Fodor's Expert Review Tutwa Desert Lodge

Tutwa is far flung but far from ordinary, a slice of luxury amid both Kalahari wilderness and Orange River oasis—you can head off on a game drive and return for a paddle on the river, potentially spotting more animals from your canoe. The game-viewing is spare but high-quality, featuring giraffe, wildebeest, eland, ostrich, and oryx by day and aardvark, jackal, aardwolf, and even leopard at night. What's most extraordinary, though, is the rocky terrain, comprised of basalt with rose-quartz shards measuring as much as a meter (3 feet) in both length and width. The lodge also offers opportunities to fly-fish and to learn more about San culture and history. The downstairs verandah suites and the four Annex suites upstairs—with their views—are the most desirable. Babysitting services and three self-catering cottages are also available.