Kalahari calling, desert dreaming
Loapi is like a private safari home: Tswalu’s most exclusive tented camp of six private ‘residences’ in the vast, malaria-free Kalahari is a truly immersive wilderness experience.
Meaning ‘the space below the clouds’ in Setswana, the sculptural glass, steel and canvas pavilions of Loapi float lightly on the arid savannah grasslands of the Kalahari in the foothills of the Korannaberg mountains. Evoking an ancient nomadic lifestyle yet utterly luxurious, it’s the newest camp at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve.
Taking his cue from nature’s palette and the truly breathtaking landscape here, Greg Mellor’s interior design is wonderfully tactile, bold and refreshing. Organic shapes echo the sculptural interiors with their carved wood-panelled walls, cork detailing, curvaceous boucle sofas and especially commissioned Coral Stephens mohair weaving, yet everything seamlessly transitions outdoors. The result is perfection. This is your ‘legae’, Setswana for ‘home’.
A world apart…
It’s the experience of absolute privacy and solitude, of being able to completely disconnect from the world in this vast wilderness of rolling dune fields, rocky hills and calcrete pans that makes a stay at Loapi so different – yet in this raw, harsh landscape, the experience is one of true luxury. You will not mingle with other guests as you have your own homathi or manager, own private game vehicle, guide and tracker, own chef who prepares meals in your interactive kitchen.
The game experience is entirely personal: not only is Loapi close to several waterholes for rewarding game sightings, but you can shape your days exactly as you wish. If you’re hoping to see black-maned lions, meerkats, a rare pangolin or experience night drives – hopefully you’ll spot the elusive aardvark – everything is planned around your interests. Stars? Like you’ve never seen before. Twitcher? You’ll love the sociable weaver nests. Even rock engravings or petroglyphs reveal a whole new world of fascinating myths and storytelling passed down through generations.
That said, dinner at Klein JAN restaurant is likely to be the only planned event during your stay… a food journey that begins in the old farmhouse beneath the windmill, and ends in a subterranean dining room. ‘It is a breathtaking, carefully created and curated theatrical performance – and a non-stop extravaganza of sensory pleasures,’ says Anji Connell in her blog. If you’re coming to Africa for a safari of a lifetime, this is the ultimate way to end your journey. Recent Perfect Hideaways guests summed it up: ‘Loved the meal and experience. Extraordinary, on a trip that was already extraordinary!’
What we love…
- That Loapi is like a private home (designed by GAPP architects) with each of the residences set 50m apart. The only time you see other guests is when you go to Klein Jan for dinner (included when you stay for two nights), and that’s pretty much the only planned event during your stay. Everything is customised around you and your interests.
- Boma dinners and bush picnics on the rusty red Kalahari dunes are simply unforgettable (no one else will be with you if you’re staying at Loapi – they’re utterly private, under-the-stars moments to remember forever).
- Dinner at Klein JAN restaurant (included with a minimum two-night stay at Tswalu). If you’re coming to Africa for a trip of a lifetime, this is the ultimate way to end your trip. Read more about it in the Living Life Unscripted blog. South African chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen was the first South African chef to receive a Michelin star for his restaurant JAN, in Nice in 2016. Klein JAN was his first long-awaited restaurant back home, with a focus on modern Kalahari cuisine.
- That no matter where you stay at Tswalu, food is a highlight: regional produce is ethically sourced from dedicated and passionate farmers, artisans, makers and producers … everything from goat’s milk cheeses to organic grains to camel milk and pasture-reared beef and lamb. The Northern Cape is also known for its pecans, pistachios, dates, citrus, grapes and dried fruits.
What you need to know…
- You can book to fly in and out on Tswalu’s scheduled private charters. Flights from Johannesburg (90 mins) or Cape Town International (2 hours).
- The habituated meerkat experience is a must, but if you’re an experienced rider, horse riding across this landscape is spectacular. Do a nature walk if you’re interested in learning about traditional uses for plants in the Kalahari.
- If you’ve never been to the Kalahari or Tswalu, our suggestion is to do a two-night stay at each: starting at The Motse and ending at Loapi. Or three nights at Loapi so that you can truly relax.
- At Loapi, you have your own private plunge pool and massages can be arranged. At Motse, the pool is communal but there’s a spa and gym. For families, Tarkuni Homestead is a wonderful multigenerational retreat.
- This is the desert: there are no baths but outdoor showers (to encourage low water consumption) with mesmerising views.
- You can get involved: learn about The Tswalu Foundation, the Animal Collegium, the Dedeben Research Centre and Artist in Residence programmes, as well as wildlife projects on the reserve. What’s being done here is both fascinating and enriching, leaving every guest with a new-found respect for this truly beautiful and ancient wilderness.
- With at least 50 metres (165 feet) between each residence, guests are assured of solitude and seclusion
Reviewed by Michelle Snaddon