MalaMala to Tswalu
From the banks of the Sand River to the red sands of the Kalahari.
At A Glance
Collection | Discovery Safari Collection |
Journey Type | Two-destination Safari |
Destination | MalaMala Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands & Tswalu Kalahari Reserve |
Recommended Stay | 6 Nights (3 nights at each destination) |
Choose From | 2 MalaMala Lodges & 3 Tswalu Lodges |
Nearest Airport | MalaMala Airstrip / Tswalu Airstrip |
Wildlife Highlights | MalaMala: Big Five, leopards, African wild dogs, cheetahs and abundant general game. Tswalu: Kalahari black-maned lion, black rhino, cheetah, meerkat, aardvark, pangolin, brown hyena, rare desert-adapted species such as Bat-eared Fox. |
Ideal For |
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Fully Customisable | Yes |
Why You'll Love This Safari
Two Extraordinary Worlds
Few journeys offer such a dramatic change of scenery. Begin beside the Sand River and end beneath the endless Kalahari sky.
Leopard Country To Desert Lions
MalaMala is renowned for its exceptional big-cat encounters, while Tswalu reveals a very different Africa, home to desert-adapted species and remarkable Kalahari lions.
The Best Of Both Worlds
This is not a choice between classic safari and something more unusual, you get both. And the contrast makes each destination even more memorable.
Wildlife Without Repetition
From riverine bushveld and abundant game to red earth, open plains and rare species, every day brings something different.
A Journey Made For Couples
There is something wonderfully romantic about moving from intimate riverfront safari to the vast solitude of the Kalahari.
For The Traveller Who Wants More
If a safari is about discovering what lies beyond the expected, this journey delivers at every turn.
Lodges In Our Portfolio
We’ve selected a small collection of exceptional lodges and camps across MalaMala and Tswalu, each offering a distinctly different way to experience the wild. Choose the atmosphere that speaks to you in each destination, and we’ll bring the two together into one seamless safari journey.
MalaMala Main Camp
Overlooking the Sand River in one of the Sabi Sands' most iconic wildlife areas, MalaMala Main Camp offers a classic safari experience built around exceptional game viewing. Its generous suites, wide viewing decks and traditional safari character create an easy sense of connection with the wilderness, while the reserve's renowned leopard and Big Five sightings keep the focus firmly on the game. It is a lodge where the rhythm of the safari remains at the centre of the stay.
Best Suited For
Serious wildlife enthusiasts
First-time safari travellers
Photographers wanting exceptional game viewing
Couples and honeymooners
Guests seeking a classic luxury safari
Travellers who prioritise wildlife over contemporary lodge design
Lodge Atmosphere
Classic • Spacious • Wildlife-Focused • Timeless
MalaMala Rattray's Camp
Set along a particularly beautiful stretch of the Sand River, Rattray's Camp offers a more private and residential expression of the MalaMala experience. The spacious suites are designed around the river and surrounding bush, with generous living areas and a slower, more secluded atmosphere. With MalaMala's exceptional traversing rights and wildlife at the centre of every day, it combines old-world safari character with an unusually intimate sense of space.
Best Suited For
Couples and honeymooners
Travellers seeking privacy and space
Luxury safari travellers
Wildlife enthusiasts and photographers
Guests who prefer a residential style of safari accommodation
Travellers celebrating a special occasion
Lodge Atmosphere
Residential • Refined • Private • Classic
Tswalu Loapi Tented Camp
Set beneath the vast Kalahari sky, Loapi is an intimate collection of private tented homes designed to make the landscape the centre of the experience. Each home has its own dedicated safari team, creating an unusually personal way to explore Tswalu's extraordinary desert wilderness. From desert-adapted wildlife and black-maned Kalahari lions to wide open landscapes, the safari here feels distinctly different from the reserves of the Lowveld.
Best Suited For
Couples and honeymooners
Families and private groups
Travellers seeking a highly personalised safari
Design-conscious guests
Wildlife enthusiasts interested in desert-adapted species
Travellers looking for a completely different South African safari
Lodge Atmosphere
Contemporary • Private • Expansive • Immersive
Tswalu The Motse
Built into the slopes of the Korannaberg Mountains, Tswalu Motse is the original heart of Tswalu and a warm expression of Kalahari hospitality. Its suites are spread beneath the red desert landscape, each with wide views towards the mountains and plains. The experience extends beyond traditional game drives, with walking, horseback riding, meerkat encounters and specialist wildlife experiences revealing the many layers of this remarkable wilderness.
Best Suited For
Couples and honeymooners
Families and multi-generational groups
Travellers wanting a broad range of activities
Guests interested in specialist wildlife experiences
First-time visitors to the Kalahari
Travellers looking for a luxurious but deeply rooted sense of place
Lodge Atmosphere
Warm • Organic • Spacious • Soulful
Tswalu Tarkuni Homestead
Tarkuni is a private, exclusive-use safari home set apart in the Kalahari, created for families and groups who want to experience Tswalu entirely around their own rhythm. Five suites surround generous indoor and outdoor living spaces, with a private team creating a more residential style of safari. The surrounding desert becomes your playground, from private game drives and horseback rides to evenings beneath the stars.
