Deception Valley Lodge Botswana

Welcome to Deception Valley Lodge! Our lodge is nestled on a private conservancy on the north eastern corner of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, where game is most abundant. The area surrounding the lodge was once home to the San Bushmen, and guests are offered the unique opportunity to explore this remarkable region with San guides.

Long ago, even before most people ever heard about the Kalahari, a young guy named Braam Badenhorst, a descendant from the original trekker Afrikaners, had a dream and a vision about establishing the first and at that time only Kalahari lodge in the vast wilderness.

Being born in the Kalahari, more precise in Ghanzi, he grew up among the bushman from who he learned about their hunting and tracking skills, their way of gathering food and general knowledge about the “veld”.

In 2016 Bart Kramer and his companions became involved in Deception Valley Lodge after which they started buying neighbouring properties and joining them together and creating a conservancy of 43000 hectares.

Nowadays they are restoring the original wildlife by bringing back the endemic species of the Kalahari such as rhinos, wild dogs and cheetahs. The remote location of this owner-run conservancy offers complete seclusion, whilst the staff ensure that guests have a comfortable stay and a rewarding safari experience.

THE KALAHARI

The Kalahari offers you an extraordinairy escape into a pristine and remote semi arid desert wilderness. It stretches across much of Southern and Central Africa. It’s a place where true openness prevails and where the sky unfolds with featureless horizons in the distance.

A place where you can experience absolute silence during the night between the distant or close roars of a Kalahari lion. Deception Valley is one of the four fossilised river valleys that traverses the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve

It’s the second largest wildlife reserve in the world, and the largest and most remotely situated game reserve in Southern Africa. It envelops a mind boggling 52.800 square kilometres of land within the very heart of Botswana and the Kalahari desert, and is known for its harsh climate, magnificent but unforgiving terrain and breathtaking night skies.

A sanctuary reserve for the San

Established in 1961 the Central Kalahari Game Reserve was originally earmarked as a sanctuary for the San, the Kalahari desert original inhabitants for over 20.000 years. The original concept was to provide the San with an area large enough to continue to practice their hunter-gatherer way of living in peace and away from the outside world.

The reserve remained closed to the public for almost 30 years under this precept, finally opening its gates to small and well controlled groups of visitors in the late eighties for the first time.

Deception Valley

Because it was closed to the public for so long, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve has remained one of the most pristine expanses of African wilderness possible to visit. Despite having very little surface water, the Kalahari supports a tremendous amount of vegetation and animal life.

During and shortly after the rainy season is the best time for viewing animals, as they descend upon the sweet grass that burgeons in the northern climes. One of the highlights of the Kalahari is Deception Valley, located in north east corner of the Central Kalahari where game is most abundant.

A MAGICAL PLACE

This magical place in the vast Kalahari has perplexed weary wanderers for many years. This ‘waterless oasis’ known as Deception Valley was named after the riverbed which evokes the illusion of containing water.

For centuries when thirsty travellers saw the promising fold of Deception Valley on the horizon they would rush towards it deliriously. Once they reached the riverbed they would recognise the depth of the deception caused by a dry riverbed that has not seen much water for the past 15.000 years.

Ancient riverbed

The illusion created by the ancient riverbed is the result of a mirage-style effect that gives the blue-clay riverbed the appearance of being filled with water when it is actually bone dry.

In wetter times, thousands of years ago, the valley was part of an ancient river that is believed to have formed part of a vast ancient lake that covered much of the Central Kalahari plateau. Today Deception Valley is a gathering place for large herds of antelopes, who are subsequentually followed by a wide range of predators.

A perfect habitat

During the wet season the grass in the valley tends to be lush and green, attracting thousands of animals. Unlike most of the habitat of the Kalahari, the valley is a grassy area and lies between wooded dunes. A perfect all year round habitat for wildlife, including the dry season when there is no surface water.

Cry of the Kalahari

Mark and Delia Owens, an American couple who did the first research into the black maned Kalahari lion and brown hyena, made Deception Valley famous. They lived in a tent in Deception Valley for several years to do their research. Their adventures and daily life in Deception Valley can be read in their bestselling book ‘Cry of the Kalahari’

THE OLDEST GENE PATTERN

The San were the first people to inhabit Southern Africa, where they have lived for over 20.000 years. The San are the descendants of the first Homo sapiens, i.e. modern man. Every person alive today descended from a woman who lived in modern-day Botswana about 200,000 years ago.

