The Shy and Impossible 5 Luxury Tour

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.

Five Shy Meerkat Tours – Original Tours Since 2004
The most popular of our activities we offer are without a doubt the daily wild habituated meerkat tours. These tours that commence only at sunrise are dependent on fair weather, since these little creatures will not venture outside their burrows on cold and rainy days. (No tours on rainy days & Christmas day).

Meerkats are part of the so-called Shy 5 which also includes the bat-eared fox, the aardvark, porcupine and aardwolf.

The meerkat tours last between 2-3 hours and booking is essential. Upon arrival at the meerkat burrows, guests are treated to a hot cup of coffee, after which they are issued with a lightweight aluminium chair to sit in while observing the meerkats as they come out of the burrow into the sunshine and then go about their daily routine of foraging and frolicking. These habituated wild animals are never fed or handled by humans.

Tours are presented by JD Glinister, and his team. It is a fantastic experience & unique privilege to get this close to these little creatures in the wild.

Tours starts at sun rise.
Meeting point 9km outside Oudtshoorn on the R62 - entrance to the right.

Motorised Pontoon Barges. For luxury cruises up to 10 people.

The areas pristine forests, mountains and coastal routes make it an unforgettable biking destination.

Enjoy the charm and uniqueness of the Knysna lagoon.

Enjoy some of the best light tackle saltwater fishing along this renowned stretch of coastline. The Knysna Lagoon continues to produce extraordinary large number of Garriek, Shade, White Steenbras, Mussel Cracker, Stumpnose, Blacktail, Rock Cod, Rays and Sharks.

Travel through the tranquil waters of this picturesque lagoon and out onto the Indian Ocean in search for whales and dolphins, seals, sharks and bird life. As the official whale watching permit holders, we are allowed to approach whales to within 50m, all other vessels to remain 300 m away.

Kite Surfing

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Mountain Biking

Knysna Forest Tours

Guided Canoe Trips

Combination Walking/Canoeing & Mountain Biking/Canoeing Trips

Family-owned and family-run, Samara offers an adventure for all ages. The Samara Team is passionate about educating the next generation of eco-warriors and opening their eyes to the wonders of the wild.

Samara’s malaria-free Big Five wilderness offers an exciting new world just waiting to be discovered. Upon arrival, kids are enrolled in the Samara Cubs Programme, jam-packed with fun activities and inspiring educational experiences, for all ages from toddlers to teens. Parents can opt to relax and unwind or join in, creating opportunities for the whole family to reconnect – with Nature and with each other.

Experienced staff will engage kids in age-appropriate activities, including track identification, painting like the Khoi-San people, walking stick carving, storytelling, T-shirt painting, Spekboom planting, orienteering and navigating. Using the bush as an outdoor classroom, kids will learn about the multitude of other creatures they share the planet with – from bugs and beetles to the "Funny Five".

Children aged 8 and older are welcome on scheduled game drives at Karoo Lodge, and a private vehicle is provided for families staying in a Karoo Family Suite for a minimum of 3 nights, subject to availability. Other guests may book a private vehicle at additional cost, subject to availability. Shorter "bumble" game drives and/or bush walks can also be organised for little children once the scheduled game drive has returned to the lodge.

A dedicated children’s menu is available to cater for individual preferences, including firm favourites like spaghetti bolognese and fun options like DIY pizzas. The emphasis is on healthy, nutritious and comfort food lovingly prepared in our Karoo Kitchen. Mealtimes are flexible and high chairs are available.

Samara's star bed offers an unforgettable romantic wilderness experience. Located in total seclusion in a riverside location, the mosquito net covered four-poster bed sits atop a raised platform with panoramic views of mountain and sky, designed for tranquil nights absorbing the serenity of the Great Karoo landscape.

The star bed experience starts just before sunset with a picnic dinner and sundowner. Guests will take in the spectacular view across the mountain landscape and watch as local wildlife descends to the river to drink. As the night sky develops, the star bed is in a prime position to admire the canopy of constellations that gathers overhead.

