Courtesy of Bushmans Kloof
It was long after dark.
Roelof Wiesner, our guide and driver, jolted the car to a halt.
Aardvark, the two men whispered in unison.
A table set for a meal under the stars at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat.Credit:Courtesy of Bushmans Kloof
Then they switched the lights off.
We were in a mountainous corner of the Karoo, a desert that covers a third ofSouth Africa.
(The nameKaroocomes from a word meaning place of thirst in the Khoikhoi language.)
Guest room at the andBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge, in South Africa.Courtesy of andBeyond
The Karoo is largely free of light pollution and offers spectacular views of the southern celestial hemisphere.
In recent years, lodges throughoutSouth Africahave started catering to travelers who want a clearer view of the cosmos.
In the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains,Starry Starry Night Eco Mountain Lodgefeatures star-domed tented cottages with skylights.
Photography lovers might consider the nine-suiteThanda Safari Lodge,which offers workshops in shooting the stars.
