
DECEPTION VALLEY LODGE
Deception Valley Lodge is located on the northern-eastern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve on one of the largest privately-owned game conservancies in Botswana and exists of a staggering 43.000 hectare pristine Kalahari bushveld.
One of the highlights of Deception Valley Lodge is the rare opportunity to meet and explore this remarkable environment with Bushman Guides of the Naru-speaking San tribe. The San people were the first people of Africa, they are direct descendants of the first people ever lived on earth.
Experience safaris and walks accompanied by the Bushman
Morning and afternoon game drives take place in open 4X4 game drive vehicles and are led by professional guides as well as Bushman trackers. You have the chance to see a variety of different species, amongst them e.g. the magnificent black maned Kalahari lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog as well as giraffe, elephant, blue wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok, ostrich, zebra and kudu. Quite often we also have sightings of the elusive brown hyena, pangolin, aardvark and aardwolf. Night safaris reveal nocturnal species such as porcupine, honey badger, spotted genet and springhare. Exploring the bush on foot, while your Bushman guide will teach you about their hunting and survival skills. You will also learn all about the culture and crafts of the San people, who over the centuries have adapted their lives to survive in the most inhospitable environment of them all.
Location
The remote and isolated location of this owner runed Lodge offers total privacy on 43.000 hectare in the vastness of the beautifully rugged Kalahari, even though Maun is only 30 minutes away by air from Deception Valley Lodge own private airstrip. The hands-on owners ensure guests have a comfortable, relaxed stay in an area with abundant wildlife, ancient Bushman culture, stunning stargazing and rewarding safaris.
Accommodation
Deception Valley Lodge offers excellent service at the facilities that ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay. With a superb location overlooking the waterhole, each of the 8 very spacious suites has a bedroom, separate lounge area, en-suite bathroom and outdoor shower. The lodge has a swimming pool, multiple indoor and outdoor areas in which to relax or enjoy your meal.
Explore our website and take a glimpse of the beauty Deception Valley Lodge has to offer. Feel free to contact us for any questions!

What do they say about us?
- sarahsB7262VI
We got delayed on the way because we got stuck in the sand. One of the owners came to look for us himself & guide us back to the lodge.
... read more/> The chalets are spacious and the bathrooms lovely with outdoor showers & bath tubs.
The food and dinner experience was such a treat! The guests dined together at a candle lit beautifully set table whilst we got waited on like royalty. The food was excellent- probably one of the bests meals we had in the Kalahari.
The game viewers went out of their way to hunt down our viewing hit list.
We left feeling like part of a family!
11/17/2019 - vocalocal
My mom and I just returned from an INCREDIBLE trip to Botswana. We stayed at Deception Valley lodge for a few days and I can't recommend it enough. The guide... read more and his bushman tracker were the most professional and helpful guides I have ever had. We saw so many incredible animals and learned so much about the flora and fauna as well as the culture of the bushmen. Fascinating! The food was amazing, the staff were just lovely and so helpful. The room was huge and clean and so relaxing. I cannot say enough nice things about this place. I'll be dreaming about it until I return again! Thank you!!! More
10/01/2019 - julien684
These folks set the standard for excellence! The service we received from the moment our small aircraft landed at the airstrip to our return to that strip 3 days later... read more couldn't have been better. Our every need was usually anticipated and always met.
We each received a metal water bottle on arrival and were able to fill it before each game drive. Great idea and environmentally friendly!
The food was outstanding, and they did a stellar job of meeting our dietary restrictions (vegetarian and vegan). We especially enjoyed the communal dining which gave us an opportunity to get to know fellow guests and our guides.
The rooms are quite luxurious in this setting and the bed was comfortable. The mornings were rather cold during our stay so only one of us braved the outdoor shower! But the tub was a good substitute. We enjoyed sitting on the porch watching the animals approach the watering hole.
A unique experience that Deception Valley offers is the afternoon with the San bushmen trackers. It was so interesting to learn how these resourceful and hardy people thrived in this rather harsh environment.
