Where to stay in the Kalahari

Every visit to the Kalahari is different – it all depends on where you stay. Peer down a gorge at Augrabies, camp on the lush banks of the Orange River or sip a sundowner with a view of red dunes to the horizon.

Augrabies National Park

The granite landscape might seem desolate from afar, but take a closer look and you’ll find that it’s crawling with life. Dassies and lizards bask in the sun and palewinged starlings hop closer when they spot a plate of chips at the restaurant. And don’t forget about the 56 m-high waterfall on the Orange River that thunders over the rocks into a pool where – rumour has it – giant barbel lurk and there are enough alluvial diamonds to make you rich. The self-catering units are close to the waterfall, where walkways lead to six platforms with views of the river gorge (some are wheelchair-friendly). If you stay inside the park, or if you have dinner at the Quiver Tree Restaurant, you can see the waterfall illuminated at night. Pick up a free map at the reception office and walk the circular Dassie Trail (5 km). You’ll visit different points where you’ll learn more about the geology and biodiversity of the region. The three-day Klipspringer Hiking Trail (36 km) goes into the gorge, but it’s only open during winter (April to October). Don’t forget about the rest of the park. Go on a guided game drive or explore in your Tucson and look for giraffe, klipspringer, zebra, springbok and gemsbok. Facilities: There are 59 self-catering units that sleep two to four people. Each unit has air conditioning (important!) and braai facilities. The campsite has 40 stands with power. For the best view in the park, book the Oranjekom Gorge Cottage. It’s an open-plan unit beneath the Oranjekom Gorge viewpoint about 10 km from the rest camp. By day you share your view with visitors who stop at the viewpoint (on top of the roof), but the unit is fairly private and you can’t see in from the outside. And when the park gates close at night, the sunset is all yours. Niggles? Most of the chalets are semi-detached so you might have to introduce yourself to your neighbour. Rates: Conservation fee R44 per adult; R22 per child under 11; free with a Wild card. Self-catering chalet from R1 031 per night for two people; R1 930 for four people. Oranjekom Gorge Cottage R1 616 per night for two people. Camping from R238 per stand for two people (max six people). Klipspringer Hiking Trail R268 per person. Guided game drive R122 per adult; R61 per child under 11. (Rates valid until October 2017.) How to get there? The park is about 120 km west of Upington. Follow the signs from the N14. The gates are open from 7 am to 6 pm. Contact: 054 452 9205 (reception); sanparks.org

Oranjerus Resort

This is a good place to stay at the start of a journey into the Kalahari proper – the Orange River is the last large body of water you’re likely to see for a while! The resort is also close to Upington so you can buy a new toothbrush if you forgot yours at home. Despite its proximity to civilisation, it’s all peace and quiet down on the riverbank. Pitch a tent on the sprawling lawn under the trees or relax on the stoep of one of the self-catering units. If you’ve brought a kayak, go paddle the river. But no one will judge you if you take a nap in your camping chair instead. The murmuring water is more potent than any sleeping pill. Just make sure you set your alarm so you can head to the deck of the Ibis Restaurant later in the afternoon. Order a sundowner and watch the sky burst into flame. Facilities: Pitch your tent anywhere on the lawn. There are braai facilities, taps and power points throughout the campsite. The ablution blocks are well maintained and cleaned regularly, and there’s a swimming pool. Oranjerus also has safari tents and several selfcatering options. If you want a unit overlooking the river, book one of the river chalets or the log cabin – both options have air conditioning and braai facilities. The Ibis Restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Sundays it’s open for breakfast and lunch. Niggles? The service in the restaurant wasn’t very brisk when we visited and at night you can hear traffic on the R359. Rates: Camping R140 per adult; R110 per pensioner; R100 per child older than 6; free for children younger than 6. Safari tent R450 per night for two people. Selfcatering chalet from R950 per night for four people. River chalet R1 050 per night for four people. Log cabin R1 250 per night for four people. How to get there? The resort is about 35 km from Upington along the R359. Contact: 082 772 5896 (bookings); 079 706 0490 (restaurant); oranjerus.com

