 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE ENLARGED VERSION |
|
 |
|
Children at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, South Africa
Unlike most luxury African reserves, the Tswalu Kalahari game reserve in South Africa welcomes children of all ages. Tswalu can be the most brilliant and stimulating place for families. There is no malaria in this part of the Kalahari to concern visitors.
Both game lodges, The Motse and Tarkuni, create an ideal open environment for play; the swimming pools are centrally located. At the Motse, two specially designed family suites accommodate larger or older families.
Tswalu's Junior Ranger programme has been carefully designed to meet the enthusiasms of a broad age range. Activities include archery where children will make their own bow and arrow, spoor identification and casting, as well as tracking on foot. Children's bush walks are hugely educational without ever feeling like it. Every child is welcomed with a backpack full of guides and tools, as well as their own opportunity to chat with the hospitality staff about what they would like to do.
Tswalu's children's menu caters for any individual likes. And the special children's boma allows kids to cook their own bush dinner. Free babysitting is also available around the clock. Younger children are also welcome on private game drives at Tswalu Kalahari.
Horse Back Safari at Tswalu Kalahari
From horseback, the world of the Kalahari in South Africa changes. On a horse safari in Africa, visitors become part of the landscape amazed by its silence and vastness.
The African horseback safaris take place across grassy plains and rolling Kalahari dunes with spectacular views across the desert. The Korannaberg mountains, pink and mauve in the late afternoon sun, provide the backdrop.
Tswalu's horses meet the needs of absolute beginner to advanced equestrian alike. Both trail and English saddles are available. Every piece of necessary equipment is provided, in every size.
Expert tuition is on offer for horse safaris. Most importantly, the equestrian guides are also carefully trained in the Kalahari ecology.
Children are also welcome on horseback. Tswalu's stables will also create a special "pony camp" for any child who shares our passion for horses.
For children and adults alike, a horse safari in Africa's Kalahari is the chance to experience this natural wilderness in a way that is simply breathtaking.
Location / distances
- In the southern Kalahari, Northern Cape South Africa
- 700km west of Johannesburg by road
- 270 km north east of Upington
- 380 km north west of Kimberley
- 1200 km north of Cape Town
Private landing strip at Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa
- CAA licensed tar runway: category 1 runway.
- Elevation: 4000ft
- Length: 1500m
- Co-Ordinates: 27 13 30 South 22 28 40 East
- Landing lights are available by prior arrangement
- Radio frequency 130.40mhz
Recommended route from Johannesburg to Tswalu Kalahari
- Estimated driving time is 7 hours.
- Travel to Kuruman via Vryburg (N14).
- In Kuruman follow the signs to Hotazel /Black Rock (R31).
- Kuruman is the last fuel stop before you reach Tswalu.
- Hotazel is the last point of cell phone communication. Please contact the lodge to establish an estimated time of arrival. (Telephone: 053 781-9211)
- Approx. 60km from Kuruman you pass Hotazel.
- 12km further turn left onto a tar road R 31 following signs to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Van Zylsrus. This is a new tar road and has no lines.
- After approximately 21km the tar ends and you travel the next 22 km on a gravel road
- After 22 km you will get a turn to your left again on a gravel road. Take this turn.
- Travel approx. 8km and Tswalu's main entrance will be on your right.
- You will be met at the gate sign posted: "Tswalu Motse".
Recommended route from Upington ( ex Cape Town) to Tswalu Kalahari
- Estimated driving time is 31⁄2 hours.
- From Upington take the N14 to Olifantshoek - approx. 165km.
- Olifantshoek is the last point of communication and your last fuel stop before you reach Tswalu. Please contact the lodge to establish an estimated time of arrival.(Telephone: 053 781-9211)
- Travel through the town and turn left onto a gravel road signposted D 3332
- Travel for approximately 60km until you reach a four way crossing.
- Turn right following signs to Sonstraal.
- Travel for 30km, which will take you over a mountain pass.
- Pass signposts for "Tswalu Healthcare Centre" and "Tswalu Admin".
- Travel for a further 3.8km.
- You will be met at the gate sign posted: "Tswalu Motse"
Recommended route from Kimberley to Tswalu Kalahari
- Estimated driving time is 4 hours.
- From Kimberley Airport - travel on the R31 for 35km to Barkley West.
- From Barkley West travel 96 km to Danielskuil.
- From Danielskuil travel 71km to Kuruman
- In Kuruman continue straight through the traffic light and follow the signs to Hotazel/Black Rock (R31). Kuruman is you last fuel stop before you reach Tswalu.
