SAN CAMP

San isn’t a place for frills and fluffiness. The magic is in the minimalism, both at the camp and in the mysterious desert landscape. No crowds and over-loaded 4x4s, it is just you, the wildlife, and a handful of local San Bushmen, waiting to share their secrets with you.

Meerkats are here, popping up from the desert dust, brown hyaena hide in the grass, and you’ll see red hartebeest, springbok and gemsbok scurrying between them. San Camp is about the atmosphere and the ethereal surroundings.

Rooms have four-poster beds, draped in crisp cotton and feather-soft blankets, raised high above Persian rugs. Mahogany writing desks and leather armchairs contrast the rugged surroundings, and there’s a lazy day bed just outside, perfect for an afternoon of view-gazing. Ensuite bathrooms have hot, running water showers and flush loos, and there’s plenty of water in the elegant copper jugs and basins. The entire camp runs on solar-power and when darkness falls, you’ll find lanterns scattered around to light the way.

The main area has bright and breezy ope-sided pavilions where you will gather to feast. Food is accompanied by white linen and crystal glasses, therafter sink into a cushion in the tea tent and treat yourself to one of the best brownies in the desert. Browse the Natural History Museum cabinets with their eclectic collections of old maps, fossils and artefacts, and then, it’s time to let your mind unwind in the sanctuary of the yoga pavilion.