The San have genetic traces that no one else in the world has, that puts them at the root of the human tree. They are totally adapted to the harsh climate of the Kalahari. They are small in stature to burn less energy in lean times and build athletic to run long distances in the scorching heat.

The skin is light yellowish to absorb less heat from the sun. In times of plenty they have ponderous posteriors, an excellent way for storing fat for lean seasons. Their eyesight is keen and highly trained for the hunt and to spot coming dangers.

Nomadic hunter-gatherers
At Deception Valley Lodge you will meet the traditional Bushmen from the Naru tribe. Listen to the Naru language, the first written Bushmen language that contains 37 different clicks. Historically, the San were hunter-gatherers who maintained a nomadic lifestyle.

This meant that they moved throughout the year in accordance with the availability of water, game and the edible plants that they used to substitute their diet and those for medical use.

In the past
In the past, familiar groups or bands of San usually numbered around 10 to 15 individuals. They lived off the land, erecting temporary shelters in summer, and more permanent structures around waterholes in the dry winter.

The San are egalitarian people and traditionally have no official leader or chief. Woman are considered relatively equal, and dicisions are made as a group. When disagreements arise, lengthy discussions are held to resolve any issue.

San men were responsible for hunting to feed the entire group – a collaborative exercise achieved using hand-crafted bows and arrows tipped with a poison made from ground beetles. Meanwhile, the woman gathered what they could from the land, including fruit, berries, tubers, insects and ostrich egges.

Once empty, the ostrich shells were used to gather and store water, which they bury in a hole dug into the sand.

Respected for their survival skills
Today, it is estimated that there are around 100.000 San still living in Southern Africa. Only a very small fraction of these remaining people are able to live according to their traditional lifestyle.

As is the case with many first nation people in other parts of the world, the majority of San people have fallen victim to the restrictions imposed upon them by modern culture. Unable to roam freely across the land as they would once have done, most are now labourers on farms, while others rely on state pensions for their income.

However, the San are still respected by many for their survivalk skills, which include tracking, hunting and an extensive knowledge of edible and medicinal plants. In some areas, San people are able to live off these skills in a different way, by teaching them to others at Bushmen encounters.

ACCOMMODATION

Deception Valley Lodge is an oasis in the Kalahari of Botswana, our luxury lodge is bordering the famous Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Experience the Kalahari with Bushman at hand, to share their knowledge, while you can relax in total luxury at this unique destination.

Main Lodge
The main complex boasts a dining room, lounge and bar area decorated in warm Kalahari colours which make use of Bushmen and other African artefacts. From the deck you can view game activity at the nearby waterhole.

The lodge has an ethnic African theme and was build to fit into the surrounding bush without altering, damaging or detracting from its ambiance and colour.

Chalets
Six of the eight chalets consist of luxury twin bedded rooms with en-suite Victorian style bathrooms, an outside shower and a private spacious lounge as well as a private viewdeck. There are two family chalets with inter-leading rooms .

Private & Restful
Comfort set in vibrant and rustic coloured interiors, Deception Valley’s Lodge accommodates up to sixteen people on a sharing basis. The lodge is private and restful. Each stilted unit stands separately and is connected to the main lodge by wooden walkways.

Outside
A swimming pool situated close to the main area, enhances the enjoyment of guests. Enjoy a refreshing dive. The boma features prominently during the African nights when guests enjoy their dinner while gazing across a clear African night sky.

DINING

We love good food and warm hospitality and serve up both, in big helpings, at Deception Valley Lodge. Traditional “Bush-food” with a twist leaves you wanting for more.

Vegans will love it, plenty of delicious vegan dishes are served. Comfort food in a magical place surrounded by wildlife. Read on to discover what you can expect when you visit us.

Our Chef
Emily Le Roux, a Motswana from Ghanzi, came working at Deception Valley Lodge as a cook some 10 years ago. From there she worked herself up to become Chef de Cuisine.

She was trained at Deception Valley Lodge by Helen Dewar, nationally acclaimed in-house trainer of Chefs in Botswana. Nowadays Emily and her staff run the whole kitchen operation, from traditional African cuisine to vegan with a twist to any other special dietary requirements.

Some Of Our Menu
Plentiful fresh venison prepared in traditional yet modern ways. “Veldkos” (food found in the veld) such Kalahari truffles, wild mushrooms, marogo (similar to spinach) and skilpadkos (a type of succulent) appear in season and ostrich eggs could turn up at breakfast.

