Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Private game reserve near Korannaberg Mountains, South Africa

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a private game reserve in the Northern Cape that stretches across grasslands and red sand dunes. The land supports diverse wildlife including black rhinos, lions, pangolins, and meerkats in their natural habitats.

Stephen Boler assembled dozens of farms in the Southern Kalahari into a reserve, bringing back lions, giraffes, buffalo, black rhino and zebra; a hunting operation called Tarkuni funded it. Boler died in Johannesburg in 1998 while travelling to Tswalu, and his will gave Nicky Oppenheimer first refusal. The Oppenheimers banned trophy hunting, removed farm buildings and fences, and added land.

The reserve is part of the Diamond Route, a network of conservation sites linked to diamond mining. In 2007 the WWF-Lonmin Award from the World Wide Fund for Nature recognised the conservation work of Nicky and Strilli Oppenheimer. The lodge Tswalu Kalahari is a member of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.

Guests travel in private safari vehicles with a guide and tracker for close wildlife viewing. Visit during cooler months when animals are more active and easier to spot.

The reserve offers specialized night safaris to observe nocturnal species like aardvarks, brown hyenas, and pangolins. These experiences let visitors see rare creatures that remain hidden during the day.