From the beginning, Nicky Oppenheimer’s mission has been clear.
“To restore the Kalahari to itself.”
And to secure the future of this land and its people by creating a sensitive and sustainable model of tourism, allowing visitors to Tswalu Kalahari to witness its beauty and protect it too. In the Tswana language, “Tswalu” means “new beginning”. The last decade here has been just that.
Tswalu has superlative game and offers sightings of some of Southern Africa’s rarest and most extraordinary wildlife. In particular, our population of desert black rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis) now represents one third of South Africa’s remaining population. Kalahari lions, with their celebrated black manes, are huge and gorgeous. Frequent cheetah sightings are possible in the open savannah and meerkats, with their enchanting antics, can be viewed at close range here.
Tswalu’s 90 species of mammals include rare antelope such as roan, sable and tsessebe. Giraffe browse upon thorny acacias. Burchell’s zebra wander across the grasslands whilst the rarer Hartmann’s mountain zebra scale the Korannaberg. In the dunes, the sharpest eyes might spot a desert pygmy mouse. And in the evening, the Kalahari comes alive with more elusive creatures such as aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared foxes and brown hyaena.
Over 230 species of birds have been seen here at Tswalu. And every bush or dune crest has its own secrets to reveal; in the last ten years, four separate new species of insect have been discovered and identified here for the very first time.
The diversity of life here is spectacular. Yet sometimes the most beautiful sight can be as simple as the sun’s last rays falling over the silken bushman’s grass.
Tswalu Kalahari has achieved Fair Trade in Tourism accreditation, based largely on our positive impact on the local community as well as our enviromental and conservation achievements.
A Tswalu Kalahari Safari experience is very different. Tswalu offers unrivalled privacy in a vast, pristine wilderness. We have a maximum of six vehicles in over 100,000 hectares. As Nicky Oppenheimer says, “If you see another Land Rover, complain!”
Our expert Field Guides have been specially trained in Kalahari wildlife and each contributes personally to the constant programme of research and conservation on our reserve. Game drives at Tswalu Kalahari will be completely tailored to your own interests. As well as discovering many rare and endangered species for the first time, every guest leaves with a deep appreciation of the beauty of this entire eco-system.
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