Hamitlons Tented Camp
Transfer yourself back in time in luxury, a fine tradition of luxury in true ‘Out of Africa’ style..
The Tarkuni Valley is waiting for you
Tarkuni offers the ultimate escape at any time of the year, providing opportunities to stop and appreciate the silence and the immense sense of space that defines Tswalu Kalahari.
The word ‘Tswalu’ means ‘a new beginning’ and Tswalu Kalahari is driven by two ambitions: to create an inspirational experience for its guests and a conservation vision, to restore the Kalahari to itself. This entails the management of the entire ecological system, including the vegetation and the available water resources to restore vital ecological processes which have disappeared in parts of the Kalahari, thereby maximizing the diversity of life found in the region. These two goals sit in perfect equilibrium with each guest contributing directly to the sustainability of the reserve in a true model of eco-tourism.
In the shelter of the mountains – which also provide a dramatic backdrop to wildlife sightings – you can encounter Tswalu’s 240 kinds of bird and 80 mammal species, including Hartmann’s mountain zebra, wild dog, black maned lion, pangolin and aardvark.
Originally the private safari home of the Oppenheimer family, Tarkuni is located in a secluded valley below the ancient Korannaberg mountains. For multi-generational families or a reunion of friends, the rustic-chic thatched retreat is everything you’d want in an exclusive-use safari camp - a home from home that is luxuriously comfortable, yet comfortingly familiar.
Tarkuni sleeps 10 people in five luxury bedrooms
The five guest bedrooms have new, natural light-flooded bathrooms with outdoor showers, a king-size bed with exquisite cotton linen. All the glass sliding doors throughout the house have been fitted with screen doors. In the evening the glass doors can be flung wide to allow the scents and sounds of the bush to filter in, while the screen doors can be secured to keep bugs out and ensure a peaceful night’s sleep.
Outdoors, besides the large, shaded veranda, there is a tsala with teak day beds – a quiet spot away from the main house for a post-lunch siesta or an outdoor massage. Closer to the house there is a deep splash pool for refreshing dips on a warm day.
Tarkuni Homestead offers unparalleled safari accommodation for guests who want to travel in small groups. Guests can expect genuine indulgence and pampering and, with their own private vehicle, guide, and tracker, a completely flexible safari experience.
Tarkuni is a place to restore and replenish the mind and body
Each activity becomes part of your exclusive, personalised Tswalu safari.
Guests at Tarkuni have their own resident chef and can discuss their food preferences with the chef.There are various dining options for guests who can dine indoors or out, in the dining room or at the pool deck, and can enjoy their meals at times that suit them.From a late breakfast at the pool, a picnic in the dunes, a feast in the boma, or sundowners and snacks on your private deck... guests will delight in the delicious gourmet meals prepared by their chef under the supervision of Executive Chef Mandi.
Working in partnership with Michelin-starred South African chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, our chefs look to reinterpret the flavours they find around them and create unique taste touchpoints at every turn. Our choice of ingredients is only half the story; the context from which they come and in which they are served completes the picture. All guests now have the once in a lifetime opportunity to experience Restaurant Klein JAN.
Tswalu's wine list has been carefully selected from the best South African wines available and guests will enjoy the food and wine pairing menus.The wine list was awarded Platinum status by the coveted Diners Club Wine List Awards.
Unlike most private reserves in South Africa, there are no other lodges on the property and the land is not shared with guests from other concessions or properties. This means that there are no areas of the reserve that are off-limits to guests. Heading off in a new direction every day, it literally feels as if you have the entire southern Kalahari to yourself.
Tswalu is malaria free, making it an ideal safari destination for families. Children are actively encouraged to participate fully in the safari experience.
Through a voluntary The Tswalu Foundation, The Tswalu Foundation exists primarily to support ecological research at Tswalu. Through accumulating a growing body of quality output on the fauna, flora and the unique habitat of the southern Kalahari we have been able to make informed conservation management decisions to better support our shared vision. This information has been made freely available to our neighbours and other interested parties so that, as we seek to add to our shared understanding of this rich and diverse landscape, they too can care for their land in the best long-term interests of the wildlife and people of the Kalahari. During your stay at Tswalu, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with researchers studying both iconic and more obscure species and witness scientific conservation in progress.
Tswalu offers a vision of hope that brings together conservation, research and an unrivalled safari experience. Everything we do is centred around our creed: To leave our world better than how we found it.
Imagine yourself relaxing at Tarkuni's pool
This is a Malaria free area.
Allow our experience to work for you
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