FIRST INHABITANTS

The Bushmen people were the first inhabitants in Southern Africa and have survived for the past 20 000 years in this arid region.

At Deception Valley Lodge you will meet the traditional San Bushmen from the Naru speaking tribe. Listen to the Naru language, the first written Bushmen language that contains 37 different clicks.

Bushmen Walks
Deception Valley Lodge offers a unique San (Bushmen) cultural experience. Guests depart after Tea from the Main Lodge at Deception Valley Lodge.

Bushmen Guides
Let our San guides show you how to experience the tracking and survival skills of the San people. Let them show you how they gather their food and how succesful they are at hunting with their poisoned arrows.

Hunting
Witness their knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants and see how they make bows, arrows and various other tools that they use. A truly unique experience in which visitors share in the life led by Bushmen.

Adventure
Set out on an afternoon adventure on a guided walk with traditional San (Bushmen) guides and learn about their unique culture, their famous survival and hunting skills, as well as their extraordinary knowledge of the animal life and medicinal plants.

BUSHMEN WALKS

• Guided walks with the Bushmen to explore their culture, survival and hunting skills and their extraordinary knowledge of the veldt and animal life.
• Interact with the Bushmen of the Kalahari on one of the Cultural walks with Bushmen at Deception Valley Lodge.
• A walk of approximately two kilometres with two Naru speaking Bushmen
• A unique experience in which visitors share in the life led by traditional Bushmen
• Witness their knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants
• See how they make bows, arrows and other tools
• Be humbled by their hunting skills
• Be entertained by their sense of humour
• Help them make a fire
• Quench your thirst in the traditional way

WHAT TO EXPECT?

From beautiful early morning safaris to late afternoon/early evening safaris and exciting night drives to explore the nocturnal species. Deception Valley Lodge safaris has it all!

We have knowledgeable guides and legendary bushmen trackers guide you, and teach you about their survival, hunting and culture. Read on what to expect, and get an impression what it’s like to enjoy the Kalahari in an unique way.

Professional guides & Bushmen trackers
Morning and afternoon game drives take place in open 4X4 game drive vehicles and are led by professional guides as well as Bushmen trackers.

You have the chance to see a variety of different species, amongst them e.g. the magificent black maned Kalahari lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog as well as giraffe, elephant, blue wildebeest, gemsbok,springbok, ostrich, zebra and kudu.

Quite regurarly we also have sightings of the elusive brown hyena, pangolin, aardvark and aardwolf.

Bird lovers paradise
The valley is a bird lovers paradise, with over 200 species include e.g. the Crimson-breasted shrike, kori bustard, martial eagle and pale chanting goshawk. Deception Valley Lodge is ideal for solo explorers, couples and families looking for a unique and remote safari experience.

STARGAZING EXPERIENCES

The Kalahari boasts vast skies and is one of the best regions in Africa for stargazing. Nights of clear skies offer enthusiasts a chance to see many constellations unhindered by civilisations light polution.

Stargazing experiences at Deception Valley Lodge are led by our general manager who is a astronomy enthusiast and takes you into the basics of astro-photography. Stargazing in the Kalahari is truly an unforgettable experience!

Star show
For those of you that have a passion for astronomy and the night skies or for those of you that are just curious and want to learn more about stars and the universe. The star show, combined with the surrounding Kalahari skies and landscapes, will provide you with an unforgettable evening under the Botswana night sky.

Dark skies
The Kalahari is one of the best venues for star gazing. Being so far away from the civilised world there is no light polution,little natural atmospheric pollution and man-made pollution.

With our professional telescope guests can marvel at the luster of a full moon and recline under a deep, dark sky, interpreting the network of stars that gaze back down at earth.

Planets and moons
On a typical winter’s night (June – Sept.) of star gazing there is the possibility of viewing the red planet Mars, Jupiter and its four Galilean moons, the ever stunning Saturn with its beautiful rings or stars such as Rigil Kentaurus, the colourful binary star Albireo, or the red giant Antares.

Deep sky objects, such as open and globular clusters, inspire awe and wonder of the age and vastness of our universe. And of course the famous southern sky constellations, will capture your imagination about the ancient cultures and their histories.

HOW WE PRESERVE AND RESTORE OUR PIECE OF AFRICA

10 years ago Bart and his companion drove a landrover from Amsterdam to Capetown, taking the west African route. On their way, especially in the western part of Africa, they were shocked about the state the wildlife was in and decided there must be something done before its completely vanished.

