Aloë Lodge
“I was sitting on the deck of Aloe Lodge in Grootfontein overlooking the forest and rocky outcrops when I saw an eagle hunting down a klipdassie. This place in South Africa is National Geographic Channel in Full HD.”
Completely off the grid you can find the Aloë Lodge about two hours driving from Johannesburg. Located in the middle of the Grootfontein Nature reserve you can see various kinds of animals running around the lodge. When I was there I heard and saw so many animals. You are free to walk around the reserve since no large predators are located in the reserve. Imagine you walking there and you cross paths with a giraffe or kudu without the relative safety of your car. It feels so naked and real.
The lodge has only a few walls. The lodge consists of three “rooms” within the same building. Most rooms are completely open with just a back wall to support the roof. It is strange sleeping in a place where there are no walls and the wind is blowing in your face while you are asleep. It is magical to wake up in the morning of the birds that start to wake up and the monkeys that start fighting over breakfast.
There is space for eight people. From the deck and the pool you have great views over the reserve. This lodge is completely off the grid. There is no cellphone reception, no wifi, no electricity and tv. The shower and toilet are in a seperate building and are open plan. The shower is a parafin shower which works amazingly well.
It takes about 20 minutes to drive on a narrow gravel road to reach the main gravel road. From there is another 20 minutes to the closest tarroad. The lodge is fully self catering with a large fireplace to do a traditional African braai. Wood is provided.
