!Xaus Lodge Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Luxury Lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Description

!Xaus Lodge, a 24 bed thatched luxury lodge has been crafted to blend into the the landscape of this remote wilderness area. Situated on the red dunes of the Kalahari it overlooks an enormous salt pan where, from the privacy of the deck of your own chalet , you can observe the animals drinking at the waterhole below.

The name of the lodge, !Xaus, meaning “ Heart” in the Nama language and phonetically pronounced Kaus, derives from the shape that lies in the pan below the lodge.

Of greater significance however is the spirit of reconciliation encapsulated by the name !Xaus. The lodge and its specific location is the positive outcome of a land settlement agreement reached between the South African Government and South African National Parks with the Khomani San and Mier communities to whom the land originally belonged before its incorporation in 1931 into the then Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.

This landmark agreement has allowed traditional communities to regain their dignity and ownership of the land of their ancestors. Their desire to ensure responsible tourism to this ancestral land has led them to enter into an innovative partnership with South African National Parks, who have retained responsibility for the management of its environmental integrity and with Transfrontier Parks Destinations, who have been appointed as the tourism managers of the lodge and its activities. The Khomani San and Mier, in their traditional spirit of community sharing, are now again able to welcome visitors to their own land and to share with them the magic aura of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Dubbed “A place to experience and not merely observe”, !Xaus Lodge offers visitors an opportunity to experience the scenic unspoilt splendour and the remoteness of the vast and arid Kalahari wilderness; to be drawn into the fascinating rituals, traditions and historical cultures of the Bushmen, the remarkable “first people” of southern Africa; and at the same time enjoy the comforts of a luxury lodge that captures the essence of the Kalahari.

Whilst wildlife, much of which is seen on game drives from the lodge, is plentiful and the black-maned lion is one of its icons, this transfrontier park is also a bird-life paradise with two-thirds of the raptor species of southern Africa occurring within its boundaries.

But the real “heart” of !Xaus Lodge lies in its spirit and its people. The experience of an African sunset, the sound of silence as day turns to night and the feeling of being able to touch the stars, provides a feast for the senses and the soul.

The Mier community, renowned for their culinary skills and for the recipes handed down from generation to generation, adapted to overcome the challenges of this arid environment, provide cuisine unique to the lodge.

Guests are invited to accompany the legendary “hunter gatherers”, as they track through the desert following the spoor of animals, identifying the plants they can eat or harvest for medicinal purposes and locating their water cache, buried to ensure that they are not overcome by thirst in this harsh environment.

At night, gathered around the camp-fire, the community share with visitors their legends of the night sky, their health secrets and the history of their culture and existence.

!Xaus Lodge truly is an integral part of “an ancient African land which, when seen through the eyes of its first people, is mystical, magical and spiritual” ( Laurens van der Post)

The Lodge
The complex comprises a central lodge building and 12 individual chalets, each with its own deck, accommodating 24 guests.

The central lodge overlooks a vast salt pan and waterhole fed with fresh water. It comprises a welcoming reception area with its unique wall-hanging made by the ladies of Vezokhule, a sewing co-operative in Upington. The cosy lounge has a fireplace and a library of selected books for paging through before dinner. Our dining area overlooks the pan, with furniture hand-made in Upington and images burnt by Bushmen artists.

At the art and craft shop, you can purchase locally made Bushman crafts as well as crafts made in the wider Kalahari. Visit the large observation deck from which we gaze in wonder at the night sky, and by day the swimming pool provides cool relief from the desert heat. Wood is a precious commodity in the Kalahari, so the inviting fire in the boma is made in the traditional method with three or four crossed sticks around which everyone huddles companionably.

In the chalets we provide purified drinking water from the desert which you will find in a flask in your bathroom. Winter sheets and gas heaters provide comfort for the cold nights, and ceiling fans bring relief in the hot months.

Attractions

Guided wilderness walks through the dunes identifying animal spoor, birds, trees and plants, with a discussion on their medicinal uses.

Guided walks onto the pan to see the ‘heart’ of the Kalahari and then to our re-created cultural village to visit the Bushman crafters at work, see young Bushmen demonstrating their traditional games and purchase traditional crafts hanging from the branches of the tree under which the crafters sit peacefully at work.

• Sunset pan drive and dune walk to ‘listen’ to the sun set over the Kalahari with an early evening game drive back to the lodge.
  
• After-dinner night drive, with the accompanying sounds of barking geckos, insect shrills, and larger animal calls to break the silence.
  
• A complimentary six to seven hour game drive through the dunes and along the Auob River, with packed breakfast and picnic lunch, is available for guests staying four nights or longer. At an additional charge, this game drive is also available to those staying for two or three nights. Please discuss the availability and cost of this with our management.
• Join us on the observation deck after dinner and gaze through our telescopes at the splendour of the Kalahari night sky. 

Please be aware that circumstances at the lodge or prevailing weather conditions can affect the availability of specific activities on a particular day. If this happens during your stay, we would appreciate your understanding. Please feel free to chat with our helpful lodge management should you want any more information or advice on our activities.

Excursions and activities
The lodge offers a variety of activities for your enjoyment.

Wilderness walks:

• Guided wilderness walks through the dunes identifying animal spoor, birds, trees and plants, with a discussion on their medicinal uses.
• Guided walks onto the pan to see the ‘heart’ of the Kalahari and then to our re-created cultural village to visit the Bushman crafters at work, see young Bushmen demonstrating their traditional games and purchase traditional crafts hanging from the branches of the tree under which the crafters sit peacefully at work.

Game drives:

• Sunset pan drive and dune walk to ‘listen’ to the sun set over the Kalahari with an early evening game drive back to the lodge.
  
• After-dinner night drive, with the accompanying sounds of barking geckos, insect shrills, and larger animal calls to break the silence.
  
• A complimentary six to seven hour game drive through the dunes and along the Auob River, with packed breakfast and picnic lunch, is available for guests staying four nights or longer. At an additional charge, this game drive is also available to those staying for two or three nights. Please discuss the availability and cost of this with our management.

Night skies:
Join us on the observation deck after dinner and gaze through our telescopes at the splendour of the Kalahari night sky.

Facilities

The central lodge overlooks a vast salt pan and waterhole fed with fresh water. It comprises a welcoming reception area with its unique wall-hanging made by the ladies of Vezokhule, a sewing co-operative in Upington. The cosy lounge has a fireplace and a library of selected books for paging through before dinner. Our dining area overlooks the pan, with furniture hand-made in Upington and images burnt by Bushmen artists.

At the art and craft shop, you can purchase locally made Bushman crafts as well as crafts made in the wider Kalahari. Visit the large observation deck from which we gaze in wonder at the night sky, and by day the swimming pool provides cool relief from the desert heat. Wood is a precious commodity in the Kalahari, so the inviting fire in the boma is made in the traditional method with three or four crossed sticks around which everyone huddles companionably.