Best Suited For
Families and multi-generational groups
Groups of friends travelling together
Guests seeking a private safari home
Travellers wanting a highly personalised itinerary
Special celebrations and milestone trips
Guests who prefer residential-style accommodation
Lodge Atmosphere
Exclusive-Use • Residential • Warm • Expansive
Sample Itinerary
Recommended Stay: 6 Nights | 7 Days
We recommend spending three nights at MalaMala followed by three nights at Tswalu, giving you enough time to settle into two completely different safari worlds. Begin among the wildlife-rich landscapes of the Sabi Sands before travelling into the vast Kalahari, where a completely different wilderness awaits.
Day 1: Arrival at MalaMala
Arrive at MalaMala Airstrip, where you'll be met and transferred to your chosen lodge.
After checking in and settling into your suite, enjoy lunch before taking some time to relax and familiarise yourself with your surroundings.
Set out on your first afternoon game drive as the bush begins to come alive, stopping for sundowners as the light fades before returning to the lodge for dinner.
Inclusions: Air transfer, lunch, afternoon game drive, sundowners, dinner.
Days 2-3: Discovering MalaMala
Rise before sunrise and head into MalaMala with your guide for a morning game drive, stopping in the bush for coffee and light refreshments.
Return to the lodge for breakfast before enjoying a leisurely morning at your lodge.
After lunch, head out again for an afternoon game drive, following the wildlife into the golden hours before pausing for sundowners.
Return to the lodge for dinner and an evening beneath the African sky.
Inclusions: Morning drive with coffee and snacks, breakfast, lunch, afternoon game drive, sundowners, dinner.
Day 4: From MalaMala to Tswalu
Enjoy one final morning game drive at MalaMala, with coffee and refreshments in the bush, before returning to the lodge for breakfast.
After check-out, take a private air transfer towards Tswalu, watching the landscape transform as you leave the Greater Kruger behind and enter the Kalahari.
Arrive at Tswalu and settle into your chosen camp before enjoying lunch and some time to relax.
As afternoon arrives, set out on your first Tswalu experience, discovering a landscape unlike anything you've encountered at MalaMala.
Return to camp for sundowners and dinner beneath the vast Kalahari sky.
Inclusions: Morning drive with coffee and snacks, breakfast, air transfer, lunch, afternoon game drive, sundowners, dinner.
Days 5-6: Discovering Tswalu
Rise early and set out into the Kalahari with your guide, exploring the reserve as the landscape awakens.
Stop for coffee and light refreshments in the wilderness before returning to camp for breakfast.
Spend the remainder of the morning at leisure or enjoying one of Tswalu's many experiences, followed by lunch at camp.
In the afternoon, venture out again to explore the reserve and seek out its remarkable wildlife, ending the day with sundowners beneath the endless Kalahari sky.
Return to camp for an unforgettable dinner and your final evening in the wilderness.
Inclusions: Morning drive with coffee and snacks, breakfast, lunch, afternoon game drive, sundowners, dinner.
Day 7: Departure
Enjoy one final morning safari experience at Tswalu, making the most of your last moments in the Kalahari before returning to camp for breakfast.
After check-out, your air transfer will take you onwards for your onward journey.
Inclusions: Morning drive with coffee and snacks, breakfast, air transfer back to Johannesburg.
The All Out Safaris Perspective
This is one of our ultimate Discovery journeys. MalaMala and Tswalu are both extraordinary, but in completely different ways. One immerses you in the drama of the Greater Kruger; the other opens the door to the vastness and mystery of the Kalahari. Together, they show just how wonderfully diverse safari can be.
Questions about this safari
Why combine MalaMala and Tswalu?
Because they offer two remarkably different expressions of safari. MalaMala places you in the wildlife-rich landscapes of the Sabi Sands, while Tswalu takes you into the vast, ancient wilderness of the Kalahari. Together, they create a journey filled with contrast without compromising on exceptional wildlife and luxury.
How many nights should I spend at each destination?
We recommend at least three nights at MalaMala and three nights at Tswalu. This gives you enough time to settle into each destination and experience its unique character without making either stay feel rushed. Longer stays can easily be arranged and is encouraged.
Which destination should I visit first?
We recommend MalaMala first, followed by Tswalu. Start with the excitement and wildlife intensity of the Sabi Sands, then let the journey slow down as you enter the vast Kalahari. The contrast creates a natural progression from classic safari to a completely different wilderness experience.
How do I travel from MalaMala to Tswalu?
The recommended option is an air transfer, allowing you to move efficiently between the two destinations while experiencing the dramatic change in landscape from the Greater Kruger to the Kalahari.
What wildlife will I see at MalaMala and Tswalu?
MalaMala is renowned for leopard (especially), lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino (Big Five), while Tswalu offers fascinating Kalahari-adapted species including meerkat, aardvark, black rhino, cheetah and Kalahari lion.
Is this safari suitable for first-time safari travellers?
Absolutely. MalaMala offers an exceptional introduction to classic safari, while Tswalu adds an entirely different dimension. It's particularly rewarding if you want your first safari to offer plenty of variety.
Can I choose which lodges I stay at?
Yes. The journey is fully customisable and you can choose from the MalaMala and Tswalu lodges we offer. We'll help you find the combination that best suits your travel style and priorities.
Can I stay longer than six nights?
Absolutely. Six nights is our recommended starting point, but either stay can be extended depending on how much time you have and how deeply you'd like to experience each destination.
Similar Safaris
If the contrast between classic safari and the wild Kalahari is calling to you, we'd love to help you start planning your journey.
Once we've received your contact request, Josh will set up a consultation call or video meeting to get to know you better.