Restoring the Kalahari through sustainable conservation, supported by nature-based tourism
Tswalu offers a true wilderness experience on the southernmost edge of the Kalahari, and privileged access to the largest privately protected area in South Africa. From the landmark Korannaberg mountains to the southern Kalahari’s typical arid savannah and iconic ochre dunes rippling away to the horizon, days on safari are unscripted and unhurried.
With guaranteed access to a private safari vehicle, our guests have the freedom and flexibility to explore the remote reaches of the reserve in their own time and at their own pace. Besides game drives, safari activities include habituated meerkat encounters, nature walks, tracking, horse riding, stargazing, star-bed experiences, and meeting visiting scientific researchers and resident artists.
Tswalu is first and foremost an ambitious conservation project, sustainably safeguarding vital habitat and the restoring biodiversity. Offering a private and exclusive safari experience for a maximum of 40 guests in one of three luxury safari camps, the ratio of guests to wilderness space is one of the lowest in South Africa. This low footprint, sustainable model of nature-based tourism is vital to supporting the conservation work that is at the heart of Tswalu’s purpose to leave the world better than how it was found.
Choosing Tswalu for your safari not only contributes significantly to our conservation vision but positively impacts our sustainability journey. Tswalu releases an annual impact statement, a tool developed in collaboration with our sustainability partner, The Long Run, to calculate the cost of conservation and the positive contribution to nature and people. By staying with us, guests help conserve 114,000 hectares and impact the lives of 282 residents. In 2021, this equated to a US$ 5.8 million investment in nature and people. In addition, nature-based tourism helped provide essential health care to approximately 1000 people through the Tswalu Health Care Centre, a free community service for anyone living within a 100-kilometre radius of the reserve.
SAFARI CAMPS
Your African adventure begins in one of three luxury safari camps, overlooking the wide, open spaces of the southern Kalahari. Whether you choose the Motse, Tarkuni or Loapi, luxury accommodation and generous South African hospitality set the scene for a deeply private wilderness experience. With the lowest guest footprint in South Africa, at Tswalu there is space to breathe out and reconnect with nature.
SAFARI EXPERIENCES
With wildlife conservation at its core, Tswalu offers privileged access to unique safari experiences in South Africa’s biggest privately protected wildlife reserve. A private safari vehicle, field guide and experienced tracker are guaranteed with every accommodation booking. With this comes the exclusivity to plan deeply immersive days on safari, both on and off the safari vehicle.
WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
From iconic Kalahari wildlife sightings of black-maned lions, cheetah, black rhino, oryx and wild dog to tracking the elusive, nocturnal creatures, such as pangolin, aardvark and brown hyena, extraordinary and unusual encounters add a thrilling dimension to game drives. Tswalu is also one of the only places in South Africa to experience habituated meerkats up close.
SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION
Tswalu’s sustainable conservation journey to restore the Kalahari is supported by a high-value, low-impact ecotourism model of nature-based tourism with community and culture at its core. Staying in one of our small, luxury safari camps contributes to the sustainability of the entire reserve as well as the Tswalu Foundation, which is dedicated to scientific research.
As South Africa’s biggest wildlife reserve, Tswalu is a bold conservation project supported by a sustainable model of ecotourism. Choosing to stay in one Tswalu’s small, luxury safari camps contributes to our vision to leave the world better than how we found it. As a member of The Long Run, Tswalu is committed to a continuous journey of sustainability guided by the four key benchmarks of conservation, community, culture and commerce.
The Long RunTswalu Kalahari is a member of Oppenheimer Generations, a diverse community of commercial ventures and not-for-profit organisations representing the global interests of the Nicky and Jonathan Oppenheimer family.
RECENT INSTAGRAM POSTS
Meerkats seem like natural posers, always ready to play a starring role in your safari shots. The truth is, that our conservation team has carefully habituated these little characters to the presence of humans. Responsible habituation is an ongoing process that takes time and patience.
📸 @mattyhollandwildlife
#Tswalu
Recognised as one of Africa’s last remaining wildernesses, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a destination in its own right offering the guarantee of a private vehicle, guide and tracker at no additional cost. This immediately sets the tone for days of deep exploration and discovery. Luxury is losing yourself in the reserve`s vast, untrammelled landscapes and being able to spend as long as you want at sightings.
🦏 Read our latest story to find out what else gives Tswalu the X factor - at the link in bio.
#Tswalu
Image @MarcusWestbergPhotography
With a mission to harness the potential of nature-based tourism to positively impact the planet and people, we believe that every day is Earth Day. Safeguarding the environment in which we live and operate is a work in progress, requiring incremental steps to amplify our positive impact and mitigate the negative.
Sustainability is a journey, whether tapping into smart tech to substantiate our ideals with measurable, trackable data (thanks, @weareweeva) or balancing our regenerative conservation vision with community and cultural objectives, guided by @TheLongRunOrg
Working towards adopting more sustainable, earth-friendly practices takes a village. Prince Ngomane, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve`s Sustainability Officer, works closely with a team of community representatives to champion Tswalu’s big-picture sustainability goals in the staff villages. It starts with teaching everyone to be more mindful of their everyday habits and encompasses everything from actively encouraging recycling to the responsible use of resources like water and solar energy.
🌍️ Read more about how we track our sustainability journey by measuring our impact - at the link in bio.