We saw so many animals ... something unique with every drive. And Dix provided lots of information about not only the animals but also offered a lot of insight into Botswana.
Deception Valley really is a MUST on any trip to Botswana! More
9/24/2019 - Michael O
This was certainly a highlight of our stay in Africa. Deception valley is a private lodge and you have the place to yourselves. One of the highlights were the Bushman... read more guides who are incredible trackers. We had the opportunity to watch them track lions and offload to find them in their resting spot for the day. The bushman shared there culture in their language and our guide translated for us. It was a great experience. The lodge is beautiful with many animals coming to visit the water hole within view of the deck. The cabins are spacious and beautifully appointed and the food is excellent! A truly exceptional experience.
8/08/2019 - patransafaris
Excellent private reserve, where you enjoy this secluded area. The luxury lodge with beautiful room. The game viewing is awesome. I would definitely recommend any one who love the kalahari.... read more The guides are knowledgeable and food excellent. There is a swimming pool and nearby waterhole that attracts animals at night.
7/25/2019 - Kristin H
The five nights/six days I spent at DVL was the best part of my 2.5 week visit to Botswana. The staff members were great, and a special thanks goes to... read more Knowledge, the guide there, for making the game drives memorable and enjoyable. In such a vast wilderness with only one truck out in the bush, I was worried we wouldn’t see much, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. With some help from the ladies at the lodge, Knowledge found the lion pride on two separate days and allowed us to spend a good amount of time with the lionesses, cubs and males on both days..
6/28/2019 - JillLaureen
this lodge is so confortable, the staff was perfect with us : always smiling and taking care of us. the food is good, the wine too thanks to Peter !... read more We didn t get to see much wildlife so I had the feeling that sometimes, when we got lucky enough to see an animal, we were very insistent on pursuing it ! great expérience in the Kalahari though, easy access from Maun by road with a 4x4.
6/16/2019 We loved every minute of our stay at DVL.
The lodge and chalets are luxurious, beautifully presented, comfortable and private.
The relaxing and genial atmosphere created by Peter and Jani... read more was a real pleasure to experience.
The food by Jani was a real African treat which included bush meat (from sustainable sources).
Our guide Knowledge certainly lived up to his name, widespread, indepth information about flora and fauna. His passion for birds was obvious. He was also great company both on game drives and at dinner.
We would highly recommend Dececption Valley Lodge to anyone.Joe M
4/29/2019I enjoyed every second of my time at Deception Valley Lodge - there was never a dull moment.
The sights,sounds,and wonderful atmosphere will be with me forever.
Many... read more thanks to Pete, Janie, Bart, Bram and all the dedicated staff for making it such an enjoyable and memorable visit,
I can't wait to come again to see the all the new improvements that are in progress to make the lodge even more luxurious.
I highly recommend this experience to everyone who enjoys wildlife, great food and being totally spoiled.Peter H
3/19/2019- planetalidi
We fully reccommend this accomodation in central Kalahari. Cuisine is really tasty, served kudu steaks, oryx meat ane really tasty desserts. Rooms are stylish and staff very helpfull. Thanks for... read more everything.
3/09/2019
October 15, 2020
Time to Blossom!
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the…
August 31, 2020
Blown Away…
The wind lifted me up into the trees, where I danced to the rhythm of the evergreen...
May 26, 2020
The Greatest Show….
Ladies and Gentleman..... I present to you a theatrical performance by the animals of Deception…
April 15, 2020
The Brightest Skies….
What a bright, and joyful time it were for both the Fauna and Flora at Deception Valley Conservancy…
March 31, 2020
A Predatory Paradise….
Even the bravest of creatures have fears, but it is not enough to stop them from moving on the…
March 18, 2020
A Kalahari Symphony….
Sometimes a symphony is written for either joy, anger or sadness. With the current events happening…
March 2, 2020
Team of Thunder and Lightning
Thick clouds start rolling in over Deception Valley Conservancy with the song of the Cape Turtle…
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