!Xaus Community Lodge

!Xaus Lodge sits deep in the red dunes of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, off the Auob River road on the South African side. It is owned by the ‡Khomani San and Mier communities, and guides come from those communities. People stay here for the remoteness, the desert night sky and the chance to walk the Kalahari with people whose families have lived in it for generations.

What to expect

There are 12 thatched chalets, including one family unit. Each has an en-suite bathroom with a shower and a private wooden deck overlooking a salt pan and waterhole. The main building has a lounge with a fireplace, a dining room, a pool and a craft shop.

Stays are full board, and activities are included: game drives in open vehicles, night drives, guided walks led by community members and a visit to a Bushman craft village. A telescope on the deck helps with stargazing, as the park is an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

Practical details

• Getting there: guests meet lodge staff at the Kamqua picnic site. 4x4 drivers can follow in convoy over the dunes. Everyone else parks in a set area and transfers in a lodge vehicle.
• Upington is the nearest airport, about 350 km away, and transfers can be arranged.
• Walking safaris are for ages 12 and up.

Good to know

There is no mobile signal or internet. Electricity comes from a generator that runs about five hours a day and switches off at 10pm, so bring a torch and charge things when you can. There is no air-conditioning, only ceiling fans, which matters in a Kalahari summer.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: !Xaus Lodge, Expert Africa, SA-Venues.