To the eye it’s not much but a thatch and face brick façade that seems to blend into the sandy surrounds, but to the soul, this place is magic. A respite and a breath of fresh air.

You’re welcomed here by Neeltjie, her family and the staff that call this remote destination home. Each loves it as their own and it’s telling in their warm smiles and generous hospitality. The San Bushman were the first to settle here centuries ago and all these years later, they are still happy to be here and happy to have you visit.

The lodge itself is made up of eight spacious chalets with ensuite bathrooms, four individual campsites and a main area which has a cosy indoor and outdoor dining area, bar, swimming pool and campfire. It’s homely and comfortable offering all the conveniences you’d require, being pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Where nowhere is the vast expanse of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve of central Botswana.

It’s a harsh area dominated by mostly vast grasslands, hence the name: Grassland Safari Lodge, and yet it is teeming with wildlife from giraffes, wildebeest and zebras to cheetah, hyena and wild dogs. It’s the second largest reserve in the world, easily the most remote reserve within southern Africa and a cultural hot spot. If your interest is to experience how the oldest surviving indigenous hunter-gatherers have thrived for over 30,000 years, then Grassland Safari Lodge is top choice.