Twyfelfontein Country Lodge

A super-large double-storey thatched building houses the main area, its decor inspired by the environment. The reception, curio shop and activities desk are on the ground floor. Upstairs, a spacious, open-sided bar has superb views of the valley, as does the large dining room, which is enclosed to keep out flying creatures. Meals are usually served buffet style (and are very expensive). In front of the building, a swimming pool provides much needed reprieve from the heat.

Fifty-six rooms are built in blocks of eight – half of them facing the valley and the remainder facing the mountains behind the lodge. Some rooms are linked to accommodate families. All are pretty small with few luxuries besides a comfortable bed, but they're spotlessly clean, with good showers in the recently renovated en-suite bathrooms. Although there are fans, the rooms get extremely hot. The single VIP suite has a spacious bedroom, two bathrooms, a kitchenette and a private pool.

Besides the obvious draw of the San rock art, the geological formations – Brandberg (Burnt Mountain), Organ Pipes, Doros Crater and the Petrified Forest – are well worth a visit. The lodge organises day trips to these sites, but it's easy enough to visit them on your own, provided you have your own wheels. Do some stargazing and sign up for an elephant tracking tour,looking out for giraffe, springbok, gemsbok and some strange desert-adapted plants en route.