Reaching the more southern parts of Africa and seeing how they approach conservation made them realise it’s not too late and with the right efforts there are still goals to achieve.

They decided to take part in the good work which Botswana, along with numerous other conservation organisations, are doing to save and restore what’s left.

Biggest threat to wildlife

In our view the biggest threat to wildlife is the human wildlife conflict and the loss of habitat due to overpopulation. Where there are humans, there are cattle, and obviously cattle does not go well with predators.

Where there are humans, there is agriculture, and obviously agriculture does not go well having elephants and other grazers around.

In the sixties Botswana appointed the Hainaveld, located on the Northern side of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the area where our conservancy is located, to be cattle farms.

By doing so they divided the Hainaveld into 5000ha farms and erected fences around those blocks to keep the cattle in and the wildlife out. As a result, ancient migratory routes were blocked.

Deception Valley Conservancy

Our overall environmental vision at Deception Valley Conservancy is therefore to return previously farmed and hunted land into the wild, natural piece of earth it once was.

In 2017 Bart and his companions bought Deception Valley Lodge, the first and oldest Kalahari lodge which was already given back to nature some 20 years ago.

The area on which Deception Valley Lodge operates existed of 3 previously cattle farms (total of 15.000 hectare) whose were adjoined and after which fences were removed. In 2019 another 5 adjacent farms (total of 28.000 hectare) were acquired by the owners and once again fences were removed.

By doing so they created one of the biggest (43.000hectare) pivately owned game conservancy in Botswana where wildlife can roam freely once again.

The visible legacy of the farming days is fast disappearing as we continue to naturalize waterholes, remove old cattle troughs and to cut new bush trails that meander through the veld while allowing arrow-straight cut-line roads to overgrow.

Careful management of the bush will be needed to ensure sufficient grazing exists all year round even in the driest periods, and to maintain the right balance of plain areas, woodland and everything in between.

Creating corridors for migration

As said before, in our vision one of the big issues wildlife is curently struggling with are the fences, blocking the ancient migratory routes. We are working in cooperation with other organisations to asses the possibility of creating corridors between key migration areas.

The Kalahari was once home to the second biggest (after Masai Mara) migration of wildebeast and after the rains they used to migrate to the Kalahari because of the green and lush grasses on the plains.

By creating a corridor between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Makgadikgadi Game Reserve, which will open once again the longest migratory route in the whole of Africa.

By doing so this route will stretch all the way from the transfrontier park in South Africa and Namibia (the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park) through the vast Kalahari all the way to the Makgadikgadi pans and from there on to Moremi NP, the Okavango Delta and Chobe NP from where even to the KAZA Transfrontier Park into the Namibian Caprivistrip,Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe National Parks.

Sustainability and low carbon print

At Deception Valley Lodge we strive to keep our footprint as little as possible. We do this by making only use of solarsystems, minimize our waste and growing our own vegetables. At the moment we are looking into options to convert our gamedrive vehicles in to electric.

Species reintroduction

We are dedicated to preserving endangered species and are working on a project to reintroduce black and white rhino to our conservancy.

Over recent years Deception Valley Conservancy worked hard to rehabilitate the environment for predators on our conservancy, and we are proud to say that we now have a wide range of free roaming predators at our conservancy.

We have multiple healthy packs of lions, wilddogs, leopards and cheetah as wel as the elusive and heavily endangered brown hyena roaming freely in our area. The highly endangered aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin are also thriving at our conservancy.

Future years will see more species reintroductions to continue and rebuild the diversity of this beautiful part of Botswana and returning it back to its natural state.

Anti poaching at Deception Valley Lodge

Botswana takes anti poaching seriously and so does Deception Valley Conservancy. We have well equipped units who actively patrol the conservancy. Our focus is on protecting endangered species and keeping them in their wild habitat.

Were currently discussing measures, with adjacent reserves as well as the farmers in the Hainaveld, to keep the Kalahari predators in the reserve and the bordering CKGR and to prevent them from roaming into the conflict areas where cattle meets wildlife and where they subsequently will get shot or poisoned.

In our vision the best way to achieve this will be that the reserves on the northern boundary of the Kalahari will act as a barrier between the farms in the north and the stretch less Kalahari in the south.

Therefore, the northern boundary needs to be electrified over the whole length between the tar road near Rakops to the tar road Ghanzi-Maun, a stretch of approximately 200km.

Website: www.deceptionvalleylodge.co.bw

Rooms: 8

Price: from 1.155 EUR per night