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Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (South Africa) - An epic African safari

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (South Africa) - An epic African safari

Old Sep 26, 2017, 1:09 am
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Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (South Africa) - An epic African safari

The Motse - Tswalu Kalahari Luxury Private Game Reserve

Tswalu Desert Reserve Kuruman, ZA 8460

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve - An epic African desert wildlife safari (34 Photos)

The Motse - Tswalu Kalahari Luxury Private Game Reserve

Our dream of visiting Tswalu intensified in earne about 5 years ago, after going on safari at such iconic African wildlife locations as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Masai Mara, South Luangwa, Kruger/Sabi Sands, Selous, Okavango and Ruaha. While safaris never get old to us (given the unpredictability of animals and animal interactions - it's never the same!), we started wondering whether there were other unique experiences to be had. Tswalu seemed to fit the bill given its unique desert landscape and a high(er) probability of spotting rare game such as Oryx, Meerkats, Pangolin, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Sable and Roan. Each time we considered Tswalu, however, it always seemed to be booked up - its limited number of rooms combined with our rather inflexible schedule (i.e. limited to peak times of the year) always relegated Tswalu to "pipe dream" status in our minds. For this Summer, we were all set to stay at Mashatu in the Tuli block and combine it with South Luangwa (Mchenja Camp) and Lower Zambezi (Anabezi Camp), when by sheer luck our longtime agent notified us of 4 consecutive nights that had opened up at Tswalu. After contemplating this opportunity for about 10 seconds, we decided to ditch Mashatu in favor of Tswalu.

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Any mention of the Kalahari typically evokes images of a dry and desolate wasteland. While it's part of the Kalahari, Tswalu is located in a remote corner of Northern South Africa, in an area known as the "Green Kalahari" as the landscape is a mixture of red sand dunes and bushes, shrubs and small trees, all surrounded by the Korannaberg Mountains on either side. Tswalu is enormous - it's the largest privately-owned reserve in South Africa. It was originally farm (and later hunting) land, so it's not a "pure" nature reserve like the Serengeti or Kruger - the area has needed time to return to its original ways, and much of the wildlife was re-introduced. The entire reserve is owned by Nicky Oppenheimer, former chairman of De Beers and currently a major philanthropist in South Africa. He purchased the land and immediately got to work in turning the Reserve from a hunting ground to a conservation area, with the goal of turning the Reserve into the Kalahari of yesteryear.  How is Tswalu today? Completely awesome, and very private, exclusive and silent. Some of the animals are still not quite habituated and will run away at first sight, but others (such as a few of the habituated Meerkat colonies) can be approached very closely and are an absolute delight to behold. Tswalu is also in a malaria-free zone that requires no medication... a huge benefit for many, especially those with young children.

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Funding of the Tswalu Kalahari reserve is made possible by two separate accommodation offerings, The Motse and Tarkuni - the former consists of nine elegant and spacious "Legaes" (individual villas), including three 2-bedroom family Legaes, while the latter is a 5 bedroom house that was formerly the private residence of the Oppenheimer family and comes equipped with its own chef and butler. What I learned, however, is that most of the $$ comes courtesy of Sables and Roans - both are rare and precious antelopes that can fetch over $1 Million USD each. Were it not for the income generated by the sale of Sables and Roans to other reserves, operation of the Reserve would not be viable. In fact, the Reserve is divided into two parts, each separated by a fence - one with Lions and one without. Sable and Roan are too precious to be placed in harm's way. Although this may make Tswalu feel more artificial (think Royal Malewane) to an extent, bear in mind that the reserve is so darned gigantic that each side is about the size of a large Reserve in and of itself.

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The Sable - worth 7 figures!

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Ditto for male Roans

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Tswalu's anti-poaching helicopter

The check-in process actually begins upon arrival at the Oppenheimer-owned Fireblade Aviation Hangar at Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport. It's a massive facility with all of the amenities that are present in the world's most opulent lounges. It's spotlessly clean and features showers, relaxation area, gym, private terrace, spa, complimentary WiFi, a real restaurant and transfers to/from the main airport terminals. Tswalu offers daily flights to/from the reserve from both Johannesburg and Cape Town.

