Tswalu Kalahari Reserve Safari Tours
What are the reasons to visit Tswalu Kalahari Reserve?
Tswalu is the largest private game reserve in South Africa, with more than 80 species of mammals. The Kalahari Desert is a singular habitat, resulting in the presence of unique and diversified fauna. It is a location designated for observing those rare critters frequently overlooked in other regions of our continent.
The reserve has exceptional opportunities to observe the remarkable desert-adapted black rhino, black-maned lions, cheetahs, meerkats, aardvarks, and pangolins. The modest antelope is revered here, with potential sightings of gemsbok, springbok, eland, red hartebeest, roan, tsessebe, and sable. Tswalu is an exceptional place for both seasoned safari enthusiasts and first-time African travelers. Tswalu seamlessly integrates with other conventional game reserves, such as Kruger National Park, due to its unique environment, animals, and safari experience.
A defining characteristic of the reserve is its flexibility. Each reservation is allocated a private, open-sided, canopied safari vehicle, together with a guide and tracker, ensuring an exclusive experience. Your exclusive, dedicated crew affords you the liberty to select your daily activities—whether it is a nocturnal drive, a foot excursion to observe meerkats, game viewing on horseback, or enjoying a picnic in the wilderness—the decision is yours! Tswalu, situated in a malaria-free zone, alleviates prophylactic concerns for tourists and guarantees a family-friendly environment. The reserve invites youngsters and actively promotes their full engagement in the safari experience. Tswalu Kalahari offers an array of exceptional eating experiences, such as sundowners on lantern-lit dunes, boma dining, and a Michelin star chef-led restaurant, Klein Jan, ensuring that all appetites are thoroughly satiated.
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve Tours and Safaris
Hotels and Lodges in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
More Information About Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
How to get to Tswalu?
Tswalu is situated in the southern Kalahari, within the borders of South Africa, and can be reached by both air and road.
BY AIR
Light Flight (the predominant method) Tswalu provides a daily scheduled service directly to the reserve’s airstrip. This is accomplished by a shared light charter trip, often a PC12, a pressurized aircraft, contingent upon passenger numbers. The flights operate daily from both Cape Town International and OR Tambo International (Johannesburg). The flights are optimally scheduled for same-day connections to and from Kruger lodges, either before or after Tswalu, should you wish to combine the reserve with another destination.
The flights between Cape Town and the airfield last 2 hours, whereas the journey to or from Johannesburg is marginally shorter, at 1.5 hours in either way. Execujet Aviation at Cape Town Airport and Fireblade Aviation in Johannesburg provide services for these flights, respectively. Upon arriving at the airfield, you will be greeted by a designated ranger, have the opportunity to drink a cold beverage and possibly use the restroom at the welcome lounge, after which you will board an open vehicle and commence your safari to the lodge.
It is crucial to note that for these light flights, which are typical of most shared light charter flights in Africa, the luggage allowance is 20 kg / 44 pounds per person (inclusive of both hand and cargo luggage) in soft-sided bags. To adhere to luggage restrictions, guests may securely keep their luggage at the designated hangar until their return from Tswalu, free of charge. Special arrangements may be arranged for an additional fee if you are traveling with a larger quantity of items.
Helicopter
Tswalu possesses a single-engine helicopter stationed at the reserve, optimally designed for VIP transportation. The helicopter is offered for private flights over the expansive terrain or to enable trips to neighboring attractions and historical sites. It also functions as a shuttle service to Upington Airport, the nearest international airport to the property, facilitating easy access to domestic flights and enabling same-day private cross-border travel arrangements through helicopter transfer.
Tswalu is accessible by road from Gauteng and Northern Cape. Your consultant will provide recommended route information in the final travel documents; however, this method is the least favored due to the reserve’s remoteness, leading to extended travel times. Traveling from Johannesburg entails an approximate route of 650 km, whereas traveling from Kimberley or Upington involves around 370 kilometers in a single trip. It is certainly feasible; but, a direct flight to the reserve airstrip is the preferred and commendable initiation to what promises to be an exceptional safari!
What is the optimal time to visit Tswalu?
For Tswalu, this question is particularly challenging to address universally for all travelers. Some individuals may be avid birdwatchers or astrologers, while others may prioritize observing a specific species or photography, necessitating a period that accommodates all their interests. The straightforward response is that “there is no optimal time to visit the reserve” — it is fundamentally a year-round destination, since each of the four seasons provides distinct viewing possibilities and showcases constantly evolving landscapes in response to the availability of water in the Kalahari. Let we elucidate:
SPRING (September – October)
The temperature rises during the day, although evenings may remain cool, so be adequately equipped. Flora commences to embellish thorny shrubs, meerkat offspring emerge from their burrows for the inaugural time, and barking geckos initiate vocalizations to attract partners… A tangible anticipation pervades the reserve as it awaits the summer rains.
