Luxurious Spa and Safari Bungalows on Private Game Reserve, South Africa
The Motse - An Island of Calm: The main property, the Motse, nestles at the foot of the Korannaberg mountains, facing westwards across the grasslands of the Kalahari. Motse means “village” in Tswana and the village consists of just eight spacious and secluded “legae” (another Tswana word, for “little house”) or suites. These legaes are built of local stone, rich red clay and traditional Kalahari thatch. Recently redesigned by world-renowned Boyd Ferguson, the suites define an elegant, barefoot luxury. Writing in Conde Nast Traveler, Justin Cartwright describes their charm; “A style has evolved in southern Africa of safari chic, which involves a fusion of African artifacts and art with very contemporary furniture. Nowhere I have seen does it as well as Tswalu.”- Conde Nast Traveler, December 2009
Each suite comprises a spacious bedroom with an open fire, a sumptuous en-suite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers, and a large dressing and study area. Your private sun deck overlooks a waterhole and the changing KALAHARI ANIMALS it attracts.
Two legae have been designed especially for families. Each offers two separate bedroom suites with their own en-suite bathrooms, separated by an expansive living room again leading on to a shady, private terrace. These legae are each over 170 square meters in size and create the perfect environment for any family group.
The Motse accommodates no more than 20 guests at any one time to make for a truly intimate KALAHARI SAFARI experience. The main house is a spectacular space in which to meet, with its elevated decks and elegant lounges. An infinity pool offers an endless view over the savannas and a secluded spa is designed to complete your total relaxation. The mezzanine library is equipped with satellite TV (the Motse also has full broadband Wi-Fi access throughout) and its museum cases display rare artifacts from the area. All profits from the exclusive Foundation Gift Shop go directly to fund important new research on the reserve.
The Motse includes:
6 standard legaes/suites
2 family legaes, each accommodating four people
Indoor & outdoor showers
Open fireplace
Private sun deck overlooking a waterhole
Separate dressing area
Broadband Wi-Fi Access
Direct dial telephone
Outdoor heated swimming pool
Sanctuary Spa & Gym
Walk-in wine cellar stocked with South African wines
Mezzanine library with satellite TV, literature & artifacts
Tswalu Foundation Gift Shop
Tarkuni - A World Apart: Set amidst two rolling mountain ranges, Tarkuni is the Oppenheimer family’s own personal home here at Tswalu and the ultimate private sanctuary. Recently redesigned to uncompromising standards of comfort and elegance, Tarkuni is an exceptional choice for families or groups of great friends. Its five luxurious suites, each with a magnificent en-suite bathroom, accommodate a maximum of 10 guests.
Tarkuni creates an oasis of serenity in the desert. The home has its own dedicated team, including a host and private chef to ensure a completely personal service. A private vehicle, personal field guide and tracker ensure an equally bespoke safari experience. Tarkuni’s quiet pool and shady salas offer calm and contemplation. Its own traditional boma has seen many celebrations. And its beguiling charm has led many guests to return to what becomes their home in the Kalahari.
The Tarkuni includes:
Exclusive private home with 5 individual suites
Accommodates 1-10 guests
Dedicated chef
Tranquil poolside deck
Private game viewing vehicle
Outdoor walk-in showers
2 lounges with open fireplaces
Outdoor swimming pool
Features and services
Most popular features
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Wi-Fi/Internet
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Wildlife watching
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Spa
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King-size bed
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Deck/Patio
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Horseback riding
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Restaurant
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Cafe
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Game room
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Safari/Game drive
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Wine tasting
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Pick-up/Drop-off
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Shower
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Electricity
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Water
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Double bed
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Infants allowed
Where you will stay
Get in touch to book your luxury camping rental
Groblershoop, Northern Cape
Detailed location provided after booking
Scenic views
Imagine a place filled with big blue clear skies, where raptors hover over the mountain desert of the Richtersveld, the cascading Augrabies. Waterfalls and the expansive wilderness of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park surround you. Seasons in the southern Kalahari can be described in traditional terms - spring, summer, autumn and winter - but their nature and duration are very different. Summer lasts for almost six months.
