The Feline Fields Lodge experience

Unwind on a slow safari in the heart of the Kalahari

Vast beyond measure and about as remote as you can get in Botswana, the region of the Kalahari that's home to Feline Fields Lodge is not your average desert, being filled with a rich variety of life and incredible, breathtaking landscapes. It's a place that begs you to stop, take a deep breath and just be still, absorbing the magic of the wilderness around you and adapting to a much slower pace that's determined by ancient, natural rhythms. It's a reboot for body, mind and soul... 

Feline Fields Lodge embodies the ethos of a slow safari - one where you unpack your bags, make yourself at home and discover everything you miss when you're living the everyday life in the concrete jungles we invariably call home. With no fixed daily itinerary, you're at leisure to decide what you want to do and when you want to do it, indulging in a range of great activities or doing nothing at all.

Whether in a fabulous Pool Suite, one of three gorgeous Bush Suites or the glorious two-bedroomed Family Villa, you're going to be enjoying first-class comfort come what may, with life's necessities taken care of in no small amount of style and undiluted luxury. Strung out like the tendrils of a tsamma melon to either side of the beautiful main lodge building with its signature swimming pool and uninterrupted views over the Kalahari, the suites and villa have acres of space between them, ensuring complete privacy.

Feline Fields Lodge is so much more than the sum of its exceptional facilities, though, being in possession of something much more precious than mere luxury - tranquillity. In a world where absolute peace is hard to come by, this place is pure gold. 

There's a sense of silence in the Kalahari that you only find in deserts. A stillness that almost deafens you. Even though there are the inevitable noises of birds going about their business, a soft breeze moving across vegetation, and the lap of water in the pool as you dangle your feet into its refreshing coolness, the air is heavy with calm. Your body reacts instinctively, switching into relaxation mode, undisturbed by the constant stimuli that urban existence bombards it with. 

You breathe more deeply, see more clearly, hear more sharply and somehow become more attuned to everything around you. You feel lighter, more positive, energised... Which is good because there's so much to do and see during your stay!

The Kalahari may be called a desert because it has low rain levels but it's far from desert-like. Consisting of 900,000 square kilometres of mostly semi-arid, sandy savannah it covers most of Botswana and parts of neighbouring Namibia and South Africa. It supports a wide variety of fauna and flora, and the vegetation can be dense in places. It's also exceptionally beautiful...

Days begin as nature intended, with the rising sun. Which at Feline Fields Lodge is generally spectacular and worth waking early to witness. It begins as a faint glow on the eastern horizon which slowly turns orange and burnished gold as the sun begins its ascent, accompanied by a dawn chorus which reaches a crescendo as the first rays break free and bathe the Kalahari in a soft, warm light. 

Choose whether to stay in bed or take advantage of the early start with some fresh coffee on your deck before deciding what you'd like to do with your day.

Whether it's exploring the Kalahari on horseback, taking a slow walk with the local San Bushmen, grabbing a "fat bike" and venturing out into the wilderness on two wheels or playing tennis, you're spoiled for choice. You can also venture out to visit the Feline Fields Trust playgroup project at the village of Kaure or go on a guided game drive in search of local wildlife, doing some birding en route. You're not going to get bored. 

You're also not going to go hungry, with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and a three-course dinner to look forward to each day! 

Sunset is traditionally a time when we sit back and reflect on the day's adventures with a drink in hand, around a crackling log fire, watching as the sun sinks to kiss the horizon once more. You have the chance to share this experience with some of our San Bushmen, gathering with them at the fire to learn more about their ancient way of life.

The day ends in darkness, with dinner taken either out in the bush under the canopy of a billion stars, or alongside the pool or "à deux" in the privacy of your suite. But the adventure does not have to be over... Take a late-night swim, listen to the sounds of the Kalahari at night with a digestif or two, go on a night drive in search of leopards and other nocturnal creatures or just sit on your deck with a cup of coffee and be still and present, absorbing as much as you can so that you can take a little piece of the Kalahari with you when you leave.