Green Star Rating Results:
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Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Special Achievements:
Tswalu Kalahari has received international recognition and awards including the Relais & Chateaux Global Environment Trophy in 2006 and Conde Nast Traveller's World Saver Award in 2007. Tswalu was named as one of National Geographic's top 50 eco-lodges in the world in 2009.

Energy Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - We have replaced low energy globes in most lights (except those which operate on a dimmer) and are also reducing outside lighting to a minimum. This is to both conserve energy and reduce light pollution to a minimum. In addition we are lobbying with regional government and other development in the region to reduce light pollution. Our endless horizons, dark nights and bright stars are seen as one of our most valuable assets.

Tswalu is also embarking on other energy saving strategies. Refrigeration plants and swimming pool pumps are among the areas currently receiving attention through the fitting of timing switches on these and similar machinery, in order to reduce consumption.

Solar power has also been used extensively for majority of water pumps in the veldt, some electric fencing, some geysers/ lighting etc. Tswalu has embarked on a four year plan to rebuild all staff houses in a central complex. The first phase of this project was completed in April 2008 with opening of the first 30 new staff houses. The second phase will be opened towards the end of 2009. The houses have been designed on environmentally friendly principles and to save energy, each house is fitted with solar water heating units and low energy lighting.

Water Rating: ★★★★ (4)
Staff Comment - Domestic water
Through judicious water management we have managed to reduce our domestic water consumption by nearly half. The lodges have been re-landscaped using plant species indigenous to the area which are adapted to the hot and arid climate, thus requiring minimal water. "Water thirsty" grass lawns have been phased out and have been replaced with natural vegetation and “stone gardens”.

Wildlife water
Man-made waterholes in the area have been reduced to both encourage a more natural distribution of water and also to reduce wastage. The water pipelines are patrolled regularly to ensure that any breakages are repaired quickly in order to minimize water loss. Solar powered pumps have been phased in, in order to be more energy efficient.

CLEANING MATERIALS AND OTHER CHEMICALS
Tswalu continuously seeks to introduce new environmentally sensitive products to the operation. All detergents used in housekeeping, the kitchen and laundry are sourced from suppliers who have proven environmentally products (EcoLab®). In the new staff housing development, apart from low volume toilets and low-flow shower heads each new house has a 2000 litre rain water tank to collect precious water. Both camps- Motse and Tarkuni have also been fitted with low volume toilets and low-flow shower heads.

Disposal Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - We are particularly proud of our waste management programmes, which are improving all the time. Sorting of waste is now an established practice and we are sending as much waste away for recycling as possible. Our isolated location means that we must transport our tin, cardboard, paper and plastics over 120km away for recycling. We thus combine our waste removal travel with our shopping trips into town. An unexpected bonus from our waste management programme has been that we are able to fund waste sorting salaries from the income derived from the sale of waste. Tswalu removed over 30000 kg of scrap steel in 2008.

Many kilometres of fencing was removed in order to establish the Tswalu conservation area. This fencing material is being made available to various community farming projects and where the fencing is no longer reusable it is baled and sent for recycling. All organic material is composted on site.

Eco-Active Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - We are committed to offering authentic African experiences through sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism. The development of environmentally sensitive procedures is recognized as both an area of high priority as well as an on-going process. The main focus of the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve tourism experience is to expose guests to the wonders of the Kalahari ecosystem. Tswalu is enormous (approximately twice the size of Andorra and the Seychelles) and by virtue of its size alone, offers an authentic African wildlife experience. The limited number of beds (30) ensures that a maximum of six vehicles traverse the entire area at any one time. The arid nature of the savannah means that game, although plentiful, is scattered across a wide area. Thus, as the periods between sightings of large game may be extended, guides are required to offer more than simply a view of big game. While Tswalu is home to most of the "charismatic" African big game species such as lion, cheetah, wild dog, desert black rhino and buffalo, the arid habitat also supports a surprising array of smaller animals, birds and plants. Guides are thus encouraged to explore all aspects of the eco system.

All guest activities are led by a guide and a tracker. The relationship between guide and tracker is one of the most important components of the guests' experience. Our guides are chosen primarily for their enthusiasm to learn and our trackers are typically people who have grown up in the area and thus have a long standing traditional knowledge of the region and its history. With this team, a culture of "passive learning" is passed on to the guest. The environment is thus "explored" with the guide team rather than simply "explained" by the guide.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is primarily a conservation area. It aims to restore the area of approximately 1000km2 (102 000 hectares) of Kalahari savannah to a pristine state. Such a vast area offers a safe haven for many endangered and rare species while protecting an area of unique diversity and beauty. Hospitality operations serve as a means towards ensuring that the conservation objectives of the property are sustainable while at the same time ensuring that the people of the area benefit from the work opportunities and training that tourism development offers.

A number of projects have been implemented including a free primary health care clinic on the property for all Tswalu residents, as well as any other members of the neighbouring farming community. An extensive HIV/AIDS awareness programme is run through the clinic as well as the WARMTH programme (WAR against Malnutrition, Tuberculosis and Hunger). A free pre-school for children has been established as well as a full time ABET (Adult Based Education and Training) literacy programme, aiming to address the disturbingly high illiteracy levels in this areas. As literacy rates increase, staff begins to benefit from a variety of training and development opportunities that are associated with a tourism development of this kind.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve aims to make a contribution to conservation through three main conservation goals, i.e. the restoration of the natural environment to a pristine condition, the re-establishment and protection of biological diversity and the maintenance of the natural ecological processes characteristics of the Kalahari environment. 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 other parts of the Kalahari, thereby maximizing the diversity of life found in the region. A team of professional wildlife managers performs the work of wildlife management.

Tswalu Kalahari has been Fair Trade in Tourism accredited since 2006. 2008 was Tswalu’s 3rd year of Fair Trade & Tourism SA certification and in October 2008 we were visited by an independent assessor, to review Tswalu’s compliance with FTTSA principles and criteria. We were thrilled to see an overall improvement on score, up 9% since the 2006 evaluation.

Protection Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - The main focus of the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve tourism experience is to expose guests to the wonders of the Kalahari ecosystem. We are committed to offering authentic African experiences through sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism. Tswalu is committed to excellent environmental management practices , with all staff and guests receiving ongoing systematic environmental management education and awareness In 2008 our Fair Trade rating in the area of procurement increased by 12%. Since the 2006 assessment Tswalu Kalahari has increased staff involvement in procurement decisions. We have assisted local suppliers and local entrepreneurs to establish their own businesses. Our contribution to assist a staff member to start his own business was applauded in the 2008 rating. Tswalu shows a true commitment to the use of local suppliers – approximately 80%. This is excellent due to the remote location of TK.

The vast majority of Tswalu staff are employed from the local area. Please see above for conservation programmes

Guests are informed about Tswalu’s social/community investment activities through information books in rooms and on our website. Extensive information on our conservation activities is also provided to our guests both verbally and in information documents in the guest rooms. The Tswalu Foundation was established in August 2008 with focus on attracting researchers to Tswalu and is a means for guests to invest in Tswalu research or earmark donations to specific projects.

Contact Details

Name:
Tswalu Kalahari
Address:
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve,
Kuruman,
South Africa
Telephone:
+27 11 274 2299
Website:
www.tswalu.com
E-mail:
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