Images @MarcusWestbergPhotography
#Tswalu
Situated on a large inland plateau more than 1000 metres above sea level, the southern Kalahari has a dry climate that sees low humidity and little cloud cover throughout the year. No secret then that Tswalu Kalahari Reserve puts on a dazzling light show.
#Tswalu
Summer in the green Kalahari yielded an abundance of sightings and plenty of photographic opportunities.
Image @Trevor_Kleyn
#Tswalu
It’s been a stellar year for Loapi Tented Camp! Hot on the heels of that star moment on the March cover of Conde Nast Traveller came news of Loapi`s inclusion in Afar’s Best New Hotels 2024.
🥂 We`re so happy that Loapi has also been chosen as one of the ‘Best New Lodges in the Wild’ by @TownandCountryMag in the T&C Best New Hotels on the Planet 2024.
🤩 Recognition by the world’s most desirable travel titles attests to Tswalu’s enduring appeal and ongoing excellence.
🔗 Follow the link in bio to get the lowdown on Loapi.
#Tswalu
Loapi at sunset by @AndrewMorganPhoto
Golden Hour puts a rosy glow on this feel-good sighting of a young giraffe nuzzling its mother, strengthening the bond between them.
#Tswalu
There are so many reasons to love Tswalu! Stretching for 114,000 hectares (282,000 acres) across the southern Kalahari, our guests have privileged, exclusive access to space in abundance on the reserve. Plus, unlimited time on privately guided drives and walks to explore the rich biodiversity of this remote destination.
🔗 Find out what gives this slice of paradise the X factor in our latest story on the blog, `10 Reasons to love Tswalu` - follow the link in bio.
Image @ZhenyaSwan
#Tswalu
Whether new to photography or travelling with a new camera, nothing beats returning home with exceptional photos as a reminder of an extraordinary trip.
We recommend private tuition with specialist photographic guide Trevor Kleyn (pictured). Based full-time at Tswalu, Trevor is not only an experienced safari guide and natural teacher but knows the reserve like the back of his hand.
PS Booking a private photographic safari guarantees the use of our modified safari vehicle, designed with comfort, ease and practicality in mind.
🔗 Read more at the link in bio.
Image of @Trevor_Kleyn taken by @MarcusWestbergPhotography
#Tswalu
It was a summer to remember. Seasonal rains greened the southern Kalahari and sightings and photographic opportunities were off the charts.
As our guides always say, the best camera you have is the one in your hands.
Read our story to brush up on your photography know-how before your next trip, whether bringing a smartphone or a professional camera.
🗝️ Link in bio.
Black-backed jackal by @Trevor_Kleyn
#Tswalu
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve has been synonymous with pangolin research for over eight years. Assistant ecologist Dr Wendy Panaino (@wendz222) wrote her thesis on the thermal biology, diet, and behaviour of Temminck`s pangolins, and University of the Witwatersrand student @DanielRossouw20 has just wrapped up a year of research looking at the functional role that pangolins play in the environment. A new project is about to commence studying the habits of pangolin young.
Spending time in the field with researchers working on one of the numerous projects supported by the Tswalu Foundation is an experience that will not only enrich your safari but lend perspective to our 30-year legacy of restoring the fragile Kalahari ecosystem through research-based conservation.
🗝️ At the link in bio, read more about pangolin research supported by the Tswalu Foundation.
Image by @Trevor_Kleyn
#Tswalu
Can we take a moment to appreciate this clever little copycat? Up-close sightings of the Southern Pride cubs have been a highlight of safaris this summer.
Our photographic guide, Trevor Kleyn, had a front-row seat to many of the best wildlife encounters of the summer season, when the `green Kalahari` comes into its own.
Tswalu is a year-round destination and each season brings fresh photographic opportunities. As we like to advise, whenever you are free to travel is the best time to go!
🗝️ If you feel inspired to polish your photography skills before your next trip, read our latest story - link in bio.
Video @Trevor_Kleyn
#Tswalu
When it comes to family travel, a safari is hard to beat - especially for multigenerational family time.
We are thrilled to be recognised as a family-friendly and sustainable safari destination by @afarmedia. Tswalu is also malaria-free, which makes it ideal for the very young and the elderly.
@afarmedia chose Tswalu Kalahari Reserve as one of the 15 Family-friendly Hotels they love the most across the globe.
“Private guides and vehicles allow families to choose their own adventure, whether that means seeking cheetahs one evening or visiting with a habituated meerkat mob on another morning.”
Excerpt from @afarmedia `The World`s 15 Best Family-friendly Hotels and Resorts`
🗝️ To read the full review, follow the link in bio.
#Tswalu
Image by @_smthphotos_
Action-packed wild dog sightings have been a highlight for many of our guests in recent days. Even in camp. The pack of 15 wild dogs descended on the waterhole right in front of the Motse - a real `armchair safari` moment of the very best kind.
Wild dogs are notorious for appearing as suddenly as they vanish, covering vast distances in a day. For those lucky enough to be on the Motse’s verandah when the dogs stopped to take a drink from the waterhole, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. The unexpected, often brief nature of wild dog sightings is what makes them memorable.
Image @MarcusWestbergPhotography
#Tswalu
To up your photography game, we recommend private photographic tuition with specialist guide Trevor Kleyn. Whether new to photography or travelling with a new camera, nothing beats returning home with exceptional photos as a reminder of epic days on safari. Booking a private photographic safari guarantees the use of our modified safari vehicle.
🔗 Read more about the advantages of booking a photographic safari at the link in bio.
Image @MarcusWestbergPhotography
#Tswalu
