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TSWALU

Kalahari, South Africa

For years, Tswalu has been one of South Africa’s best kept secrets even though it is South Africa’s largest private game reserve, set in the green Kalahari. Tswalu’s two camps, The Motse and Tarkuni, accommodate just 28 people and will surprise and delight with the highest standards of comfort, aesthetics, design and service.

The Motse and Tarkuni serve as focal points for guests’ Kalahari experience, and as launchpads for your safari adventures. Built from organic materials and outfitted to the highest standards, they manifest the warmth and hospitality of the people of the Kalahari.

Designed and sited to make the best of Tswalu’s dramatic and expansive views, The Motse and Tarkuni provide exclusivity, privacy, and unfettered access to one of southern Africa’s last true wildernesses. At Tswalu, there are only two camps and you’ll be one of just 28 or fewer guests. Enjoy the privacy and exclusivity that define contemporary luxury – and experience the Kalahari at your own pace. Once the Oppenheimer family home at Tswalu, Tarkuni Homestead offers a natural, home from home bush camp feel with understated elegance and, a sense of luxury, relaxation and tranquility. With your own private chef and guide, guests experience comfort and an incredible sense of space in their own secluded piece of the Kalahari.

The private suites include a spacious bedroom with king-size or twin beds, a luxurious bathroom with a bath and outdoor shower, and comfortable seating and study areas. The suites embrace the natural outdoor experience with organic-shaped flowing outdoor decks off the bedrooms and the addition of natural Kalahari stone walls to add privacy and seclusion to each deck space. The sunny decks lead onto private terraces with beds which can be made up as evening star-beds for guests who would like to experience the thrill of sleeping under the vast Kalahari skies.

The Motse was completely reimagined in 2019. It is a secluded ‘village’ of nine legae (dwellings), each with an open viewing deck and open fireplace. Tswalu’s overall purpose is to leave our world better than how we found it, and they do this through restoring the Kalahari landscape and bringing it back to its own natural beauty. Fittingly, the Motse is casually elegant with a focus on simplicity and comfort. It evokes a mood of peace, authenticity and intimacy and it delivers a new world of luxury and privacy.

The green Kalahari is nature at its most diverse and surprising, and to spend time here is to be touched by exuberant, soulful beauty. Tswalu lets you reconnect with the richness of the earth. It offers an escape to a place that’s governed by the ancient rhythms of the seasons, rather than the clock and the calendar. It offers a vision of hope that brings together conservation, research and unrivalled safari experience.

https://tswalu.com/

TULUDI CAMP

Okavango Delta, Botswana

July 2019 saw the opening of Natural Selection’s most luxurious camp yet, Tuludi in the game rich Khwai Private Reserve in the northern reaches of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Tuludi’s seven tree-house-esque tents sit on the edge of a vast flood plain, with expansive views of the wilderness ahead, including the camp’s very own hippo pod.

Tuludi’s design is a whimsical reflection of the Okavango; its creatures, colors and bird life. Each of the seven tents covers an impressive 645 sq ft with king size or twin beds, lounge area and dressing room. The textiles are by Ardmore, one of South-Africa’s most famous design studios.

Well known for their playful, bold designs; their bush inspired textiles featuring leopards, monkeys and crocodiles are the perfect choice for Tuludi. Handmade chandeliers featuring dip dyed rings of high thorn and jacaranda wood hang from the roof. Each room has its own bespoke piece of art featuring the flora and fauna of Tuludi by artist Sarah Kelly. The space outside is as important as inside at Tuludi and each suite has a spacious deck, complete with a hanging chair for lazy afternoons. The private plunge pool in each suite is the perfect place to wallow on a warm afternoon. The bathrooms offer the best of both worlds, with inside double vanities and an outdoor shower and bath – with views of the bush ahead.

The main area is dominated by a handmade, mosaic tiled bar. Again, a whimsical depiction of life in the Okavango, it was made by the award-winning artist Sarah Pryke of Fragments of Africa and features the iconic birds and mammals of the area. A lilac breasted roller swoops above a hippo who is keeping out of the way of a thirsty leopard. From the bar a selection of South Africa’s finest wines are served as well as a range of craft beers and artisan gins served with premium tonic waters.

The camp’s best kept secret though is most certainly the tree top library. Set high up in the canopy the library is the perfect place to curl up with a book and let the sounds of nature

surround you. If this all sounds a bit too serious for a holiday, then enjoy the quirky slide which links the library back down to the ground and is fun for both children and adults.

Meals at Tuludi are home cooked and hearty and served a la carte, with flexible and varied menus to suit all tastes. From freshly baked pastries to a cooked breakfast spread, brunch is a relaxed experience after a morning game drive.

Dinner is an a la carte affair, served under the stars and all meals feature fresh, home-made goods from jams and juices to smoothies and sorbets. But meals in the bush always taste best and Tuludi often serve their brunch in the shade of leafy tree out in the bush.

https://naturalselection.travel/camps/tuludi/