Cape & Cats Family Safari

With your own dedicated guide and vehicle, you can experience Tswalu exactly the way you want to. There are no fixed schedules or time limits at special sightings – during your stay, the dunes and grasslands are yours to explore the way you want to, and each wildlife encounter can unfold at its own pace.

Just like the sands of the Kalahari, we understand that your priorities can shift during your time at Tswalu. That’s why we’ll never try and shoehorn your experience into a fixed schedule.

Tswalu is unquestionably one of the best places in southern Africa to see cheetah in the wild – the vast open spaces and antelope herds of the Kalahari readily lend themselves to high-speed pursuits. Visiting Tswalu also gives you front-row seats for sightings of species that prove elusive elsewhere, from aardvark and pangolin to Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra.

Tswalu’s ecotourism ventures have a notably low ecological impact while also contributing significantly to the sustainability of the reserve and its achievement of its conservation and community upliftment goals. By remaining honest to our guiding principles, we can deliver a safari experience of startling authenticity.

Much of Tswalu’s beauty can be found in the smaller details: the ripples left by the wind on the crest a sand dune, a yellow flower opening to face the sun, or the tracks of a porcupine digging for roots. Walking at Tswalu gives you the opportunity to see these and other signs of the abundance of the southern Kalahari, as well as following the tracks of larger species.

Another exciting game viewing option at Tswalu is a horseback ride

Horseback safaris allow guests to explore the dunes and savannahs on our well-schooled and well-mannered horses, which are suitable for all ages and all levels of experience.

There is no better way to get close to nature and the wildlife. On a horse safari in at Tswalu, you become part of the landscape and many of the animals react differently to your presence. No-one who experiences this kind of closeness with wildlife ever forgets it.

Our equestrian guides are well trained in the Kalahari ecology, and will lead you on a true safari where you can ride alongside antelope, buffalo, zebra and giraffe, or watch them from a distance without detection.

Children are welcome on horseback safaris. Both trail and English saddles are available and every piece of necessary equipment is provided, in every imaginable size.

Children are welcome at Tswalu and the reserve is well equipped to cater for them. Tswalu believes that they too can be part of the conservation vision.

The youngsters will be introduced to the Junior Ranger programme and given a backpack with guides and tools to help them learn about the Kalahari. During their stay they will make their own bow and arrow for archery, learn how to identify spoor, and track game on foot.

In between game walks and drives there are activities at The Motse specially designed to occupy the kids while mom and dad relax. Tswalu’s stables will create a special “pony camp” for any child who shares their passion for horses. There is no malaria in this part of the Kalahari and the pool is a big attraction. They can chat to the rangers, decorate cup cakes and even cook their own bush dinner in the special children’s boma. A separate children’s menu caters for their individual tastes.

Babysitters can be arranged for younger children if parents want time alone.

The Spa and Gym at The Motse provide both relaxation and stimulation for body and mind, with inspiration coming from the savannah views and the use of organic materials both in the construction of this space, and in the spa treatments.

Join a group of habituated meerkats as they emerge from their burrows and warm themselves in the rising sun or meet up with them as they return home at the end of the day and groom and play at dusk.

Their gregarious nature and amusing antics (think early morning sunbathing and playing chicken with scorpions) have made meerkats extremely popular as subjects of wildlife documentaries. Our two habituated colonies have accepted the presence of humans without letting it disrupt the important business of grooming and foraging.

Meerkats are just one of the smaller predators which abound at Tswalu: aardwolf, African wild cat and caracal are also frequently seen.

Join your guide in trying to puzzle out the hidden meanings in millennia-old rock engravings of animals, birds and abstract shapes. Today, no one knows whether they were created as memories, prayers or maps, but their beauty and mystery endure.

Every moment of every meal at Tswalu reflects the culinary heritage of South Africa and is carefully designed to be as inclusive as possible. Sustainability is key: we forage for Kalahari ingredients and work with local suppliers who share our low-impact ethos.

We believe that luxury is found in contextual, relevant flavours rather than wasteful over-abundance. Our food offering helps tell the story of Tswalu – it’s inspired by and captures the essence of the Kalahari.

As well as being an incredible community of flora and fauna, Tswalu is also an extended human family of people from the Kalahari and beyond. We find strength in our diversity, and because we all share the same vision for the future of Tswalu, we can combine our energies and passion to make Tswalu’s vision a reality.

The Tswalu community consists of our staff members and their families, researchers, visiting doctors that support the healthcare centre, visiting artists in residence, and each of our guests, alongside a wider community of neighbours, conservationists and everyone who cares about the restoration of the Kalahari.

The Tswalu Foundation exists primarily to support ecological research at Tswalu. Through accumulating a growing body of quality output on the fauna, flora and the unique habitat of the southern Kalahari we have been able to make informed conservation management decisions to better support our shared vision.