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From there, we were whisked away to Fireblade's own aircraft (they have a small fleet of planes including Pilatus PC-12 and Dornier 328s) where it's just a short 90-minute flight to Tswalu's private airstrip. Upon arrival, we were met by our private guide, tracker and vehicle - yes, every group of guests are allocated their own, making it possible to do whatever you want, when you want to do it... this is the luxury of luxuries that vast majority of the famed "luxury" camps and lodges (Zarafa, Mombo, Singita) fail to offer (Mombo charges upwards of $1000 a day for a private vehicle - that is, if it's even available), often loading up one vehicle with upwards of 6-9 guests at a time during peak periods, and vastly reducing the flexibility you'll have in your safari outings.

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With our guide Kalie (right) and tracker Ben G (left)

Assuming the flights arrives on time in mid-afternoon, most arriving guests opt to immediately go on their first game drive given the distance from the airstrip to the lodge (~45 minutes.)  Even a leisurely drive to the lodge will give you a great taste of the space and silence of Tswalu.  After all, the Reserve is 400 square miles large, and there are no other safari lodges - 10 private vehicles maximum at any given time.... in an area twice the size of Sabi Sands... that's it. Most times, we felt like we had the entire huge area to ourselves. In fact, only ONE TIME did we EVER share a sighting with another vehicle!

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The incomparable male Black-maned Kalahari Lion

Given that Tswalu is privately owned, they are able to offer an array of activities that are not possible in most National Parks. Aside from the standard game drives (which, by the way, can go off roading), they offer night drives, horseback riding, bush walks and even helicopter rides. Their tried & tested "Junior Ranger" safari program is a great introduction to first-time safari kids and a way for them to learn about Tswalu's conservation ethos. upon arrival each child is given a backpack full of guides and tools. Activisions include archery, wilderness survival education, spoor identification and casting as well as tracking animals on foot. They offer bush walks for children that end in a fantastic picnic. They can also tailor each outing to the interests of the kids. We chatted with a family of five safari veterans (the youngest child was about 6 years old), and the mother mentioned that Tswalu has - bar none - the best children's program of any they've ever experienced.

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The highly endangered Desert Black Rhino (calf)

The main lodge consists of a lounge, dining area (both indoor and outdoor), library, boutique, gym, spa and pool, along with a traditional African "boma" that is used several days a week for conducting communal outdoor BBQ dinners for everyone staying at the property. The lodge build is best described as "understated elegance" - the muted, earthly colors and comfortable but very functional furnishings do a very nice job of seamlessly blending into the surrounding environment. It's not flashy in a Singita Lebombo kind of way.... just the way I like it.

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Similarly, the Motse's villas are elegant and functional, and strike a nice balance between function, form and luxury. The curved stone walls are enclosed by a thatched roof, giving it a "bush-like" feel while still effectively shielding its occupants from the elements. There's a large bedroom with an open fireplace, lounge, spacious bathroom with dual vanities and indoor and outdoor showers, and a large dressing and study area. There's plenty of room to stretch out, relax, throw your belongings anywhere without the room feeling cluttered, and be productive when doing work. Other in-room amenities include free WiFi access, minibar and a large, private outdoor patio (animals frequently pass in front of the patio on the way to/from the nearby watering hole.) Would one call it "luxury" by this forum's high standards?  In this humble poster's opinion, the answer is yes. It's not super blingy; in fact, some might prefer a villa design that was more exposed to the elements - if you shut the veranda windows, you'll very rarely hear any of nature's sounds, which is a plus or minus, depending on how you look at it. On the positive side, you're guaranteed to be shielded from the elements, namely the creepy crawlies. Although the four-poster bed is shrouded by a net, we chose not to use the net and did not get stung or bitten by anything during our entire stay. Oh, and for bhrubin: yes, they have aircon, although we never tested it out since temperatures were in the single digits during the evenings and early morning. I wouldn't doubt that A/C should be able to do the job, but you might want to check ahead of time if you require arctic-like conditions in your room :)

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Overall, it's not quite to the level of Singita Boulders in elegance, spaciousness and function - it's a notch below, but only the most jaded luxury traveller will find major faults with Tswalu's hard product.