- Hotazel is the last point of cell phone communication. Please contact the lodge to establish an estimated time of arrival. (Telephone: 053 781-9211)
- Approx. 60km from Kuruman you pass Hotazel.
- 12km further turn left onto a tar road R 31 following signs to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Van Zylsrus. This is a new tar road and has no lines.
- After approximately 21km the tar ends and you travel the next 22 km on a gravel road
- After 22 km you will get a turn to your left again on a gravel road. Take this turn.
- Travel approx. 8km and Tswalu's main entrance will be on your right.
- You will be met at the gate sign posted: "Tswalu Motse".
Awards and affiliations of Tswalu Kalahari
The Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve with its two game lodges The Motse and Tarkuni, have received several awards based on the luxurious facilities and outstanding five star service provided.
- Relais & Chateaux Member
- USA Conde Nast Traveller World Saver Award 2007
- Winner of the Prestigious Relais & Chateaux Global Environmental Trophy 2006
- AA Travel Guide Winner Best Lodge 2005
- AA Travel Guide Gold Achiever Award 2004
- Winner of the Andrew Harper 2000 Grand Annual Award
- Member of the Diamond Birding Route
|
|
|
|
|
NORTHERN CAPE /
5 STAR LODGE ACCOMMODATION |
|
|
The Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve is South Africa's largest private game reserve, covering an area of over 100,000 hectares. Owned by the Oppenheimer family, the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve takes conservation as its absolute priority with the vision 'to restore the Kalahari to itself'. No more than thirty guests at a time can discover the beauty of this landscape, its diverse wildlife, and the serenity of what may well be South Africa's last great wilderness.
Tswalu Kalahari is situated in the heart of the Northern Cape Province, some 300 kilometres north-west of Kimberley and 270 kilometres north-east of Upington. Johannesburg lies 560 kilometres to the east and Cape Town some 850 kilometres to the south. The nearest town is Kuruman, famous for the Kuruman Eye and Moffat Mission from which Dr Livingstone set off into what was then deepest Africa. Tswalu is close to the border with Botswana and within easy driving distance of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. As such, Tswalu represents the gateway to the splendour of the Kalahari.
The Kalahari in South Africa is a vast, arid region of sandy, porous land which extends across much of Southern Africa. Stretching from South Africa's Orange River northwards across eastern Namibia, Botswana and western Zimbabwe, the Kalahari also embraces parts of Angola, Zambia and the Congo. The Kalahari covers a total area of more than 2.5 million square kilometres, which is approximately 10 times the size of Great Britain.
The name Kalahari derives from the Tswana word "Kgala" which can be translated as "great thirst". The southern Kalahari where the 5 star Tswalu Lodge is located, is a "green desert" as the Korannaberg mountains attract precious rainfall in the summer months. Over 400 plant species have been identified at the Tswalu Lodge together with 230 bird species, 90 mammal species and 38 species of reptile.
The Kalahari in South Africa has been the ancestral home of the San people, or Bushmen, for thousands of years. As hunter-gatherers, the Bushmen survived by tracking and hunting wild game with bows and arrow, gathering berries or desert melons and storing scarce water in the blown-out shells of ostrich eggs.
Accommodation at the Tswalu Kalahari Luxury Game Reserve
Guests have the option of staying either at The Motse or at Tarkuni during their stay at the Tswalu Kalahari Private Game Reserve in South Africa.
The Motse Game Lodge - An Island of Calm
The main lodge at Tswalu Kalahari , the Motse, nestles at the foot of the Korannaberg mountains, facing westwards across the grasslands of the Kalahari, South Africa. The word 'Motse' stands for "village" in Tswana. Tswalu's village consists of eight spacious and secluded suites each of which is built of local stone, rich red clay and traditional Kalahari thatch. Redesigned by world-renowned Boyd Ferguson, the suites define an elegant, barefoot luxury.
Each suite at The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari, comprises a spacious bedroom with an open fire, a sumptuous en-suite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor shower, and a large dressing and study area. The private sun deck overlooks a waterhole, which attracts numerous animals of the Kalahari.
Two suites at Motse, Tswalu Kalahari, have been designed especially for families. Each offers two separate bedroom suites with their own en-suite bathrooms, separated by an expansive living room again leading on to a shady, private terrace. These suites are each over 170 square metres in size and create the perfect environment for any family group.
