Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve

Imagine a land of vast savannah, golden grasses rippling in the wind, and dunes extending into the horizon – this is where Tswalu is focusing on unhurried safari adventures, conservation, and nature-based tourism.

Must-Visit Areas in Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve

You can explore this reserve through game drives, nature walks, horseback rides, and photographic safaris. During your adventures, these three areas are not to be missed:

Meerkat Habitats: Immersive Wildlife Experience

A unique activity at Tswalu is the meerkat experience. You’ll visit these cute weasel-like creatures in their natural habitat. Positioned just a few metres away, you’ll be able to watch a family of meerkats pop up from their burrows in the morning light, play with each other, and forage for food.

Naledi Star Bed: A Night Out in the Open

If you’re planning a couple’s safari, you can’t miss out on the Naledi star bed experience. You’ll spend a night surrounded by nature, with no walls separating you from the sights and sounds. A huge expanse of stars will twinkle above you as you nestle down in a plush bed on an elevated platform.

When is the Best Time to Go to Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve?

Tswalu is a year-round safari destination, with exciting sightings no matter the month. In the Kalahari, the winter months are dry, making water sources scarce – animals can be seen at the final remaining watering holes. Summer brings dramatic thunderstorms and showers, causing the landscape to flourish. This is the time of the year when animals have their young – so you may see adorable newborns – and migratory birds make an appearance.

Wildlife Found in Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve

During a Tswalu Kalahari safari, you’ll come across many desert-adapted wildlife, including oryxes, black-maned lions, desert black rhinos, and African wild dogs. Snuffling warthogs, territorial wildebeests, and herds of rare Hartmann’s mountain zebras can often be seen across the broad plains. Predators on the reserve include graceful cheetahs and monogamous black-backed jackals.

This is the land of the elusive five – pangolins, brown hyenas, aardvarks, aardwolves, and bat-eared foxes also call the reserve home. As they’re nocturnal, the best time to see them is during nighttime game drives.

The 264 bird species make Tswalu a fantastic bird safari destination in South Africa. A stay here can include sightings of the Kalahari scrub-robin, secretarybird, kori bustard, and spotted eagle-owl.

How to Get to Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve

Tswalu is located in the Northern Cape of South Africa. To get there, after arriving in either Cape Town or Johannesburg, you can take a charter flight to the reserve.