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While talking to the property manager, Danie Jacobs, he mentioned their on-again, off-again plans to refurbish the entire property, which is now currently slated to commence late 2018. Thankfully, the look and feel will remain the same, but some aspects will be modernized, while other aspects are intended to enhance the design. One example: the rooms are currently rather dark, and they plan to let in more natural light by adding more (and larger) windows, while at the same time allow the curtains to be opened and closed electronically. This is somewhat similar to the type of refurb that was recently completed at Amanpulo - nothing wrong, just a bit more modern functionality and convenience.

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Tswalu was, until recently, part of the Relais & Châteaux association for its high-end accommodations and top-notch food. I'm not sure why it's no longer a R&C property, but in any case we didn't feel the food quality merited the status. Everything was healthy, tasty and bountiful, but it was nowhere near as unforgettable as some of the meals we enjoyed at various Singita lodges (especially Lebombo.) Also - after a few days, the offerings on the menu (especially lunch) became quite repetitive, with very little in the way of variety.

The staff are warm, genuine and enthusiastic, and are passionate about Tswalu's conservation efforts. Unlike some of the Wilderness properties, which tends to take a formulaic approach in their service approach, Tswalu's staff seem to be empowered to be friendly and conversational in their own personal way, which was refreshing when compared to some camps where staff would ask how our game drive went just out of habit rather than real interest. By comparison, we can tell that everyone at Tswalu were fans of the bush and genuinely cared about our experiences. At the same time, they were not TOO chatty or intrusive. In fact, their approach to service was softer and more subtle - think Aman. And just like Aman, they got our preferences right from arrival until departure... gluten free, meat free, diet coke, extra blankets - they never missed a beat.

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A tower of Giraffes

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Brown Hyena - who would've thought that Hyenas can be so adorable?

Our guide Kalie and tracker Ben G were both extremely knowledgeable and fun to be around - so much so that we found their narration of our experience almost as interesting as the wildlife that that we spotted. The type of guides we can't stand are ones that "troll" us; that is, they'll over exaggerate our experience. We'll see only a few common animals one outing and they'll say, "wow, what an awesome time! You guys are so lucky to have seen a troop of Baboons! We rarely see them around here!" I'm guessing many guides don't want to be brutally honest if we had a substandard gam drive, but I just wish they'd tone down the theatricism and not play us for fools. Thankfully, Kalie didn't behave in this manner. He did the best he could, explained what we saw, and honestly answered any questions we may have had. More on Kalie later...

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Elands - the largest antelope species in Africa

Although we considered partaking in other activities, in the end we stuck with game drives on all of our outings. There's something to be said about experiencing the bush close-up (walking safari) or via horseback, but we intended to do the former in South Luangwa Nat'l Park, and the latter can be done anywhere. Our mission was to spot as much wildlife as possible, and doing it via Land Cruiser is the tried-and-true way. And oh, what an experience it was! As mentioned earlier, our objective was seeing rare(r) animals that were easier to spot in Tswalu than most other places, and in that sense, Tswalu delivered.  Don't come here for Elephants, Spotted Hyenas, Hippos and Crocs - this reserve doesn't have any. But this landscape of semi-arid grassland and vast open savannahs harbors wildlife that is second to none.

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Black-backed Jackal

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Bat-eared Fox

First off, this is one of the finest places to have guaranteed sightings of Meerkats. Two of the colonies are semi-habituated - you'll be able to get up close and personal with them, and they were just as charismatic and adorable as we expected them to be. You can get right in the middle of the action; they went about their business (mainly foraging for food - insects, scorpions, etc.) without acknowleding your presence. They won't crawl all over you like they do at Jack's Camp in the Makgadikgadi Pan (Botswana), which is why the Meerkats at Tswalu are considered semi-habituated, I guess.