One of the highlights of a stay at Samara is the opportunity to track wild cheetah on foot. Thanks to a number of habituated individuals, starting with the famous Sibella, Samara has been able to offer unrivalled wild cheetah viewing on foot to many years of Samara guests. Cheetah tracking usually forms part of the morning or afternoon game drive and allows guests to witness the intimate lives of these endangered Big Cats – whether at rest, at play or on the hunt.

Consisting of 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness covering 5 vegetation biomes and a variety of topographies, Samara offers a diverse safari, both from a landscape and wildlife perspective. Home to the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, black rhino, buffalo and leopard), Samara offers twice-daily game drives to spot these charismatic creatures, as well as the multitude of other species that call the reserve home.

These include cheetah, giraffe and white rhino, as well as lesser-known desert-adapted species such as aardvark, bat-eared fox, meerkat, red hartebeest and springbok. The herds of black wildebeest, Cape mountain zebra and eland on the 'Samara Mara' – vast plateau grasslands rivalling the Serengeti for splendour – thrive amidst the spectacular scenery.

Birders are also catered for with over 225 species at Samara, including flocks of up to 200 endangered Blue Cranes in the winter months.

Samara is one of few private game reserves where walking forms an integral part of the safari experience. With fragile ecosystems and a "tread lightly" policy, the preferred form of off-roading is on one's own two feet.

And what a way to explore the bush! Let Samara's experienced guides walk you through the five vegetation biomes, pointing out the signs of the wild invisible from the vehicle. Marvel at busy termites as they go about their daily business, listen out for the call of the Honeyguide leading you to wild honey and feel your senses heighten in every way as you navigate the sort of landscape our prehistoric ancestors dwelled in long ago.

Every tree, every rock and every track has a story to tell. Breathe in the silence and space so foreign to our everyday urban lives and feel yourself reconnecting to Nature. No one can fail to be moved by the sound of trickling water in a stream, the gentle whistling of the wind rustling the leaves, the sense of suspense and awe at walking to within metres of endangered cheetah and rhino.

If the conditions are right, you’ll get the opportunity to track these iconic animals on foot. What a privilege to enter their space and witness these animals living wild and free. An unforgettable and humbling experience awaits.

At Samara, the wealth of stunning landscapes positively begs to be the setting for a delicious meal, whether it be a well-earned breakfast buffet, light lunch in the shade of a shepherd tree or dinner under the stars. Aside from the beautiful locations, gourmet picnic food has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that just epitomises holiday mode.

As well as dining on your lodge verandah or in the outdoors "boma" with a campfire at its centre, there are a myriad other dining options to enjoy at Samara. From a picnic lunch in the riverbed at the height of summer with cool water flowing past your toes, to the iconic mountain picnic experience on the Samara Mara, you’ll struggle to go back to dining in urban eateries.

Samara's fly camping experience is an immersive adventure encompassing a guided afternoon bush walk and a sleep-out in one of Africa's most exquisite landscapes.

In safari days of yore, explorers setting up camp in big game country had to make do with little more than a fly sheet to protect them from the elements and the wildlife. Fly camping takes its name from this tradition, and although today’s camps are typically more substantial, there’s an undeniable thrill to going back to basics. Samara’s fly camping excursion pays homage to these origins and takes full advantage of the reserve’s vastness and diversity, offering an experience that is simple yet spectacular.

Every Samara guest helps the reserve to achieve its conservation vision simply by staying in one of its lodges. For those who want to delve a little deeper, to understand how a game reserve truly operates behind the scenes, Samara offers hands-on conservation sessions and personalised tours of its rewilding projects.

The Conservation Journey is a 5-night experience offering a thoughtfully-crafted itinerary that enables participants to develop a meaningful understanding of Samara’s conservation efforts, without compromising on 5-star comforts.

Activities include daily hands-on conservation sessions, subject to reserve needs at the time. This can include wildlife monitoring, camera trapping, land rehabilitation, Spekboom planting, research assistance, ecosystem management and community projects.