Tswalu Kalahari

SOUTHERN KALAHARI, SOUTH AFRICA

Tswalu Kalahari

Eco Lodges

since june 2020

Tswalu restores the Kalahari through sustainable conservation, supported by nature-based tourism. This sustainable conservation journey focuses on a high-value, low-impact ecotourism model that prioritizes community and culture.

Tswalu is a story of restoration. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a regenerative conservation success story. The three exclusive camps on 114,000 hectares are found to be the largest privately protected area in the Kalahari in South Africa and have the lowest ratio of guests to space. A highlight of spending time in this landscape is tracking some of the rare and elusive creatures that emerge at night, such as the brown hyena, aardvark, aardwolf, and pangolin. Guests spend time learning about the scientific research supported by the Tswalu Foundation and are part of a bold conservation vision to leave the world better than it was found.

CONSERVATION

A private protected area conserving 114,000 ha includes nearly 500 species of mammals, birds, butterflies, and reptiles.

The Tswalu Foundation funds 22 research projects, working with researchers and academic institutions to build and advance collective knowledge.

COMMUNITY

The Tswalu Health Care Centre provides accessible health care to 5711 patients in the greater community and region.

The Tshameka Preschool provides an exceptional educational foundation for two- to six-year-olds to learn and play and includes a daily nutritional meal and time in nature.

CULTURE

An Artists in Residence programme showcases South African artists and creates a unique space for the artists to portray this vulnerable landscape and nature.

Gastronomy here is integral to social life, and Pampa Grande’s women play a key role in preserving and passing on traditional culinary knowledge. The ‘Klein Jan’ restaurant tells the story of South African culture through food, from the old to the new.

COMMERCE

The nature-based tourism model of Tswalu invested USD 5,136,000 in nature and people in 2022.

Tourism provides job opportunities and develops the local economy. The three exclusive safari camps have the lowest guest-to-area ratio in South Africa.

Tswalu Kalahari’s Highlights

Experience the state-of-the-art Klein Jan restaurant showcasing the Northern Cape's culinary traditions, ingredients, and regional produce.
Tswalu supports 22 research projects through the Tswalu Foundation discovering more about the elusive species such as the Pangolin that call the Kalahari landscape home.
Only three exclusive and secluded safari camps have access to the 114 000 hectares of the Tswalu Kalahari privately protected reserve.
The considered and newest of the Tswalu camps is the Loapi camp, that has been built with sustainability in mind.