SUMMER (November to March)
Summer constitutes Tswalu’s most extended and significant season. Sweltering days conclude with temperate evenings, accompanied by magnificent afternoon thunderstorms. In contrast to its usual nuisance elsewhere, rain at Tswalu is coveted, unpredictable, and awe-inspiring. During these downpours, one can observe the rapid emergence of color as the red soil of the reserve metamorphoses into a tapestry of golden blossoms. The flora and plentiful bug population attract migratory birds, and as reproductive cycles align with the onset of the rains, new life is manifest throughout, from unsteady young antelope to inquisitive jackal pups. A favored period for numerous individuals.
FALL (April – May)
Green is the predominant hue of the season, characterized by temperate days and chilly evenings as the precipitation gradually diminishes. The impala rut, characterized by the clashing of horns and combat for territory and mates, reaches its zenith, while tortoises, iguanas, and other reptiles prepare for hibernation by consuming the earth’s remaining resources. Fruits mature and offer nourishment for birds embarking on their extensive travels.
WINTER (June – August)
Overnight temperatures may fall below freezing, but daytime conditions stay cool, occasionally becoming pleasantly mild. The red soil, adorned with early morning frost, transforms the earth into a striking white spectacle. The arid season, characterized by cloudless nocturnal skies, enhances stargazing opportunities, while minor dust storms may be observed across the dunes. Raptors construct nests, as sandgrouse gather near dwindling water sources. Nocturnal animals alter their daily behaviors, lured above ground by the late afternoon sunlight, rendering winter an opportune season to search for aardvarks, aardwolves, and pangolins.
Consequently, it may be advisable to undertake multiple visits to Tswalu, ideally two, to evaluate the reserve and its features over various seasons, given the extensive and captivating nature of the contract, thereby experiencing the advantages of both periods. Following the initial appointment, you will concur that a subsequent visit is unavoidable.
What distinguishes Tswalu?
In addition to the previously noted aspects, such as being the largest private reserve in South Africa, offering guests the luxury of flexibility through private vehicle guides and trackers, being malaria-free and family-friendly, and providing ample opportunities to observe desert-adapted, rare, and endangered species, it is their conservation ethos, goals, and commitment to the Kalahari’s inhabitants that
particularly resonate with us. Their paramount objective is conservation, aiming to improve the world and repair the environment, re-establish biodiversity, and preserve the features of the Kalahari, which are integrally connected to its past, present, and future.
The term “Tswalu” signifies “a new beginning,” which underpins its philosophy. Hospitality, as a means to achieve these objectives, and genuine conservation coexist seamlessly, with each guest directly enhancing the sustainability of the reserve in an exemplary form of eco-tourism. The ecotourism concept acknowledges that the inhabitants of the wider Kalahari are essential to the ecosystem and vital for addressing conservation concerns. They can generate upskilling and employment possibilities for individuals from nearby communities, offering them significant occupations with improved health and education services.
Tswalu is a passion project for the Oppenheimer family, who assumed stewardship of the extraordinary reserve in 1998. Since then, their dedication to conservation has resulted in the reintroduction of indigenous species, progress in the restoration of the Kalahari, and the rectification of years of neglect. Since 2008, the Oppenheimer family has endorsed various initiatives, particularly the Tswalu Foundation, which allows visitors to engage in groundbreaking research on the reserve. This endeavor has significantly benefited their community, including staff and their families, researchers, visiting medical professionals supporting the healthcare center, resident artists, and all visiting guests.
The Tswalu Healthcare Centre, which serves approximately 5,000 individuals annually, is complemented by the Tswalu School and Vegetable Garden, among other facilities. The Artist in Residence (AiR) program, recently established by the Tswalu Foundation, aims to showcase local South African artists. Visiting artists are urged to draw inspiration from the Kalahari, with the option to display their ensuing work at the esteemed Everard Read gallery in Johannesburg. A key aspect of the AiR initiative is that all revenue derived from the sale of created artwork is allocated to financing environmental research at Tswalu, so establishing a connection between environmental sustainability, skills enhancement, and community development.
What activities are available at Tswalu?
