Tswalu Kalahari

premier Camp | Southern Kalahari, South Africa

(5.00)

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As the largest private game reserve in South Africa, reaching 260,000 acres, Tswalu is characterized by vast landscapes and an unrivaled exclusivity. This luxurious nature retreat offers unmatched flexibility, catering the experience to each guest, and a unique diversity of wildlife not commonly seen elsewhere. Tswalu is easily accessible from major hubs of South Africa and offers myriad activities, from wildlife drives to horseback riding and nature walks.

Our Expert Says

I have been traveling to Africa now for almost 30 years so it takes a lot to impress me, but Tswalu blew me away. The wildlife viewing was superb, many animals you don’t see in other places like black-maned lion, sable, black and white rhino and close-up meerkat encounters. The horseback riding here was the best I have ever done, bringing us miraculously close to animals that are normally skittish. The food and accommodations are superb, and their guides are outstanding. This is a great example of conservation.

– Wendy Klausner

The Camp

Location: Southern Kalahari, South Africa
Number of Suites: 9

Tswalu’s main lodge, The Motse, is comprised of merely nine "legaes," or suites. Nestled at the foot of the Korannaberg Mountains and overlooking a vast grassland, the lodge is built of local stone, red clay and Kalahari thatch, evoking a distinct local feel and barefoot luxury. Every suite has a generously-sized bedroom and bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, an open fireplace, a private sun deck overlooking a waterhole, and a separate dressing and study area. The main house has a lounge and dining area with a library, museum of local artifacts, outdoor swimming pools, wine cellar, spa, gym, mezzanine National Geographic library, the Tswalu Foundation gallery and a photographic studio. Modern comforts such as wireless Internet and satellite television are available. Tswalu also has a five-bedroom lodge called Tarkuni that sleeps up to 10 guests.

Facilities & Amenities

En suite bathroom with tub and indoor/outdoor showers
Shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion
Room fan
Mini bar
Tea/coffee and snacks in room
220v charging outlets in room
In-room safe
Central swimming pool
Malori and Naledi sleepouts (extra cost)
Spa (extra cost)
Fitness center
Wi-Fi available
Laundry included
All drinks included
Credit cards accepted

Wildlife Viewing & Activities

Tswalu is a unique wildlife viewing area, with about 80 mammal species and over 240 species of birds. There are resident black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah on the open savanna, a noteworthy population of desert black rhino, white rhino, and rare antelopes and plains wildlife such as roan, sable, tsessebe and Hartmann’s mountain zebra. Other Kalahari species include gemsbok, springbok, eland, and red hartebeest. Brown hyena can sometimes be seen. Aardvark and aardwolf are great sightings, and possibly one of the most enjoyable encounters is seeing the semi-habituated meerkats. In addition to day and night wildlife drives and nature walks, horseback riding is available to all levels on the reserve in both western and English saddle, and all equipment is provided for you. The stunning Malori sleepout deck comprises a king sized bed on a platform in the middle of the quiet desert, covered by a thatched canopy but open to the desert smells and sounds – it is the ultimate nature experience during your stay. The Malori sleepout is best booked in advance and does incur an additional cost.

The Southern Kalahari has varying concentrations and species of wildlife, and the below chart helps to illustrate major wildlife sightings often experienced in the area. Some unique sub-species you may encounter are Hartmann’s mountain zebra, brown hyena, roan antelope, red hartebeest, and a number of other mammals, like aardvark, aardwolf, pangolin and meerkats, a variety of birds and reptiles.

Country	Park/Reserve	Black Rhino	Buffalo	Cheetah	Eland	Gemsbok / Oryx	Giraffe	Hyena	Leopard	Lion	Sable Antelope	White Rhino	Wild Dog	Zebra
South Africa	Southern Kalahari

Usually viewed

Frequently viewed

Occasionally viewed

Sporadically viewed

Rarely to never viewed

Climate

Month	Max	Min	Rainfall
January	94° F	65° F	1.06 in
	34° C	18° C	27 mm
February	90° F	65° F	1.69 in
	32° C	18° C	43 mm
March	86° F	59° F	1.5 in
	30° C	15° C	38 mm
April	81° F	52° F	0.43 in
	27° C	11° C	11 mm
May	75° F	41° F	0.04 in
	23° C	5° C	1 mm
June	68° F	36° F	0.0 in
	20° C	2° C	0 mm
July	68° F	35° F	0.0 in
	20° C	1° C	0 mm
August	72° F	39° F	0.0 in
	22° C	3° C	0 mm
September	79° F	46° F	0.0 in
	26° C	7° C	0 mm
October	84° F	53° F	0.2 in
	28° C	11° C	5 mm
November	88° F	60° F	0.39 in
	31° C	15° C	10 mm
December	92° F	62° F	0.87 in
	33° C	16° C	22 mm

Conservation

Recipients of the World Wildlife Fund Lonmin Award for environmental conservation, Nicky and Strilli Oppenheimer, owners of Tswalu, are conservation champions in South Africa. The Oppenheimers' mission has always been “to restore the Kalahari to itself.” Upon taking over the property, hunting was stopped, man-made structures were removed, land was added to the reserve and regenerated, and indigenous wildlife was able to return. The Tswalu Foundation, since 2008, has supported research in species and ecology of the Kalahari system, as well as granting funds for social and community projects. There is a primary clinic and crèche at Tswalu to provide healthcare and educational services in this isolated area. Special programs at the clinic address HIV/AIDS and proper nutrition, and it’s open not only to staff but also to people from surrounding areas. There is both a school for children and an adult literacy program, and the literacy rate has increased under this program by over 58% in the last decade. Visits to see these efforts and facilities are available to guests of Tswalu.