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Meerkats under the golden afternoon light

Aardvark and Pangolin are the other sought-after species at Tswalu. We had a tough go at spotting them, however. We did spot one Aardvark as the sun was going down, hence the picture (below) of a fleeing Aardvark in poor lighting conditions was not conducive to a crystal clear photo. Pangolin was nowhere to be found. Some guests that prioritized Pangolin and devoted entire outings to tracking these solitary and elusive animals (we did not) had better luck. Some.... not all. Why, you may ask? How is it that the world-famous Tswalu Kalahari Reserve not deliver on what many consider to be THE Pangolin (and Aardvark) capital of the world? Kalie explained that the entire greater Kalahari region had an epic drought in late 2015/early 2016, and it's widely believed to have been responsible in wiping out upwards of 90% of ant & termite-feasting species - namely Pangolin and Aardvark. During particulary arid periods, ants and termintes burrow deeper into the ground in search of water, making it much more difficult for their predators to reach them. In doing so, it requires Pangolins and Aardvarks to spend more time out of their own cozy burrows, putting them at much greater risk of being prey to large cats. In a nutshell, many of them died due to starvation or from being hunted down by their own predators. Kalie said it'll likely take 3 generations before both animals are back to full strength, population wise.  He also mentioned that in normal times, it would not have been unusual to spot at least 2-3 Aardvarks and almost as many Pangolin in one afternoon outing. Not anymore... not right now, anyway. That's nature for you!

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Tracking Aardvark to no avail

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Foot marks all over this burrow, but no dice

The Aardvark we found was sheer luck. After hours and hours of tracking Aardvark prints and observing several burrowing holes, we had given up. Kalie parked the vehicle and in a scenic area that was slightly elevated and overlooking the gorgeous Kalahari landscape. We were getting ready for sundowners, when all of a sudden a clearly excited Kalie whispered "Aardvark!" He pointed to its location, but even with binoculars nobody else was able to see it. He started running down the hill, motioning to us to follow him quickly. We ran down the hill and then up another (probably 300 feet by then), when finally he pointed out the Aardvark to us - it was foraging for food but almost completely under cover of tall weeds. As soon as the Aardvark spotted us, it ran like a bat out of hell.. who know a stubby little thing could jet so fast? Just as soon as I took a few shots, it dove for a nearby burrow hole, never to be spotted again that day. Not the best sighting, but the entire experience was absolutely adrenaline rush and is sure to remain firmly in our memory for the rest of our lives! Kalie seemed just as thrilled at the sighting as we were; it was definitely not an act on his part.

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This dude was booking faster than Usain Bolt

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The best shot I managed to take before it dove into a burrow hole

What else did we see at Tswalu, besides Meerkats and Aardvark? Where do I begin? Aside from "standard" safari animals like Zebra, Buffalo, Giraffe and common antelopes like Kudu and Eland, some of the majestic and rarer wildlife included Black and White Rhino, Kalahari Black-Maned Lions (majestic!), Oryx, Roan, Sable, Bat-eared Fox, Aardwolf (gorgeous!), Brown (aka "Striped") Hyenas (way cuter than the common Spotted Hyena), and much, much more. Cheetah and Leopard do prowl the landscape, but are much harder to find. We didn't prioritize them, as we knew that South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi would offer a much higher probability of sightings, so we didn't have Kalie spend time tracking them.... a good call on my part, if I may say so myself :)

Some photos of Tsawlu's wildlife and landscape below, followed by my conclusion.

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Oryx

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The (mainly) nocturnal and elusive Aardwolf

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Yellow Mongoose

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Male Ostrich

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Brown Hyena - this is the only sighting that we ever shared with another vehicle at the same time!

