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The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Tswalu Kalahari is South Africa’s largest private game reserve, covering an area of over 100,000 hectares. Owned by the Oppenheimer family, Tswalu takes conservation as its absolute priority; our vision is simply ‘to restore the Kalahari to itself’. No more than thirty guests at a time can discover the beauty of this landscape, its diverse wildlife, and the serenity of what may well be South Africa’s last great wilderness.

The main property, the Motse, nestles at the foot of the Korannaberg Mountains, facing westwards across the grasslands of the Kalahari. Motse means “village” in Tswana and our village consists of just eight spacious and secluded “legae” (another Tswana word, for “little house”) or suites.

These legaes are built of local stone, rich red clay and traditional Kalahari thatch. Recently redesigned by world-renowned Boyd Ferguson, our suites define an elegant, barefoot luxury.
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
The Motse, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Room Information

Each suite comprises a spacious bedroom with an open fire, a sumptuous en-suite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor shower, and a large dressing and study area. Your private sun deck overlooks a waterhole and the changing Kalahari animals it attracts.

Two legae have been designed especially for families. Each offers two separate bedroom suites with their own en-suite bathrooms, separated by an expansive living room again leading on to a shady, private terrace. These legae are each over 170 square meters in size and create the perfect environment for any family group.

The Motse accommodates no more than 20 guests at any one time to make for a truly intimate Kalahari safari experience. The main house is a spectacular space in which to meet, with its elevated decks and elegant lounges. An infinity pool offers an endless view over the savannahs and a secluded spa is designed to complete your total relaxation. The mezzanine library is equipped with satellite TV (the Motse also has full broadband Wi-Fi access throughout) and its museum cases display rare artifacts from the area. All profits from our exclusive Foundation Gift Shop go directly to fund important new research on the reserve.

Things To Do

Must Do's at Tswalu

  • Sleep in one morning and indulge in a champagne breakfast in bed
  • Take an early morning game drive and don’t rush back for breakfast. Request a delicious gourmet picnic - breakfast in the bush is a memory to savor
  • Bond with the meerkats before they go foraging for the day
  • Spend the morning tracking the Desert Black rhino with arguably the best trackers in Africa
  • Witness the sheer size and power of the Kalahari black maned lion - and enjoy the playful innocence of their cubs
  • Enjoy an early evening safari tracking the elusive Aardvark and Pangolin - probably one of the best places in the world to view these rare animals
  • Get up close to the animals on horseback, and experience nature at its best
  • Sleep out under the stars – just you and the expanse of the Kalahari …star gazing was never like this
  • Be pampered in the spa – from a massage to a facial – because you deserve it
  • Indulge in a 5 course menu prepared by executive chef, Justin Pillay, paired with South Africa’s finest wines and served in the privacy of your own deck overlooking the bushveld
  • Take a trip to the wine cellar and let the wine director assist in choosing something perfect for your palate
  • Visit the community health center, children’s school, and adult learning center
  • Sip a sun-downer cocktail on the dunes, and experience the real Africa
  • See the immense benefit of the Tswalu Foundation in action - talk to the researchers about their studies
  • Wonder at the rock art… recent archaeological research at Tswalu suggests that some of the Bushmen carvings may be up to 380,000 years old,  which would make them some of the oldest art on Earth

Details

Location:

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa

Price:

$$$$

Hotel Includes:

In-Room Dining

Internet Access

On-Site Activities

Spa

Swimming Facilities

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Price Guide

$ = Up to $100
$$ = $100 to $199
$$$ = $200 to $349
$$$$ = $350 to $599
$$$$$ = $600 +
Price per person, per night.