Thanks to its proximity to the tropics, Botswana experiences marked fluctuations in rainfall and temperature between the wet summer and the dry winter. The average daytime temperature in the summer months (October to April) is 32°C/90°F, although the temperature drops quickly once the sun sets, reaching approximately 25°C/77°F at night time. Dry and cool winters run from May to September, when the nights can be chilly. The rainy season, generally in the form of magnificent afternoon thundershowers, is from late December to the end of February, sometimes continuing into March.

Xaranna is situated in an area that boasts a number of permanent river channels that flow throughout the year. The steady water supply creates a distinctive layer of vegetation, with lush beds of tall papyrus, miscanthus grass, evergreen figs and ferns. This is a good birding area, with warblers, weavers and various types of kingfishers. Pel’s fishing owls are attracted by the large variety of fish found in the channels. Clear lagoons are created where channels open up, dotted with floating rafts of water lilies, water chestnut and other aquatic plants. Families of hippo bask in the open water and Cape clawless otter may be spotted.

The abundant water in the Okavango’s permanent channels sustains a dense forest of tall trees, which are forced upward in search of ample sunlight. Little grass survives among the shrubs and creepers in their deep shade. Among the trees in this forest, the sausage tree is notable not only for its pendulous fruit and large, crimson flowers, but also for the fact that traditional mekoro (dugout canoes) are frequently made from its boughs or trunk. The riverine forest is home to prolific birdlife, with many characteristic species, including the elusive Pel’s fishing owl. Fruit bats are attracted to the abundant fig trees, and shy bushbuck also enjoy the dense coverage.