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At a glance

  • South Africa’s largest private game reserve and one of the country’s last truly wild places
  • The lowest ratio of guests to wilderness in the country - a highly exclusive safari experience
  • Three luxury safari camps, including a brand new tented camp and an exclusive-use lodge that's perfect for families
  • Each booking receives a private vehicle, guide and tracker for the duration of their stay
  • Enjoy up-close encounters with habituated meerkats and see seldom-seen species like black-maned Kalahari lion, desert black rhino, pangolin, brown hyena and aardvark

Overview

Tswalu is a vast 100,000-hectare private wildlife reserve in the southern Kalahari, a timeless stretch of shifting desert sands, semi-arid grassland and open savannah. It's the brainchild of Nicky Oppenheimer, the former chairman of De Beers and a passionate conservationist. By rewilding the Kalahari's terracotta dunescapes and introducing roan and sable antelope together with cheetah, wild dog and highly endangered species like the desert black rhino, Oppenheimer has created one of the most exclusive and rewarding wildlife experiences in South Africa.

When to visit

  • January
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    January is the peak of the summer season in South Africa, with hot days interspersed with spectacular thunderstorms, which usually occur in the afternoons. Wildlife viewing may be a bit more challenging due to the thicker vegetation, however this is breeding season so expect to see many young animals. Bird watching is very good with many summer migrants present.
  • February
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    As with January, February is the peak of the summer season and tends to be one of the hottest months. Days are hot with notable rainfall falling in short sharp downpours in the afternoon; the moody skies make for some excellent photography. Due to the rainfall and lush vegetation, many animals give birth at this time. Bird watching is excellent with many summer migrants present.
  • March
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    Temperatures are still hot during the day, though evenings and early mornings are cooler, meaning layers are recommended when on safari. Bird watching is still very good.
  • April
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    Days are warm, dry and clear throughout the country, making it a good time to visit. Evenings and early mornings are cooler, so layers are recommended on game drives. Vegetation starts to reduce making game viewing much easier. Bird watching is still good, however many summer migrants are starting to head to warmer climes.
  • May
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    May heralds the end of the summer season in South Africa and the onset of cooler weather. However, it's still a wonderful time to visit, with mild, sunny days and clear skies. Evening and early mornings are significantly cooler than previous months, so plenty of layers are recommended when on safari. Wildlife viewing is good as the vegetation starts to thin out.
  • June
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    June sees the first proper month of winter in South Africa. The dry season is well underway, landscapes turn to shades of brown and yellow, and the foliage thins out making wildlife viewing much easier. Days are clear and sunny, but evenings and mornings are cold. In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes winter a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • July
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    July is an excellent time to go on safari, with crisp, clear days and star-filled nights. The bush is less dense and waterholes are frequented more often by animals. Days are sunny and mild, however early mornings and evenings are cold, so layers are recommended, In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes winter a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • August
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    August marks the start of the spring flower season across the Northern Cape. The normally dry landscape erupts in an explosion of colour as up to 4,000 species of flower blanket the landscape. In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes it a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • September
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    The flowers of the Northern Cape are still in bloom and meerkat pups venture outside their dens for the first time.
  • October
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    In the Kalahari, meerkat pups can be seen venturing out of their dens for the first time.
  • November
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    With the rise in temperature there is increased rainfall in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Rainfall tends to come in spectacular afternoon thunderstorms. With the rains the vegetation thickens making it more difficult to spot wildlife, and as water becomes more prevalent animals disperse. This is the time of plenty, and many animals will give birth around this time. Many migrant bird species have arrived from Europe for the breeding season.
  • December
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    December is summer in South Africa, meaning warm temperatures and increased rainfall. Days are hot with mild evenings and the rainfall tends to come in short sharp bursts as spectacular afternoon thunderstorms. Game viewing is more challenging as the thicker vegetation reduces visibility and a plentiful supply of water means there's little need for animals to gather around waterholes. On the plus side, however, you'll see a host of migratory birds in their fanciful breeding plumage.

Location

Tswalu is located in the heart of the Northern Cape and is part of the southern Kalahari. Air transfers are available into the reserve from Cape Town (around a two-hour flight) and Johannesburg (around an hour and a half).