Access & Location
The property can be accessed via road transfer from Tswalu’s airstrip. It’s situated in the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, in the north-west of South Africa.
Tswalu the Motse
Village-style accommodation within the private Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve
Lounge and dining areas, walk-in wine cellar, mezzanine National Geographic library, gift shop, gym, spa, and swimming pool
Just nine guest accommodations including a family-friendly option, all with a fireplace and a private viewing deck
Game drives, walking safaris, horse riding, birdwatching, habituated meerkat experience, rock art excursions, cultural visits, sleep-outs, and the junior rangers program
Our Yellow Zebra Opinion
-
Excellent value for luxury seekers
This is one of the most exclusive and luxurious lodges in South Africa. With a guaranteed private vehicle, safari here is all about exploring this unusual reserve at your own pace.
Activities
Tswalu The Motse offers an exhilarating variety of activities:
Expertly guided game drives
Walking safaris
Horse riding
Birdwatching
Habituated meerkat experience
Excursions to rock engravings site
Local visits
Helicopter rides
Sleep-outs
Junior rangers program
-
Covering a thousand square kilometres of semi-arid grasslands, open savanna, and mountains, the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest reserve in South Africa! It’s home to approximately 80 mammal species, among them black-maned lion, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, black and white rhinos, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and all sorts of antelopes – eland, red hartebeest, springbok, gemsbok, roan, sable, and many more besides. Drives from camp are offered on an exclusive basis, so your party can set the schedule and decide whether there are any particular mammals you’d like to see.
Please note, this activity has a minimum age requirement of 16 years. Also accompanied by an expert guide, walks are fantastic for anyone who’d like to take a look at the smaller lives within Tswalu Kalahari – for example, the reserve’s plants, insects, and birds.
Many species are at ease with horses, making for close encounters with the wildlife. The Motse owns various sized horses, from 14.2HH to 17.1HH, and all levels of experience are accommodated. A guide will be with you throughout the ride, ensuring your safety.
At last count, 240 types of bird were counted here! Specials include crimson-breasted bush shrike and the fierce pygmy falcon.
Fans of these fascinating mammals can enjoy some quality time in their company, observing them foraging, dining, being alert for predators, and resting or at play.
Take a trip to the Korannaberg mountains, and you can admire some local San rock art. Geologists reckon it dates back 380,000 years!
You can also take tours of the Tswalu community. This includes a school, a healthcare center, and a very successful vegetable garden
This activity is available at extra cost. Rides involve a picnic in the mountain and even a few flips over the Kalahari!
All ages can take part in sleep-outs. You’ll head out to a satellite camp with your guide, tucking into sundowners and a delicious dinner before drifting off to sleep under a canopy of stars and with the sounds of nature all around you. The camp has washing facilities, and there are camp beds for children.
Youngsters can get stuck into all sorts of things to do as members of this program! Archery, bush walks, guided horse trails, picnics, tracking… there really is something for everyone here.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
Make an EnquiryMake an EnquiryFacilities
The communal facilities at Tswalu The Motse are housed in and around another sand, rock, and thatch structure.
Wine cellar
Communal dining
National Geographic library
Gift shop
Gym
Spa
Swimming and plunge pools
In the lounge, chic and comfortable sofas and armchairs are positioned around coffee and occasional tables, which are adorned with a few interesting artefacts and some reading material. A large and very welcoming fireplace occupies this space, extending into the dining area. This area is also very chic – it’s a great setting for communal meals. The Motse has a walk-in wine cellar too, as well as a National Geographic library on the main structure’s mezzanine level. Guests can enjoy a little retail therapy in the on-site Tswalu Foundation gift shop, or head to the well-equipped gym for a full workout. The spa supplies a range of relaxing and revitalising treatments, while a swimming pool and smaller plunge pool are perfect for cooling off in between activities! The plunge pool has thrilling views of a popular waterhole.
Make an EnquiryAmenities
Guest accommodation consists of nine ‘legae’ (dwellings), including three for family use.
Standing fan
Tea-and-coffee station
Mini-bar and pantry
Wi-Fi
Indoor and outdoor showers
Flush toilet
Made out of desert sand, rock, and thatch, each blends beautifully with its surroundings. Entering a standard-size legae, you’ll find a double bed or twin beds, bedside tables and lighting, a separate dressing and study area, and a cozy open fireplace. Additional amenities include a standing fan, a tea-and-coffee station, a mini-bar and pantry, a safe, a direct dial telephone, and access to Wi-Fi. The en-suite washroom offers a flush toilet, twin washbasins, and a walk-in shower. There’s an outside shower too! From the bedroom, doors lead out onto a private veranda, offering a couple of easy chairs, a table, and beautiful views over the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve. The standard legae can sleep up to two adults and two children aged under 12, while the family legae is suitable for larger families as it has an extra en-suite bedroom.
Trips including this accommodation
Similar Lodges
-
Tswalu Tarkuni
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsOwned by the conservation-minded Oppenheimer family, Tarkuni is one of just two camps situated within the private Tswalu Kalahari Reserve . The other camp is Motse , and both offer truly unique experiences in vast open wilderness! Accommodation is booked on…
-
Loapi Tented Camp
From C$4,554 – C$4,554 ppDesigned by the wonderful Tswalu and owned by the Oppenheimers of the diamond world, little expense has been spared to make this immediately one of the finest properties on the continent! The camp is located in a valley between the Korannaberg mountains in an…
What our Customers say
Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.As Seen In