The Motse Game Lodge at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve in South Africa can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests, which makes for a truly intimate Kalahari safari experience. The main house at The Motse Game Lodge is a spectacular space in which to meet, with its elevated decks and elegant lounges. An infinity swimming pool offers an endless view over the savannahs and a secluded spa is designed to complete guest's relaxation. The mezzanine library is equipped with satellite TV, the Motse also has full broadband Wi-Fi access throughout and its museum cases display rare artefacts from the area.
Tarkuni Game Lodge - A World Apart
Set amidst two rolling mountain ranges, the Tarkuni Game Lodge at Tswalu Kalahari is the Oppenheimer family's personal home which provides an ultimate private sanctuary.
Redesigned to uncompromising standards of comfort and elegance, the Tarkuni Lodge at Tswalu is an exceptional choice for families or groups of friends. Its five luxurious suites, each with a magnificent en-suite bathroom, accommodate a maximum of 10 guests.
Tswalu's Tarkuni Lodge creates an oasis of serenity in the desert. The home has its own dedicated team including a host and private chef to ensure a completely personal service. A private vehicle, personal field guide and tracker ensure an equally bespoke safari experience. Tarkuni's quiet swimming pool and shady salas offer calm and contemplation. Its own traditional boma has seen many celebrations.
Dining at Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa
The Tswalu Kalahari Game Lodge is proud to be a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hotel group. It is here where guests will enjoy food which they have never seen anywhere else in the world.
With an emphasis on the qualities of individual ingredients, the chef creates new interpretations of classic South African dishes such as charkalaka or koeksisters. Additional inspiration comes directly from the Kalahari and treasures such as the rare Kalahari truffle. Sometimes local colour creates a simple accent, such as a hollandaise made with inkomasi, the traditional buttermilk of the Tswana.
Sundowners are followed by dune dinners and spectacular sunsets. Tswalu's Kalahari Feast is a modern reworking of the traditional "boma" braai. Breakfasts may take place with panoramic views of the waterhole where the Southern Pride of black-maned lions may also start their day. At any time, guests may choose a romantic supper in the privacy of your own deck, with a vintage wine and a telescope to gaze at a thousand stars.
Wildlife at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, South Africa
Tswalu is a premier game viewing destination and offers sightings of some of Southern Africa's rarest and most extraordinary wildlife. In particular, the population of the desert black rhino 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 at Tswalu Kalahari. The diversity of wildlife in this region of South Africa is spectacular.
Safaris at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve
The Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve in South Africa offers unrivalled privacy in a vast, pristine wilderness. The lodge provides a maximum of six vehicles in over 100,000 hectares.
The expert Field Guides at Tswalu Kalahari have been especially trained in the flora and fauna of the South African Kalahari and each contributes personally to the constant programme of research and conservation on this vast game reserve. Game drives at Tswalu Kalahari are tailored to guests' interests.
Bush walks are encouraged at the Tswalu Kalahari Luxury Game Reserve in South Africa. To touch the unique vegetation and to learn about some plants' extraordinary properties, to inspect nests and burrows and to examine the smallest insect make for an unforgettable safari experience.
A morning can begin by walking to a meerkat colony and watching these engaging mammals warm themselves in the sunshine before they scamper off to forage. Night walks provide the opportunity of exceptional sightings such as aardvark, aardwolf, porcupine or brown hyena at even closer range.
And for a Kalahari safari experience unlike any other, guests staying at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve can explore the dunes and savannahs on the African Horseback Safaris.
Activities at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve
Activities and game drives at Tswalu Kalahari are conducted based on clients' wishes and preferences. Guests may want to spend an entire day in the bush during which a delicious picnic will be provided. Bush walks offer the chance to get closer to the land, even to track desert black rhino on foot. Top quality horses can accommodate all levels of riding ability.
The Tswalu Kalahari Lodge is also home to two donkeys who pull a traditional Kalahari cart. Hot-air balloon trips over this vast wilderness can be booked in advance.
For anyone with a particular passion, special talks can be arranged with the reserve's ecologists. Photographers will find unending possibilities here at the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, combining shots of unique wildlife with dazzling panoramas. Walks to ancient archaeological sites will reveal rock carvings created by the Bushmen up to 380,000 years ago, some of the oldest art on Earth.
At other times, the swimming pools or shaded salas beckon. The exclusive Sanctuary spa completes relaxation in South Africa's vast wilderness; its range of soothing and revitalising treatments celebrates the natural heritage of Africa.
|
|
|
|
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
