to be sprayed on clothes, and a separate spray for the body.

The bathroom is huge, with dual vanities, a separate, very large shower room, and a separate toilet area. The towels are plush, and the luxurious toiletries are placed in elegant, heavy glass dispensers, to avoid plastic containers that pollute.

We were very impressed with the luxury level of the tents and the camp. This is when we realized that all the money we spent to stay here was all well-worth it! We were living it up!!

The Eagle Island Camp offers 11 double tents, and one exclusive suite (also a tent) with its own heated, plunge pool.

Other in-room amenities

Within a half-hour of our arrival, Diane the bartender rang our room to ask what type of beverages we would like in our mini bar, whatever we wanted.

Beverages and Meals

All your meals and beverages, to include an excellent selection of South African wines, except for rare spirits, are included in the price, and this is what you get every day:

~~ Wake-up call (5:30 am). After a gentle wake-up call by a person who approached our tent and said a few times: "good morning", we received a tray with a hot water thermos for coffee, tea or chocolate and sweet breads and cookies. The tea, coffee and chocolate are luxury branded. Cookies are home-made.

~~ Early breakfast (served around 6am) - you can eat something light or heavy before you head out on your morning activity.

~~ Light snacks, tea and coffee on the morning activity your guide makes sure he comes well-equipped with hot water, coffee, tea bags, chocolate, and cookies and biscuits.

~~ A light brunch (served around 11am) - "light" is a misnomer, it's a mini-banquet! Thereafter, it is siesta time or do whatever you please.

~~ Afternoon tea (served around 3:30pm), and at 4:15 pm you head out on your afternoon activity. Afternoon Tea is another misnomer, as we were offered yet another buffet full of finger foods and sweet delicacies.

~~ Drinks and snacks on afternoon activity - drinks for sundowners (happy hour).

~~ Dinner (served around 8pm) - dinner was eventful... we were called to the dining area by sounding three very loud tribal drums!!

We were given a menu with three different options, so each guest could enjoy a lovely entrée of their choice, as opposed to eating buffet style. It made dining under the stars an unforgettable dining experience.

Food is abundant and delicious, and we easily gained 5-6 lbs during our four day stay at the two Orient Express Lodges!

Activities for guests

The Eagle Island Camp provides several activities geared for exploration of the Okavango Delta. One morning, after a boat ride through the Delta, we were taken to an uninhabited island for a walking safari... we encountered a large elephant that found the leaves on the tree next to our parked boat delectable, and he wouldn't leave!

To shoo him off, the two guides did a lot of foot-stomping and hand-clapping to get him to move, meanwhile, all six guests stood, as instructed, holding hands, trying to make us look really big and threatening to the elephant... yeah, right, he was huge! There is always the possibility of a close encounter with untamed wildlife.

Another afternoon, the guys decided to take a guided mokoro (traditional canoe) tour around the waterways. During the very dry season (November through January), supposedly when most of the waterways have dried up, 4x4 vehicles are taken out, but this is something we did not experience.

With previous arrangement, guests can enjoy the thrill of a 45 minute scenic helicopter flight over the magnificent game-rich Okavango Delta. A helicopter carries five passengers and the cost of the ride is $1,000 (total cost); we passed on this activity.

When the water level is high, the bird life is abundant and we saw many lovely species I had only seen in books!

Other Camp Amenities

~ Open-air and covered dining (should it rain), bar and lounge areas

~ A Boma or camp fire and seating area where we exchanged awesome stories after dinner! Actually, there are no TV's here, so this is Bush TV as the guides called it! Rocky, one of the guides, had some fabulous stories about life in the bush... he's quite the character!

~ The fully stocked Fish Eagle Bar - named by the New York Times as the most romantic bar in the world, faces the lagoon where guests can enjoy the most glorious sunsets.

~ Large heated swimming pool situated next to the lagoon

~ Intercom system to reception (at night, you need to call for an escort back to the public areas).

~ Curio shop with safari wear, toiletries, facilities for recharging batteries, local art and craft objects (some really cute art is found here).

~ VHS radio communications plus 24 hour emergency facilities

~ Emergency medical evacuation service (included in your price)

~ Limited conference facilities, one computer with Internet (if slow, but better than none).

~ Free laundry service

~ Reference library of books and videos, audio-visual facilities

~ Flora and fauna check lists given to you to keep.

Final Thoughts

Service was absolutely perfect, every time! Sarah and Andrew, the relief managers the Orient-Express lodges, obviously love what they do, love the outdoors and are very knowledgeable about the lodges, etc. I wished the managers at our next lodge, the Khwai River lodge, shared their enthusiasm.

The housekeeping staff did a phenomenal job keeping the tents immaculately clean, washing our dusty and stinky clothes (it's inevitable when one's in the bush), and putting two hot water bottles under the duvet every night! That, plus spraying the tent for mosquitoes, etc, is what made them so wonderful.

The head chef and his assistant cooks, and the bartenders are incredibly accomplished individuals. The food was excellent, as were the choices of wine. Most lodges grow their own vegetables whenever possible; everything else is flown in.

Then, there are the guides, local men who were born and raised in the Okavango Delta and who are walking fauna and flora encyclopedias. They are the most humble individuals on earth, I've ever met. They were not only our guides, but our teachers who taught us something new every day!

Two days doesn't seem enough, yet, the cost really makes it prohibitive to stay more than two days if you want to visit more than two camps.

Staying at the Eagle Island Camp was definitely a once-in a lifetime experience... worth every dollar! We felt extremely well-cared for and loved living in the lap of luxury while staying in one of the most pristine places in the world.

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The Orient-Express Eagle Island Camp was listed on the 2010 Travel & Leisure Top 50 Hotels in the world!

Photos of the lodge and the Okavango Delta.