Explore the exceptional Tswalu Private Game Reserve as we go in search of some of Africa’s rarest mammals with our own private vehicles and dedicated expert guides.
In a world in which many wildlife species once considered almost mythical are now easily seen, it is hard to find new frontiers, exclusive destinations which offer a truly unique view of the wild and its inhabitants. We are delighted to have found just such a place at Tswalu Private Game Reserve.
South Africa's largest private game reserve, and home to the exceptional five-room Tarkuni Lodge, Tswalu is famed as one of the best sites in Africa for encountering rare and sought-after mammals including ground pangolin, meerkat, brown hyena, aardwolf, aardvark, Cape fox, African wild dog, desert black rhino and Hartmann's mountain zebra. It is also home to many of the continent's most beloved animals including cheetah, leopard, lion, honey badger and spotted hyena, and the host of antelopes and smaller mammals on which they prey.
With private vehicles and dedicated guides at our disposal, we have the run of this exceptional place and can search for its wildlife by day and night. When we discover a pride of lions, a coalition of cheetah brothers, a feeding aardvark or a black rhino mother with her calf, there will be no other vehicles for countless miles. In this extraordinary place we are alone with the wildlife.
If you are interested in a trip dedicated to photographing these rare mammals, we also offer our South African Rare Mammals Photo Safari with wildlife photographer Bret Charman.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Depart UK
Tonight we depart the UK on an overnight flight to Johannesburg.
Day2: Fly to Tswalu Private Game Reserve
On arrival in Johannesburg, we pass through South African immigration and make our way to the private terminal for a charter flight over to Tswalu Private Game Reserve.
We land on the Tswalu Private Game Reserve by mid-afternoon and are met on arrival. From the airstrip we are transferred by vehicle to our exclusive lodge in the reserve. There is time to settle into our accommodation before dinner in the evening.
Accommodation: Tarkuni Lodge, 7-nights
Days3-8: Explore Tswalu Private Game Reserve
For the next six days, we explore the enchanting Tswalu Reserve on a series of privately guided excursions with access to two exclusive safari vehicles and trackers. The level of diversity in this reserve is remarkable with 80 mammal and 240 bird species having been recorded so far including a dazzling array of mammals that are much harder to see in the other national parks and protected areas of Southern Africa. These mammals are the species that we will spend the majority of time trying to observe.
Having our own private vehicles give us complete flexibility on how much time we spend out in the field in search of the marvellous wildlife and it also gives us the option to enjoy night drives as well to find some of the nocturnal species. Tswalu is among the very best locations in Southern Africa to encounter ground pangolin, aardvark, aardwolf, African wild dog, cheetah, brown hyena, cape fox, Hartmann's mountain zebra, gemsbok, bat-eared fox, desert black rhino, small-spotted genet and African wild cat - some of which are among the rarest mammals on the continent.
On occasion we may also be able to observe these animals on foot if it improves our sighting and helps us to capture photographs. The reserve is home to a habituated family of meerkats which should also provide memorable encounters and unparalleled photo opportunities. We should of course come across other species that are more common in more traditional safari locations such as lion, leopard, honey badger, greater kudu, buffalo, giraffe, spotted hyena and eland.
Day9: Return flight back to Johannesburg & departure
This morning we depart Tarkuni and transfer to the airstrip for our charter flight back to Johnnesburg where we continue to the international terminal to check-in for return overnight flights back to the UK.
Day10: Arrive UK
Key info
Duration and price including flights from/to UK: 10 daysfrom £11,195 pp
Duration and price excluding international flights: 8 daysfrom £10,495 pp
A member of the Wildlife Worldwide team, Helen is a qualified South African safari guide who following a trip to Baja California, discovered a passion for cetaceans.
Extending her marine mammal knowledge accordingly, she has also turned her attention to improving her ornithological knowledge throughout the different destinations she leads to, including South America and Europe. With her boundless energy, enthusiasm and eye for perfection, Helen will ensure you get the most from your time on her trips whilst sharing her passion for wildlife.
Located in the foothills of the Korannaberg, one of the few mountain ranges that run through the Southern Kalahari, Tswalu is a landscape of rolling dunes and expansive grasslands broken sporadically by patches of thicker vegetation. It is also a haven for some of Africa’s rarest mammals.
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Where: Kalahari Desert
Ideal for viewing: aardvark, aardwolf, cheetah, ground pangolin, wild dog
Tarkuni is a private five bedroomed lodge that can be booked exclusively by groups hoping to view some of South Africa’s rarest species. It offers understated elegance, yet luxurious accommodation in the heart of the Tswalu Private Game Reserve and it has its own private guides and safari vehicles.
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