Tswalu Kalahari Reserve- Travel Tips
What to See, How to Plan & Tours- Natural Scenery
- 5 Reviews
Reviews of Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Wayne Langford - 3
The road to Tswalu is more than R70k down a terrible dirt road. We drove about 20km in our Land Rover and then decided to turn back.
Jessica Langer Kapalka - 5
My husband and I recently spent four nights at the Tswalu Loapi tented residences. It was one of the best experiences of our lives and we cannot wait to come back. The reserve itself is spectacular - more on that soon. But what really took the experience to the next level for us was the people. Our butler Mo was an absolute delight, incredibly friendly and warm and made us feel immediately at home, and our private chef Quentin was SO talented and lovely and just a wonderful guy. (Yes, every Loapi residence gets a butler and private chef!) We had the best time hanging out with them at the end of the day after our game drives, and they were incredibly good at their jobs. Also incredibly good at their jobs: our safari guide Kallie (“Kalamari”) and his tracker David. Oh my gosh, what a team. Kallie knows EVERYTHING. Every animal, every bush, every bird - he knows the English name, Afrikaans name, Setswana name and scientific name. He answered my one hundred million questions with not only patience but humour and enthusiasm. His nicknames for the animals are legendary: my husband and I still point at steenbok and shout “BUSH BISCUIT!” as Kallie calls them (because they are small and good snacks for the predators). When you’re in a safari vehicle with a guide for 8 hours a day, you want it to be someone you can connect with - and Kallie is one of the most brilliant, most fun, most interesting people I have ever encountered in my life. David, the tracker, we didn’t get to know quite as well, but he was really lovely and EXCELLENT at his job. We saw so many rare and interesting animals, including lion cubs, cheetah cubs, a zorilla, and the elusive pangolin! Tswalu itself is utterly stunning. The tented villas are luxe and perfect (though do bring very warm clothes if you go in winter). The park is a gorgeous landscape of red soil and silvery-blonde grasses and shepherd’s trees and thorn bushes, with more than a dozen types of antelopes and giraffes and rhinos and lions and wild dogs and just so very many animals. It gets into your soul, it really does. We also got to visit KleinJan (I’ll review it separately but it was super cool) and I went horseback riding with Warren, the chief instructor who is also a stunt person in films (!!). Horseback riding here is only for intermediate riders and up, and I highly recommend you follow this caution as their horses are NOT for beginners - but if you’re an experienced rider, there is nothing like it. Warren is awesome and the ride was incredible. If you’re considering a trip here, don’t hesitate any more. Just book it. And request Mo, Quentin, Kallie and David as your dream team. You can thank me later, once you’ve shaken the red dust from your shoes and vowed to return.
AM RISK Fire - 5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tswalu Kalahari is truly the best place on Earth, and my recent experience there was nothing short of extraordinary! From the moment I arrived, I was immersed in the breathtaking beauty of the Kalahari landscape, and Tswalu's commitment to service excellence only added to the magic of my stay. The level of service at Tswalu is unparalleled. The staff goes above and beyond to ensure every guest feels like royalty. Their warm hospitality and attention to detail made me feel right at home. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and dedicated to providing a unique and educational safari experience. Every game drive felt like a personalized adventure, with sightings of incredible wildlife and insights into the Kalahari's delicate ecosystem. The accommodations were luxurious, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings. The attention to eco-friendly practices is commendable, showcasing Tswalu's commitment to conservation and sustainability. I can't express enough how much I enjoyed my time at Tswalu Kalahari. It's not just a destination; it's an experience that lingers in your heart. I am already planning my return because, without a doubt, this is a place I will come back to again and again. If you're looking for an unparalleled safari experience with top-notch service, Tswalu Kalahari is the ultimate choice. Thank you, Tswalu, for creating memories that will last a lifetime!
Christopher Lewis - 1
We have stayed at Tswalu on five separate occasions for a total of twenty five nights. In the photos you can see the highlights of this our last and final trip in September 2022. On this last trip we did enjoy picnics on the dunes and seeing meerkats, brown hyena, cheetah along with visits with researchers. We also saw lions, white rhinos and skittish black rhinos at a distance. We had a wonderful guide who had trained at Kirkmans in the Sabi Sands. Our travel agent had highly recommended Tswalu a number of years ago. She was right, so much so, that we visited twice in our first year. Our subsequent trips provided us with amazing sightings of pangolins, aardvarks and other nocturnal animals. One year we tracked wild dogs all day and witnessed a pack devour a baby oryx in front of her mother, as twenty jackals tried to get their share; the dogs returned to the den, regurgitated the baby oryx and fed their youngsters. An awesome day in Africa. On several occasions we tracked pangolins - a rare treat. On our latest trip in September, 2022, we saw no pangolins and were told that tracking pangolins after dark is no longer permitted. We were told that Tswalu’s pangolin specialist has been transferred to a new position. We saw no wild dogs and were told there were only three left. We saw very few Springbok and found out after we returned home that it was because the cheetah population had grown out of control. We read later that 34 cheetah were exported to Assam in India in order to correct this problem. Tswalu is a managed reserve like the San Diego Safari Park in California but with more acreage. Unlike the Kruger and the Sabi Sands, a managed reserve is unnatural. Animals are not free to come and go. At Tswalu the lions are kept on one side of the reserve. As a result there is no top predator on the other side of the reserve. The consequences of this are apparent - an overpopulation of cheetah and a radical reduction in prey animals like springbok. We can see that Tswalu would be fun for newbies to safaris: nice Motse accommodations and nice grub at the Klein Jan restaurant. However, we feel It is no longer a place for serious, experienced Safari goers. Our visit in September 2022 suggests It no longer can offer the unique draw of prior times. In Addition, Tswalu has implemented a huge price increase and no longer represents good value especially when you consider that you can visit the 1800 acre San Diego Safari Park for $70 and see many more animals. After 25 safaris in Southern and East Africa we have reached the conclusion that MalaMala offers the best and most authentic Safari experience in Africa. Please read my MalaMala review for further information.
Nakkiran Sunassee - 5
Tswalu is one of those places that you visit and instantly feel at home and keep wanting to go back - despite the hefty price! After many years of wanting to visit, we finally got a chance in late Oct 2020 - and it worked out really nicely as we got to experience a few Kalahari thunderstorms and rains during our stay. The staff are great, and tailor your safari experience according to what you want to see, length of stay, etc., We could not have had a better team of ranger & tracker than the highly experienced, friendly, and funny Obakeng and Pete. Everyday they found something very interesting for us, and the game drives were just amazing - we even got to track some cheetas on foot! We highly recommend the horseback safari as well. The chalets are more than comfortable, have everything you could want, and the food was simply incredible (despite the remote location). Be careful, the staff try to feed all the time, and it's very hard to resist when the food is so delicious!!! One very minor disappointment is that the minibar was stocked with Bains whiskey and Castle lager . I get that Tswalu wants to support local, but they are way better local whiskeys & beers , especially when considering how much one pays to stay there. Despite the expensive prices, we would definitely go back!