Tswalu’s status as a private reserve indicates that its territory is exclusively reserved for its guests, without sharing with visitors from other concessions or lodges. This is a significant advantage in the safari realm, as it indicates the absence of restricted regions, allowing for extended observation at sightings due to the limited number of safari vehicles across the reserve. Your days are entirely yours to plan in collaboration with your personal guide upon arrival. The following items are available:
Safari Excursions
Each reservation is allocated a private open-sided, canopied vehicle, together with a guide and tracker, both of whom are specifically trained in the distinctive Kalahari environment, for the entirety of your stay. Game drives are customized to align with the interests of the attendees. Consider concentrating on cheetahs, as it is undoubtedly one of the premier locations in Southern Africa to observe these wonderful animals in their natural habitat. Given that the reserve presents significant opportunities for observing animals that are otherwise difficult to locate, you can focus on seeking aardvark, pangolin, and others.
Strolls
Few locations globally provide opportunities for on-foot encounters with meerkat colonies, particularly not in the manner witnessed here. Their sociable disposition and entertaining behaviors (such as early morning sunbathing and engaging in confrontations with scorpions) have rendered meerkats exceedingly popular. The two habituated colonies at Tswalu have accommodated human presence without interfering with their essential activities of grooming and foraging. Tswalu may organize nocturnal hikes for adult tourists, revealing the enchantment of the Kalahari post-sunset.
Equestrian Safaris
The reserve offers a selection of horses on-site, accompanied by a seasoned horse guide and a backup rider for all excursions. Provision is made for both children and inexperienced riders, in addition to experienced equestrians.
Astronomy observation
Tswalu is undoubtedly one of the premier locations for stargazing in South Africa.
Investigating archaeological locations
Prepare a picnic and investigate the Korannaberg highlands, home to remarkable San rock art that is approximately 380,000 years old.
The Malori Sleep-out (additional fee)
Envision resting in an opulent king-size bed on an elevated platform, enveloped by the sounds of nocturnal wildlife, with no barrier separating you from the radiant stars of the Kalahari night sky.Tswalu’s original sleep-out deck, The Malori (meaning ‘dreamer’ in Tswana), provides visitors with the distinctive opportunity for a safari sleep-out. The Malori deck features an elevated platform with a thatched canopy providing shelter in the event of rain. Guests may opt to sleep beneath the thatch or further down the deck, where it is entirely exposed. The charming bush suite features weather-resistant shades that can be adjusted as desired, and an outdoor toilet, sink, and shower are conveniently located nearby along an illuminated pathway. The Malori deck is designed to optimize the stunning environment and offers panoramic vistas of the expansive Green Kalahari grasslands. It is designed to highlight the amazing sunsets of the Kalahari.
Naledi Overnight Stay
The Naledi sleep-out experience is the latest guest activity at Tswalu. Naledi, signifying ‘star’ in the Tswana language, represents Tswalu’s immersive back-to-nature star bed experience. Naledi, situated atop a valley with panoramic vistas, caters to the genuine adventurer desiring to slumber under the southern Kalahari’s radiant canopy of stars in security and solitude. Experiencing a night in a star bed, with no barrier between oneself and the night sky, has gained popularity as travelers seek genuine, unmediated encounters with nature. Naledi has been intentionally designed to remain understated, ensuring that it does not overshadow its secluded and tranquil location in the southern part of the reserve. Naledi is intended as a romantic retreat for two people, however it is equally suitable for a family of four. Camping stretchers are adorned with opulent bed linen, and just a few steps from the primary Naledi deck, there is an open-air shower, sink, and toilet situated on a separate timber platform.
The isolation of being stranded in the southern Kalahari, devoid of noise or light pollution, Wi-Fi, mobile reception, or any contemporary distractions, provides an optimal opportunity for bonding among couples and families.
Is Tswalu suitable for families?
Affirmative, indeed! Tswalu is a malaria-free locale that accommodates children of all ages. The reserve is ideal for families with children, providing a variety of experiences that enable parents to acquaint their offspring with nature, wildlife, conservation concepts, and, naturally, several enjoyable activities.
Motse Camp provides families with lodging in three family suites. Each unit encompasses 246 square meters and features two distinct bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom. The extensive children’s menu accommodates diverse preferences, and various meal hours are readily available. Additionally, complimentary child-minding services are provided at any time, enabling parents can enjoy more formal or private nights.
Upon arrival, each kid receives a bag filled with resources and equipment; they are afforded the opportunity to converse with staff regarding their interests and aspirations. This program has been meticulously crafted to cater to the interests of a diverse age spectrum. Activities encompass baking, guided horseback treks, archery (initiated by crafting your own bow and arrow), spoor identification and casting, along with foot tracking. Children’s nature walks are highly instructive and frequently conclude with an excellent lunch, to which parents are also invited. At Tswalu, it is noteworthy that, unlike many reserves, younger children are welcomed on private game drives.