At Tswalu Kalahari, science and survival of the fittest are married with superb southern African safari luxury in the dry epicentre of the southern Kalahari.
Within minutes of meeting Nikki Oppenheimer, British magnate Stephen Boler, could sense his abiding love for this area. So much so, that Nikki was mentioned in Boler’s will as having first option to purchase his 88 000 ha hunting estate in the heart of this wilderness.
By 1998, the Oppenheimer family had bought the Boler farm, eliminated hunting in their quest for conservation, and begun the transformation of their patch of paradise back to what it once was.
They set out to purchase the surrounding farms, creating a vast haven of recreation and research for nature lovers. Buildings made way for the shifting sands and indigenous plants, and extensive breeding projects were put in place. Endangered roan and sable antelope now thrive where there were few before.
An Ambitious Research Programme
In 2008, Jonathan Oppenheimer set up the Tswalu Foundation. The Foundation has at its heart research into the conservation of the Kalahari and enrichment of its indigenous people. Guests are invited to participate in these initiatives and scientists flock here to learn more about this ubiquitous environment.
Their goals are simple –
- To restore the natural environment
- To protect biological diversity
- To maintain the natural ecology of the Kalahari
Some of the Tswalu Foundations current projects include:
- Ongoing support of Tswalu Community Clinic
- Research into the ways that climate change is affecting the burrowing and foraging behaviour of aardvark in the reserve
- A study by Pretoria University on the behavioural desert-adaptations of pangolins in the Kalahari
- Mapping of scorpion distributions on the property
- Monitoring the large predators of the reserve, particularly the brown hyena
Generous Hospitality
Guests at this top southern African destination are spoiled with a quiet, considerate hospitality. Activities are undertaken at your pace and tailored to make everyone feel included, regardless of age or preference.
Drive among the summer grasslands, rocky mountain landscapes and amber dunes of Tswalu in search of barking geckos, gemsbok, cheetahs, bat-eared foxes and more. Sip sundowners with your sand in the toes, while a passing giraffe seems to brush the indigo sky. Take a ride on gentle horses or relax Kalahari-style in the peaceful oasis of the spa.
Exquisite luxury
When the day is done, your elegant suite awaits, resplendent in the hues of your surroundings and equipped with every comfort for individuals. Tswalu offers two luxurious accommodation options. The Motse and Tarkuni embrace intimate sophistication, while The Malori offers a chance to bed down on a raised deck in the brilliance of the night sky, as you sleep under the stars.
Fall in love with the Kalahari on a southern African safari to this fascinating place where hospitality, community and science work hand-in-hand to preserve and improve these wild spaces. We can arrange it all for you.