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A cute and curious Lion cub

Prior to actually experiencing Tswalu, I believed that it would offer a much more "subtle" experience compared to more famous parks and reserves; a choice for those that have already seen almost everything else there is to see on a safari. I was completely wrong. While it would not be the ONLY camp I'd recommend to someone going on their once-in-a-lifetime African safari, it's just as hard-hitting as anything the Kruger or Masai Mara has to offer, but in its own special way. The remoteness, beauty, vastness and low room count adds dramatically to the sense of tranquility and wonder, making it feel more subtle than it actually is, which is a good thing. For travellers going to South Africa, Tswalu would be an amazing complement to a Singita/Londolozi safari. It's an incredibly unique and enchanting widlife paradise.

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Breakfast at the "Legkaba", a secret location that Tswalu takes its guests a few days a week. Wonderful view of the Kalahari from here!

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Private guide, tracker and vehicle. Do anything anytime, anywhere, anyhow. Who could ask for anything more?

While there are safari camps and lodges that match (and exceed) the rooms and amenities on offer at Tswalu, there is one Tswalu luxury that very few can match - a private guide, tracker and safari vehicle for each group of guests, by default. In my mind, the most important safari luxury is the ability to do what you want, when you want, and how long you want it - and in this regard, Tswalu takes the cake... for guests like us that value private excursions, it makes Tswalu a pretty decent value as far as high-end safari lodges go. Please keep this in mind when making your own value for money calculation.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve - An epic African desert wildlife safari

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Old Sep 26, 2017, 2:44 am
  #2  
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The lodge looks very nice and the service sounds amazing! Would only like a real door in front of the shower instead of the curtain. The nature is of course stunning^
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 3:30 am
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Many thanks KI-NRT for writing so well and descriptively about this lodge. Some lovely pictures as well. Judging by what you were wearing, it looks absolutely freezing on those morning game drives! I always worry about these open-sided rooms and showers in such climates.

I take it that the lodge was completely full when you stayed? Was there much interaction with other guests?

And this is yet another property that has dropped out of Relais & Chateaux. I've noticed quite a few recently. Perhaps the heavy fees they charge just aren't worth the kudos anymore.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 4:06 am
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Amazing report! Thank you. We're so excited to go with our 6 year old next August.

What dates were you there? How warm did it get during the day? Did you consider the Malori sleepout deck? (I've inquired about it and they say there is a gas heater, but I'm concerned about the cold.) Were you able to get the rooms suitably warm at night?
I'm sure I'll think of more questions later.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 2:26 pm
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What a great report - the photos of the creatures were so wonderful. As someone who never cares how cold it gets and who loves having my own vehicle/tracker (I did that at Singita Ebony for an extra charge but it was totally worth it), this looks like a great plac to consider. Thanks so much for posting
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 2:42 pm
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Judging by what you were wearing, it looks absolutely freezing on those morning game drives! I always worry about these open-sided rooms and showers in such climates.

I take it that the lodge was completely full when you stayed? Was there much interaction with other guests?
It wasn't freezing (low of about 6C), but it was quite cold in the early morning and late evening, especially for Mrs. KI-NRT, who is the exact opposite of bhrubin (she finds 23C "chilly.") The rooms are closed and sealed (by solid stone/sand) on all sides, so we were protected from the elements. Every evening after dinner, we returned to our room to find the fireplace all set-up, and hot water bottles under the sheets. It was more than sufficient. The wind chill factor goes way up when riding in an open-air vehicle, but by around 8:30AM we started peeling off our outer layers.

Originally Posted by Ericka
What dates were you there? How warm did it get during the day? Did you consider the Malori sleepout deck? (I've inquired about it and they say there is a gas heater, but I'm concerned about the cold.) Were you able to get the rooms suitably warm at night?
I'm sure I'll think of more questions later.
We stayed there in early July. The temperature ranged from 6C to about 22C. It was quite balmy in midday - the problem is, in a desert environment with clear skies (it's dry season), as soon as the sun goes down the warm air leaves with it. If going by past history (which is wildly unpredictable as of late!) August is usually a tad warmer than July.

