Ai Aiba Rock Painting Lodge

Ensconced by 2000-metre-tall mountains, Ai Aiba is as far from the rat race as you could get. Gaze out at the desertscape from the pool or recline under the palms as endemic wildlife visit the nearby waterhole. The main lodge has high, thatched ceilings and the communal dining area, decorated with driftwood and San motifs, is where you'll enjoy outstanding dishes for lunch and dinner. An open-plan lounge and crackling fireplace is ideal for chilly desert evenings, and sunset is best enjoyed from the outdoor firepit.

Dotted below the boulders, there are 10 thatched chalets, housing two air-conditioned rooms each. The decor is muted and soothing with patterned couches, black-and-white photographs and ceramic bric-a-brac. The bathrooms are enormous with a walk-in shower and luxury toiletries. Each room has a comfy sitting area with large windows that reveal the rocky outcrops and savannah, peppered with Seussian flora. Outside, there's a small veranda where you can enjoy a morning cuppa from the Nespresso machine.

Top of the list is undoubtedly the San rock art, which you'll discover in caves and along cliffs with an expert guide to offer interpretation. You could even visit the San Living Museum, where you'll have the chance to walk into the desert to learning about medicinal plants and the traditional way of life of the Bushmen. As you explore the area (by foot, bike or vehicle), you'll see incredible birdlife - there are five species of hornbill alone - and the day always ends with a memorable sundowner.