Waterberg Wilderness Lodge

Waterberg Wilderness sits in a valley below the red sandstone cliffs of the Waterberg plateau, at the eastern edge of the Kalahari. A spring feeds the property and large trees and bamboo grow across the grounds — which is why the air here feels cooler and heavier than the dry plateau above. The lodge is built in a farmhouse style and belongs to a private nature reserve of the same name.

Double rooms are decorated with photographs of the former farm, each with a sitting area, shower, and a terrace looking out to the garden and the cliff face. Family units add a second bedroom, a lounge, and the same terrace view over bush and rock. All rooms have mosquito nets.

The reserve's main activities run on a fixed schedule. Morning rhino tracking and guided plateau hikes both depart at eight o'clock; rhino drives and a guided hike offered as a private evening excursion leave at four in the afternoon. Cultural tours go out to Hereroland. Five nature trails cross the property, including a botanical trail and a signed trail that traces the area's past through a series of interpretive boards. Bird watching is available across the grounds.

The restaurant serves a set dinner menu of European dishes from the farmhouse kitchen. There is also a garden café, a bar, and two pools.