Rooipan Guest House

Rooipan is a cattle and sheep farm in the Soutblok – a part of the Kalahari where there is no potable ground water. That didn’t deter owner Lizette Knoetze: “The Kalahari is really a special place to live,” she says. “My backyard is a dune and my garden is filled with aloes. In summer there’s nothing better than sitting around a camel thorn fire while a thunder storm rumbles in the distance.” Lizette and her husband Daantjie opened a tea room on their farm about 30 years ago and it soon grew into the first guesthouse in the area. If you’re interested in history, you’re in the right place: Lizette is a Kalahari encyclopaedia and can tell you all about the early years of agriculture, how salt is mined on the pans and how animals and plants manage to flourish in the arid landscape. You can go for a walk in the veld or read a book on the stoep. The highlight? Sip a glass of wine on a high dune while the sun sets over the salt pan that gives the farm its name. Facilities: The guesthouse sleeps eight people in en suite double rooms. The garden cottage next door sleeps up to three people (one bedroom with a double bed, plus a single bed in the living area). It’s fully equipped with a fridge, a gas stove, ceiling fans and a shelf full of interesting books about the area. Guests in the cottage have access to the garden, the swimming pool, the braai facilities and the fireplace in the main house. There’s also Wi-Fi available. Niggles? Rooipan is a working farm, so your lie-in might be interrupted by early morning farm work or a crowing rooster. But you’re here for the farm atmosphere, right? You’ll only get MTN reception between Upington and Askham. Rates: Guesthouse room R900 per person, including dinner and breakfast. Self-catering garden cottage R900 per night. How to get there? The guesthouse is about 124 km north of Upington via the R360. Turn left at the sign and drive about 3 km along a gravel road to the farmhouse. Contact: 082 415 1579 (Lizette); rooipan@gmail.com

Molopo Kalahari Lodge

Molopo, about 60 km from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is decorated in typical safari-lodge style – animal hides, ostrich eggs, wooden statues – and it also boasts quite a number of local antiques, like the big windmill in the middle of the restaurant, old ice-cream carts, bicycles and even a horse cart hanging from the rafters. On the walls there are enamel bowls, tin milk cans, old typewriters and shoe lasts. Grandma and grandpa will love the things on display and they’ll tell you stories about the old days until the cows come home. Rather send the kids to swim in the pool or play with the outdoor chess set. Stay here en route to the Kgalagadi and you’ll be first in line at Twee Rivieren the following morning. Facilities: There are lots of accommodation options. The 10 en suite chalets are near the lodge. Each has two single beds, braai facilities, air conditioning, a TV and access to a communal splash pool. There are also en suite “camping chalets” close to the entrance: Each with two single beds or one double bed, braai facilities, a boma and air conditioning. Every stand in the campsite has private braai and ablution facilities, and a power point. Niggles? The lodge could do with a coat of paint and some new linen. The service was a bit slow during our visit and there were quite a few mosquitoes – pack mozzie repellent in case. Rates: Twin-sleeper chalet from R400 per person sharing, breakfast included. Four-sleeper family unit R1 200, breakfast included. Camping chalet R300 per person sharing, breakfast included. Camping R150 per person (max six people per stand). How to get there? Molopo is about 200 km north of Upington on the R360 (16 km from Askham). Contact: 054 511 0008; namrod13@lantic.net; ncfamouslodges.co.za

Kgalagadi Lodge

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is only 5 km away – practically on your doorstep – and so is Botswana: The border is on the other side of the R360. Stay here if you want to do day trips into the park, or if you booked accommodation at one of the camps in the north for your first night in the park. The lodge is built against a big dune. Bushman grass grows wild around the chalets where tame springbok and emu graze. Maybe it’s because the park is just around the corner, but the landscape feels wilder than other parts of the Kalahari further south. Owners SJ and Denise Koortzen have thought of everything. The chalets and camping stands are neat and comfortable and there are amenities on the premises: a small grocery store, a butchery, a restaurant and a liquor store. There’s also a swimming pool to keep the heat at bay. You’ll struggle to find a better view than the one from your chalet: Kalahari dune veld stretches to the horizon and at night it feels like you can touch the stars. Facilities: Most of the chalets are on top of the dune, but there are also units at the base. There are about 30 chalets in total, including luxury units and family units. The chalets have air conditioning, DStv and braai facilities, but not all are self-catering – make sure to ask when you book. There are two campsites with 15 stands in total, also on top of the dune. Each stand has its own bathroom, power point, tap and braai facilities. There are no shade trees or lawns, but each stand has an awning. Niggles? None! The facilities are brand new and clean. Rates: Twin-sleeper chalet from R800; family unit R1 380 (four adults or two adults and up to three children). Camping R350 per stand for two adults and two children under 12; R80 per extra adult; free for children under 6 (max six people per stand). How to get there? The lodge is on the R360, about 5 km from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park ( Twee Rivieren gate). Contact: 082 303 8768; 083 225 0331; kgalagadi-lodge.co.za