Deception Valley Lodge – The Waterless Oasis
Set on 43 000 hectares of pristine Kalahari Desert, bordering the enormous Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Deception Valley Lodge is the premier Kalahari destination in Botswana. A passion for sustainable conservation inspires the guest experience at Deception Valley Lodge and the magic of the Kalahari is unlocked with guidance and expertise.

Conservation

The lodge has established the Deception Valley Conservancy to care for the area.

The vision of the Deception Valley Conservancy is to return previous farming and hunting land to the untamed natural treasure it once was.

Visitors experience and learn about the region through a variety of traditional and immersive activities. The Conservancy has created a considered network of road tracks for perfect, guided day and night driving safaris.

Unique Activities
Excellent tracking opportunities are provided by the Kalahari sand and a dedicated tracker accompanies each vehicle on its activities. A visit to the lodge would be incomplete without experiencing the San Bushman walk with the Naru-tribe. The desert comes alive when sharing the eyes of those who have lived in the region for tens of thousands of years.
One feels Lilliputian in the arms of the vast Kalahari skies, which are renowned for star-gazing. Deception Valley Lodge focuses on star-gazing and allows guests the opportunity to appreciate the vast night sky unhindered by light pollution.

Comfort and Style
There are eight spacious suites each with a separate lounge area, en-suite bathroom with Victorian bath and outdoor shower. Each room has a stunning viewing deck and convenient mini bar. There are two family suites to welcome families of different sizes. Deception Valley Lodge has created a lodge that prevails in comfort and style, allowing the Kalahari Desert to feel welcoming.

Location
The lodge is on the northern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve on a privately owned conservancy.

The Focus
The many secrets of the “Waterless Oasis” of the Kalahari Desert are revealed while visiting Deception Valley Lodge through in-depth activities and spacious, comfortable accommodation.

Access
A dedicated airstrip is a 15 minute drive from the lodge. The lodge is also accessible by a 4x4 track from Maun, Ghanzi or Rakops, if you choose the more adventurous option.

Facilities
• Swimming pool
• Waterhole in front of camp
• Several indoor and outdoor areas in which to relax and dine
• Curio shop
• Wireless internet

Accommodation
• 8 spacious en-suite rooms with bath and out-door shower
• 1 spacious family suite accommodating a family of 5
• 1 spacious family suite accommodating a family of 4

Activities
• Day drives with guide and tracker
• Night drives with guide and tracker
• Intensive San Bushman walks with the Naru-tribe
• Star gazing (when star-gazing guide is in camp)
• Complete day trips, including picnic, private guide and vehicle (extra charge does apply)

Wildlife
An exceptional range of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects form part of the fascinating panoply of the desert ecosystem. Complimenting visits to other camps in the collection, visitors have the opportunity to see desert adapted animals of the Kalahari that they may not see elsewhere.

Species include: Kalahari lion, cheetah, African wild dog, leopard, zebra, eland, giraffe, kudu, bat-eared Fox, honey badger, small-spotted genet, African wildcat, serval, caracal and many more. The elusive brown hyena is a regular visitor.

Deception Valley Lodge is a birder´s paradise. Species include: crimson-breasted shrike, bateleur, pririt batis, black-bellied korhaan, kori Bustard and flocks of red-billed quelea in the thousands.


Considering the Wild
The vision of Deception Valley Conservancy is to return previous farming and hunting land to the untamed natural treasure it once was.

One of the biggest conservation issues that Botswana faces is a series of fences throughout the country that block ancient migratory routes for animals. The Conservancy is working, in cooperation with other organisations, to create corridors between key migration areas. Succeeding at this is the main ambition of the owners of Deception Valley Lodge.

The lodge strives to keep their carbon footprint as low as possible. They make use of solar wherever they can and minimise waste through recycling. Currently they are trying to replace all plastic bottles in camp with ecologically friendly alternatives. They also plan to convert all of their safari vehicles to electric in the future.