This information has been made freely available to our neighbours and other interested parties so that, as we seek to add to our shared understanding of this rich and diverse landscape, they too can care for their land in the best long-term interests of the wildlife and people of the Kalahari.

During your stay at Tswalu, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with researchers studying both iconic and more obscure species and witness scientific conservation in progress.

Naledi, which means ‘star’ in the local Tswana language, is Tswalu’s back-to-nature star bed experience in the Korannaberg mountains. Elevated above a valley with wraparound views, Naledi is for the true adventurer who yearns to sleep beneath the southern Kalahari’s brilliant blanket of stars in safety and seclusion. Spending a night in a star bed, with nothing between you and the night sky, has become increasingly sought after as travellers search for authentic, unfiltered experiences immersed in nature. Naledi has purposely been kept very simple so as not to detract from its private and remote setting in the southern reaches of the reserve. Sleeping in the open, under the stars, is as old as time.

A balmy summer night is a perfect time to sleep under the stars in the middle of the Kalahari. The Malori is Tswalu’s under canvas experience with comfortable beds, an open-air bathroom and a spacious deck area for dining, dreaming and stargazing. ⁠
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⁠Whether reserved for romance or for family bonding time, a Malori sleep-out is about tuning out so that you can soak up the solitude, tune into the silence and count shooting stars.⁠ With comfortable beds, an open-air bathroom and a spacious deck area for dining, dreaming and stargazing, the tent is perfect for two but spacious enough to invite the family. The Malori sleep-out is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences you will never forget.⁠

A night at Malori needs to be booked in advance, carries an additional cost, and is offered subject to availability and prevailing weather conditions.

Explore the natural splendour of Kwandwe on early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4x4 safari vehicle. An armed ranger and tracker team share their extensive knowledge of the bush with you as you track the Big Five, as well as a variety of other wildlife.

Morning drives begin as dawn breaks over the Great Fish River, providing the opportunity to see predators winding up their nocturnal hunts and settling in for the day. Many animals take advantage of the cool morning hours to graze before the heat of the day. In the late afternoon wildlife can often be spotted coming down to the river to drink. Night drives produces some unusual sightings, including aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox and porcupine.

Experience the thrill of tracking big game (white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo) on foot, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team. The walk lasts 3 to 4 hours and ends with a picnic lunch on the banks of the Great Fish River or at a scenic spot in the bush. Not suitable for children under 16 years of age.

Kwandwe offers a variety of fishing options, either in still water or in the Great Fish River. Try your hand at catching Large Mouth Bass on artificial lures or fly rod in the reserve’s largest dam. Coarse (bait) fishing can also be tried in either the Great Fish River or one of the other large dams to target Yellowfish, Carp, Sharptooth Catfish and more. A fun activity for children as well as for adults.

In between game drives, take a closer look at the subtle, unseen wonders of the bush on a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge. Dense euphorbia thickets are best explored on foot, revealing a secret world of lichen, mosses and ferns. Various birds of prey and other species nest in the taller trees or in the spiny canopy. An armed ranger guides guests through ‘up close and personal’ sightings of various antelope species, giraffe, warthog or zebra. Not suitable for children under 12 years of age.

Spend 3 - 4 hours tracking rhino with a specialist ranger and tracker team. Learn about the habits of this threatened species, the issue of rhino poaching as well as Kwandwe’s own conservation efforts. The experience ends with refreshments at a scenic spot in the bush. All ages welcome.

Tailor-make your own safari led by a dedicated specialist ranger and tracker team, ensuring a private game viewing experience (subject to the availability of a private vehicle being available at the time of booking). A private safari vehicle has to be booked for the duration of a stay; a safari day runs from 12h00 (check-in time) to 12h00 the following day.

A recommended three night, four-day safari offers you the opportunity to participate in Kwandwe's exciting rhino-darting and notching programme. Under the supervision of experts, the rhino is darted in order to plant microchips into the horns and perform ear-notching for future identification - an essential task to ensure the preservation of this endangered species.

The best time is generally 1 May – 30 September due to cooler weather conditions, however it can be done all year. The procedure is always subject to the availability of the wildlife management team as well as the availability of rhinos that need to be notched for conservation purposes. Not suitable for children under 16 years of age.

Kwandwe offers a variety of fishing options, either in still water or in the Great Fish River. Try your hand at catching Large Mouth Bass on artificial lures or fly rod in the reserve’s largest dam. Coarse (bait) fishing can also be tried in either the Great Fish River or one of the other large dams to target Yellowfish, Carp, Sharptooth Catfish and more.

Spend as much time as you like fishing with your private guide while surrounded by the beauty of Kwandwe’s big 5 wilderness. For a fully private experience this must be booked for the duration of your stay.

Tailor-made to suit the experience level of participants, the photographic guide advises guests of appropriate camera settings at different scenarios, providing compositional ideas and to answer any questions relating to photography. Alternatively simply sit back and enjoy the connected experience of your safari while your specialist guide takes the pictures for you. Includes a private vehicle, edited photographs in electronic format along with a complimentary Kwandwe digital photobook.