We did not do the Malori sleepout due to concerns of the cold. We probably would've done one night out if not for the fact that we were expecting our next camp in Zambia's South Luangwa N.P. (Mchenja Bush Camp) to be far more "bushy," so while at Tswalu we availed ourselves to the creature comforts of our Legae
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:22 pm
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Looks amazing, @KI-NRT! Maybe the best review ever! (Sorry, couldn't resist. )

Thanks so much for sharing. And for letting me know the climate and air con sound wonderfully perfect for me!
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 1:35 am
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Such a great review - thank you so much. Firmly on my list now.
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 3:11 am
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The Kalahari landscape looks so much more interesting than than the areas around the Singitas in the Kruger.
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 6:53 am
  #10  
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Great report! Thank you

I think it's time for West Africa now.
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 7:11 am
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Originally Posted by DSI
I think it's time for West Africa now.
Approach with caution . . .
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 1:49 pm
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Well, if you consider Congo (ROC, not DRC) to be part of West Africa, then there's Lango and Ngaga Camps in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. They're no longer managed by Wilderness Safaris, but I had colleagues that recently returned from both camps and were raving about the entire experience. After our Mountain Gorilla habituation trek in Uganda this coming January (four hours with them vs. the usual one hour!), we might consider seeking out the Lowland Gorillas at some point in the future. In which case Ngaga is likely the top choice (unless you count Sangha Lodge in Central African Republic, which might be a bit TOO far off the beaten path, even for me!)

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Old Sep 27, 2017, 7:27 pm
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Originally Posted by KI-NRT
After our Mountain Gorilla habituation trek in Uganda this coming January (four hours with them vs. the usual one hour!), we might consider seeking out the Lowland Gorillas at some point in the future.
How ever could you trek for gorillas without us?

Have a blast! I'll be very curious to hear how Uganda compares and contrasts with Rwanda. Four hours sounds fab.
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Last edited by bhrubin; Sep 27, 2017 at 7:53 pm
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 7:50 pm
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
How ever could you trek for gorillas without us?

Have a blast! I'll be very curious to hear how Uganda compare and contrasts with Rwanda. Four hours sounds fab.
We'll definitely be thinking of you, my friend!

After 7 nights in two Mara conservancies, we were thinking of where else to combine with Kenya. It was either Uganda or Ethiopia, and Uganda won out. It's a mere 75 minute flight from Nairobi to Entebbe, then another 90 minutes to Bwindi Forest (we don't mind multiple short-hop flights.)

From everything I've read and have been told, the treks in Uganda are more arduous than Rwanda - it's longer, more hilly and has denser vegetation, which also makes the Gorilla viewing more difficult. That said, we'll be doing both a 4-hour habituation experience (which is only with 4 guests max) as well as the standard 1-hour viewing (8 guests), so we'll be able to do an apples-to-apples comparison to Rwanda.

FWIW, we'll be staying at Clouds Gorilla Lodge, which has chalets that seem to have been designed by the same person who worked on Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Rwanda) - they look identical.

Btw - the Gorilla permits in Rwanda are now an eye-bleeding $1500 per person per trek(!) - double the price that you guys (and we) paid back in 2015. Uganda is still at $750, although permits for the habituation experience is the same as Rwanda's standard permit ($1500.) We'll find out if it's worth it!
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Last edited by KI-NRT; Sep 28, 2017 at 2:06 am
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Old Sep 28, 2017, 12:03 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Thank you for the great review! We also stayed there in July 2015 and loved it! We are also "Africa junkies" having been many, many times but that was our first visit to Tswalu. We loved the different terrain and we,were lucky to see both aardvark and pangolin. I think our favorite siting was a late afternoon following cheetah for quite a long time. Agree with you on the accommodations - not as fancy as Singita, but more than adequate - really everything we needed. It sounds like we had a bit better luck with the food - not as good as Singita, but we were very happy and they dug deep in their very good wine cellar. Loved having our own vehicle and guide. Overall it was great and also highly recommend to add on to a Southern Africa journey for at least 3 nights. Our next African trip is looking like late July/early August 2019 - awfully long to wait, but too many other things planned! Please write about Uganda! We are debating between that and Rwanda as have yet to see gorillas despite 15 trips to Africa so summer 2019 will be it! Thank you!
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