THE SPECIALISTS IN WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

Tswalu Kalahari is South Africa’s largest private game reserve, now protecting over 110,000 hectares of spectacular grasslands and mountains. The original reserve was created as a hunting property by Stephen Boler, a British businessman, who bought up 35 farms, totalling some 88,000 hectares. When he died his will specified it should be offered first to Nicky Oppenheimer who has overseen a remarkable conservation project restoring the land to what it once was. In 2014 Tswalu Kalahari was declared a protected area, acknowledging its importance to South Africa as a wilderness region. There is an excellent range of wildlife, notably including the classic black–mane lions, cheetahs, wild–dogs and caracals. There may not be elephants but Tswalu is known to be one of the best places on earth to see the elusive pangolin and aardvark.

There are only two lodges in this vast wilderness area making it one of the most exclusive safari experiences in Africa – a maximum of 28 adult guests at any time! Both are of a very high standard and form part of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World. The Motse has only nine legae (dwellings) each with a deck overlooking a waterhole, whilst Tarkuni Homestead has five suites and can only be rented out in its entirety. There are a good range of acitivites such as horse–riding and walking safari and it is very family friendly not least in being malaria free. To guarantee exclusivity of the safari experience, every booking receives a private vehicle, guide and tracker. Access is by light aircraft from Johannesburg and Cape Town and many people fly in from one and then onto the other.