Kuruman Hotels

• smirnofforiginal
• Reviews: 871

talons, birds & beaks: Kalahari Raptor Centre

We were a family of four so were not able to stay here overnight (a daytrip to see the raptors only!) but, if you are 1 or 2 persons you can stay here quite easily. All buildings looked new and the grounds aer kept immaculately. The centre is run by a couple of retired, well travelled Brits and I would expect standards of accommodation to be high, clean and comfortable.

The accommodation is set within the 600 hectacres of the KRC in the Kalahari, quite simply miles from anywhere, but conveniently a few kms from Kuruman!

Their website is : http://www.raptor.co.za but the last time I tried to access it is was nor working. Type Kalahari Raptor Centre into a Google search and you'll easily find information about it.

• Opinion of Price: N/A
• Related to: Road Trip, Birdwatching
• Written January 10, 2010

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• nora_south_africa
• Reviews: 1095

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• mke1963
• Reviews: 1409

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Red Sands Country Lodge: Red Sands Country Lodge

I stayed just one night at Red Sands Lodge yet it was possibly the most memorable night of my entire two months in South Africa. I got up early and sat outside my door - fortunately my cabin was at the very end of the line and there was nothing beyond me but for the scrub and the ridges of red sand stretching up and away from me. In the camelthorn, hundreds of birds jumped around. I watched some type of desert mouse flit across the ground. All around me was silence, broken only by birdsong. In the distance, kudu grazed. I sat for more than two hours, listening to the quiet. You don't get this kind of quiet in Beijing unless you are dead.
Close to the main lodge building, weaver birds were extremely busy building their nests, oblivious to the visitors having breakfast nearby. You can't manufacture this kind of lifestyle.

Red Sands Lodge, owned by the Kaufmann family, is a wonderful place to stay if, and only if, you want peace and quiet, or can create your own entertainment in a remote, arid environment. The size of the farm allows very long, very peaceful walks which will take you even more into the natural environment. It's stark and inhospitable, but also very beautiful; the biodiversity is much more impressive than you might imagine. The farm has a variety of antelopes and other game, some of which wander into the lodge area at night.

There are a range of brick and wood cabins spread around the main lodge area, and although the interiors feel a little dated (OK, a lot dated) but which are comfortable and homely. I loved it here.
The restaurant is well-known and attracts plenty of evening diners who come for the barbecue, the buffet and the ice-cold beer.

There is a swimming pool, but it was empty when I was there - don't know why.

For all its remoteness, some 15km from Kuruman, Red Sands Lodge is a popular place - it's on the route from pretty much everywhere else in South Africa and the Kalahari. Book ahead!

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Written January 30, 2006

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