Famous for being the world’s largest man-made hole, Kimberley (South Africa’s historic mining town) is becoming increasingly popular to tourists not only for having been blessed with some of the world’s most precious diamonds, but also for being a sacred haven for the creator’s beautiful Meerkat species.

The effect of the screenings of Animal Planet’s Meerkat Manor episodes has ignited a tremendous amount of spectator value and interest in wild Meerkat viewing for tourists from around the world.  On the edge of the mysterious Kalahari Desert wilderness is a large concession that is home to more than 70 species of mammal including lion, cheetah and the rare desert black rhino. This historical home of the Bushmen offers a rare but beautiful natural habitat for these small social carnivores also known as the desert Mongoose.

News of these exquisite creatures has traveled far and wide as tourists share their unique Meerkat encounters with other wildlife and travel enthusiasts.  Meerkat sightingsare becoming so popular that travelers are making a visit to view the Kimberly Meerkat an essential part of their Meerkat experience en route to their visits to see the Desert Meerkats. Travelers can enjoy the sightings and attractions offered by this famous old mining town which is less than 400 kilometers away from the Kalahari Desert before they continue on to their tour of viewing the Meerkat in their natural surrounds.

The Meerkat adventure begins before sunrise in Kimberley.  Travelers enjoy early morning coffee and rusks (a crispy baked dough enjoyed as a typical South African morning treat) in the ‘veld’ (a South African term for the bush) while watching the sun come up and the Meerkat awakening to another day with a ritual sunbathing session. This is a wild gang of Meerkat and the viewing is done at a respectful distance. After a rustic brunch in the African ‘veld’, travelers visit the Big Hole in Kimberly where the middle part of the day is spent exploring the history of this fascinating diamond town.

Afternoon sunsets are then spent with a tame or habituated Meerkat group of orphans. Up close and personal, visitors will be able to get an intimate insight into their social lives and also some great photo opportunities. When the Meerkats go to sleep in their burrows, the visitors bid each other farewell over sundowners and shared memories of an unforgettable day with Meerkats in the Kalahari Desert.

The Kalahari is renowned for having exclusive luxury private and malaria free game reserves situated in the heart of the Northern Cape Province. It offers the ultimate safari experience in elegantly simple surroundings nestled in the red sands of the Kalahari. Star gazing is big in the Kalahari, hot air ballooning too, but the reserve is known across the world as an excellent place for bird watching with more than 200 species of birds some of them indigenous to the arid zone, found in the varying habitats of the reserve. Raptors and in particular, vultures, are very well represented. The most abundant species are the white-backed vulture and the lappet-faced vulture.

Of course the main activity in this Game Reserve is game watching from the private game viewing vehicle or guided walks or horseback trails across the red dunes.

With activities like these one can almost predict that some of the luxurious deluxe facilities available within the reserve would include a well stocked private wine cellar, private plane, high powered telescope (for star gazing, of course), a private chef, a library and a host of other luxuries.