In Spring (September - October), the weather begins to warm up, though some cold fronts can still sweep inland from the Cape. Blackthorn and honeybush break into blossom, scenting the evening air. Barking geckos call for mates in a cacophony unique to the Kalahari, and meerkat pups emerge from their dens in anticipation of the rains.
Summer (November - March) brings hot days and mild evenings with only an occasional afternoon thunderstorm. Rain is always unpredictable in the desert but if you are fortunate enough to experience it, you will be astounded as the desert turns into a lush green spectacle, glittering with golden flowers. Many of the antelope calf early in Summer and signs of new life abound. Migrant birds such as cuckoos and lanner falcons arrive sometimes, making birding here especially exciting.
In Autumn (April - May) the days become mild and the evenings cool. With luck, there may even be some late season’s rains. This is the greenest time of the year; the savannas take on a beautiful silkiness as the grasses surrender their seeds to gentle breezes. Autumn is the time of the rut as antelope such as impala, in peak physical condition, begin a frenzy of fighting to establish territories and claim mates.
Winter (June - August) sees daytime temperatures cool. The first frost can fall and night-time temperatures may even drop below freezing on occasion. Conditions become very dry as humidity disappears. As the grasses and bushes dry out so sightings of rarer, smaller mammals increase. Shy, nocturnal creatures such as aardvark, aardwolf or pangolin emerge in daylight now. The clear evenings of Winter offer the best stargazing spectacle under the Kalahari’s breathtaking “diamond skies”.
The Kalahari always promises things you can never see elsewhere. And each month here reveals sights and sounds different to the last.
Activities near Groblershoop
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Horseback riding
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Wine tasting
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Wildlife watching
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Safari/Game drive
For anyone with a particular passion, special talks can be arranged with the reserve’s ecologists. Photographers will find unending possibilities here, combining shots of unique wildlife with dazzling panoramas. Walks to ancient archaeological sites will reveal rock carvings created by the Bushmen up to 380,000 years ago, some of the oldest art on Earth.
At other times, the pools or shaded salas beckon. The exclusive spa completes your relaxation; its range of soothing and revitalizing treatments celebrates the natural heritage of Africa. The spa is now a combination of sensual spaces which combine to create an inspirational venue for what must be one of the most unusual spa experiences in Africa. Designed to enhance the natural beauty of the Kalahari and take advantage of the superb climate, the outdoor treatment area is within an indigenous spa garden where guests may find the occasional antelope grazing alongside them and be lulled into a deep state of relaxation by the sound of birdsong. Surrounded by endless blue skies and the unique vegetation of the Green Kalahari, guests who indulge in the authentic signature massages performed by local therapists, will discover the Spa’s ethos of “closer to the land, closer to the people.” The indoor spa area is a natural extension of the earth, inspired by nature and the splendor of the Kalahari, with natural finishes and fabrics and simple spaces, which together create a sense of tranquility and barefoot elegance.
Guests may also choose to have their treatments at an outdoor tsala, where a rustic structure protects one from the elements and is positioned to give a bird’s eye view of the open grasslands of the reserve against the backdrop of the Korannaberg Mountain range.
In terms of social responsibility, guests are encouraged to enjoy a tour of the new staff village (built on environmental principles); the healthcare clinic; the registered pre-school; and the adult literacy center. Sometimes the most exhilarating activity is no activity at all. Watch in silence as the sun slips below an endless horizon. Your own private Kalahari.
Property reviews
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Things to know
Arrival and departure
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Check-in: Flexible
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Check-out: Flexible
House rules
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No pets allowed
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No smoking
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No parties
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No events
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Some spaces are shared
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before check-in day
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Additional info
Please also note that this area is free of malaria and other tropical diseases.