Must be booked for the duration of your stay and includes a private vehicle, edited photographs in electronic format along with a complimentary Kwandwe digital photobook.

A professionally qualified and experienced trails guide will enable you to experience Kwandwe on foot. Choose whether to view large game such Black and White Rhino, Elephant or Buffalo on foot, or simply absorb the beauty of nature while walking through the fascinating environments with your armed guide. You decide when to walk, or when to drive as your heart desires. For a fully private experience this must be booked for the duration of your stay. Not suitable for children under 16 years of age.

Image: Scott Ramsay

Spend as much time as you like looking for those elusive specials and add to your knowledge of South Africa’s birdlife. Your specialist guide has detailed knowledge of where, when and how to find what bird you are after with their intimate knowledge of Kwandwe’s 315 recorded species of bird.

We have a variety of children's activities at our properties:

- Children receive a welcome gift on arrival which includes an Eco-nect Guide comprising animal
checklists, themed games and activities, and a pledge to ‘live green’ (‘Junior’ for under 6’s and
‘Senior’ for ages 6 and up), crayons/ pencils, and an age appropriate gift from our gift shop.

- Families can participate in fun and adventurous activities on the reserve, including kite building,
scavenger hunts across the reserve with thought-provoking clues to seek hidden items which will
help you in your next task... or treasure hunts during a game drive which teach basic navigation
using a sun-compass and how to use major landscape features in order to find the treasure!

- Giving back: families have the opportunity to plant Spekboom, a type of thicket vegetation that is
native to the Eastern Cape and prolific on the reserve, and one of the top five carbon-storing
vegetations on the planet. In this way they are encouraged to offset their carbon footprints.
Families can also participate in Kwandwe’s voluntourism activities through the reserve’s Ubunye
Foundation, which works with communities living in and surrounding the reserve.

- Activities are tailored according to individual and family interests and skillsets. For young guests
this includes assisting with gardening projects at the local Mgcamabele Community; participating
in arts and craft activities; and toddlers are invited to join in playtime at the pre-school.

- Children are also welcome to participate in Kwandwe’s ‘Knit a Bit’ program. The knitted squares
are joined to make blankets and given to the Ubunye Foundation that distributes them the
communities surrounding Kwandwe.

- Other activities for children include ‘crumpet creatures’ (using a variety of coloured crumpet
mixtures in squeezy bottles, the ranger and kids will create animal shaped crumpets); sand art,
making moulds from Plaster of Paris, beading, Minnow’s fishing trip with a ranger, baking and
pizza making with specially designed ‘Chefs in Training’ aprons and toques, DVDs and popcorn,
eco educational board games (learning about recycling and the how to care for our planet in a fun
way) and African bedtime stories.

A variety of wellness treatments are available to be enjoyed in the privacy of your suite. Since the earliest time, Africa's original inhabitants lived in harmony with nature. Our treatments and rituals were inspired by, designed and based on Africa's rich heritage and created to celebrate mother earth and her connection with life. Only the finest natural ingredients available from nature are used in our products, including oil from the Marula fruit, Mongongo nut oil, healing Shea butter, oil from the Baobab tree, ointment from the African sausage tree and Mafura butter, to name but a few.

Learn to master the art of barbequing while on safari! Kwandwe provides an exciting opportunity to learn about preparing and cooking authentic South African ‘braais’ and favourite dishes with local ingredients. A well established social custom and a traditional way of outdoor cooking in South Africa, a ‘braai’ involves barbequing meat over an open fire.

The Ubunye Foundation is our social development arm. Established in 2002, the Foundation is an independent, non-profit, charitable trust that currently invests in the development of nine rural communities, two of which are located in the Kwandwe reserve.

Guests at Kwandwe have the unique opportunity to participate in volunteering towards the Ubunye Foundation by donating items, getting involved in activities and/or financial donations.

Kwandwe’s cooler months offer the perfect opportunity to connect to the wilderness whilst on foot. Walk out from your room at the lodge or villa and explore the vast expanse of Kwandwe's wilderness on a journey to a private fly-camp for the evening. Move through the dynamic landscape on foot alongside a private guide and be part of the land's story. Sit around the fire and cook a meal over the open flames, share stories and listen to the sounds of Africa. Spend evenings beneath the stars for an authentic bush camp experience.

A minimum stay of 3 nights is required at any of Kwandwe’s private villas or lodges in order to book the Winter Wilderness Walk experience. Guests’ rooms will remain available to them should they wish to return to the comfort of their suite at any time. Guests leave on foot and enjoy a picnic lunch in the wilderness before continuing to their private fly camp for the evening. A vehicle is available throughout the experience for guests to choose when to walk and when to drive.

Available May - 30 November | Maximum 4 guests