Xigera Safari Lodge
Okavango Delta, Botswana
A luxury safari lodge in Botswana's Okavango Delta
The story of Xigera Safari Lodge is one of renewal. Of rebirth and family legacy, and of the pioneering spirit that drives us to seek out Africa’s wild spaces. The same spirit that inspired this remarkable reimagining, perhaps a complete reinvention, of an Okavango Delta safari. This is Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’), named for the Pied Kingfisher that makes its home amid the watery channels of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve. Every aspect is handcrafted to beguile our guests’ senses and stir their souls – from the evocative interiors to one-of-a-kind encounters. But Xigera is equally a line in the sand. A raising of the bar. A bold statement in the realm of luxury safaris in Botswana, and an Okavango Delta safari experience like no other.
Moyne Abbey
Moyne Abbey has to be one of most impressive ecclesiastical ruins in Mayo and it has been recognised as a National Monument. It was built by the Burke family and consecrated in 1462, it is located north of Ballina on the west side of Killala Bay. Like its neighbour, Rosserk Friary, it was burnt by Sir Richard Bingham, Elizabeth I of England’s governor of Connacht, in 1590 in reformationist zeal.
Famine Valley
This site draws some resemblance to Glendalough with its green hills on each side. The area is bogland which is uninhabited except for the intrepid sheep who seem quite content to have it to themselves. The bog grass has a beautiful reddish hue. Many small waterfalls flow down both sides of the valley. This is a beautiful site which can be hard to find but well worth the journey!
Downpatrick Head
Just a few miles north of Ballycastle village in County Mayo is the windswept outcrop of Downpatrick Head. This is the perfect place to park up and stretch your legs with an invigorating coastal walk. The name Downpatrick is derived from a time when St Patrick himself founded a church here. You can still see the ruins of the church building, a stone cross and holy well here today.
This was once a popular pilgrim destination, and today the crowds still gather here on the last Sunday of July – known as Garland Sunday – to hear mass at this sacred site. The site has a statue close to the cliff edge dedicated to the patron saint. It is one of the most amazing places you can ever visit in Ireland.
Croagh Patrick
Croagh Patrick is a well-known mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo. You can find it 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. If you visit, you will be joined by pilgrims who make the journey which Saint Patrick himself once did. Aside from the religious aspect, it is a beautiful mountain with awesome views!
Keem Bay
Keem Bay is an absolutely phenomenal site located past Dooagh village in the west of Achill Island in County Mayo. This bay was formerly the site of a basking shark fishery and a British army lookout post (to the bay’s south).
Keem Bay is a heavenly secluded valley at the very western tip of Achill Island. It is extremely popular during warmer months when the strand is a magnet for beach-goers and those interested in scenic walks. This place is our favourite spot in County Mayo.
