DECEPTION VALLEY LODGE Desert lodge with 5 thatched chalets Central Kalahari Game Reserve Deception Valley Desert wildlife & excellent birding

Deception Valley Lodge lies some 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of Maun adjoining the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The Lodge is situated on a private 20 000-hectare (49 420 acre) reserve through which Deception Valley runs. Early travellers named Deception Valley after being deceived, from a distance, into believing that the valley contained water pans, only to find on arrival that it was completely arid.

Accommodation consists of five thatched chalets, each with a bedroom, lounge and Victorian-style bathroom with a claw-foot bath and outside shower. The bedrooms have twin beds and are equipped with overhead fans and mosquito nets. Each chalet has a deck where you can sit and gaze at the vastness of the Kalahari bush, which stretches for miles in front of you.

The main lodge, which houses a separate lounge, dining room and bar, has an ethnic African theme which blends into the surrounding landscape. A pool and sundeck provide for relaxation and cooling down during midday hours and hot evenings.

To feel the pulse of Africa, guests can enjoy game drives and track desert wildlife in open four-wheel drive vehicles with experienced guides. One of the highlights of Deception Valley Lodge is meeting local San (Bushman) who share the art of survival in this arid land. Wildlife in the area ranges from oryx and kudu to cheetah, leopard and the evasive brown hyena. Birdlife is prolific and there are hundreds of species ranging from small finches to huge vultures.