TEMBE ELEPHANT LODGE in TEMBE ELEPHANT PARK SOUTH AFRICA

The name speaks of untamed Africa - where nature still holds sway and life beats to the ancient rhythms of this timeless continent. This is the Africa of Tembe Elephant Park, where the real Africa of untamed wilderness begins.

Tembe Elephant Park is situated in Maputaland which is the north-eastern region of Zululand in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The northern boundary of the Reserve adjoins directly onto the country of Mozambique. Tembe is home to some of the biggest elephants in Africa, this is evident not only in their huge body size but also by being awestruck by their enormous tusks. “Hundred Pounders”, elephants with tusks which weigh over a hundred pounds per tusk, a size very rare in Africa nowadays, are still found in Tembe. These huge elephants stand twelve feet high at the shoulder and some of the big bulls have tusks nine feet long which sweep the ground as they walk.

The elephants of Tembe are the remnants of the last remaining free-ranging herds which used to move seasonally down the east coast of Africa between Mozambique and Maputaland. Exciting opportunities exist to expand the range of these elephants as the communities living in these rural areas discover the economic potential of Ecotourism and the financial and socio-economic benefits thereof. By visiting this area you will be supporting elephant conservation and community upliftment, as the communities living alongside Tembe Elephant Park own the land and the tourist camp, and thus they derive benefits out of their involvement in wildlife conservation. Wildlife is now seen as an asset rather than a threat to their lives or that of their livestock or just another meal!

Although established in 1983, this very important reserve was only officially opened to the public on 9 September 1991. The park was proclaimed to protect the last remaining herds of free-ranging elephants in South Africa. These elephants once moved seasonally between Mozambique and Maputaland, but in recent years have sought refuge in the dense sand forest to escape continuous harassment from across the border in Mozambique. Some of the elephants still bear the old wounds and scars of attempts by poachers to either trap or shoot them. The opening of the reserve to the public was delayed in order to allow these animals to settle down and become used to their newfound protection.

A significant event in the planning and development of this park by the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Services was that an agreement was reached with the local tribal authority whereby people living in parts of the iSihangwane area, an area now incorporated within the boundaries of the park, would move out and establish new homesteads and fields nearby, but outside the boundaries of the reserve. In exchange, they would be permitted regular entry to prescribed areas in the park to harvest reeds and other materials for hut building and other purposes, such as the collection of traditional medicinal plants. This utilization of natural resources from the park also extends to the local people receiving a percentage of the revenue earned through tourism. The park has also provided employment for some of them.
Some of the largest elephants in the world are found in Tembe, and along with black rhino, white rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, the reserve offers unsurpassed opportunities to view “The Big Five”. A host of other animals such as hippo, crocodile, giraffe and many of Africa’s antelope species are also found in the reserve and together they offer superb game viewing and photographic opportunities. The size of the park covers 300square kilometers (190 square miles) of pristine African wilderness.

Tembe is also a bird-watchers paradise and excellent birding opportunities are found in the varied habitat conserved inside the reserve, with more than 340 bird species recorded in the park - including the rare Rudd's apalis, the rufous-bellied night heron, the Natal nightjar and the Woodward's batis.

Tembe is also home to the rare and elusive suni antelope, one of the smallest and most shy antelope to be found in southern Africa, and the patient game-viewer is often rewarded with a sighting.

The magnificent elephants, more than 140 in number, ranging from massive full-grown adult bulls to tiny new born babies - are Tembe's main attraction and make for spectacular viewing. The large adults are physically the biggest in South Africa and signs of their voracious foraging is obvious everywhere. Broken branches, foliage and even large trees which have been pushed over by these giants are clearly evident and are a constant reminder that an elephant might loom into sight at any minute. Tembe's mosaic of sand forest, woodland, grassland, and swampland, comprises an ideal habitat for highly-visible elephant spotting, enabling them to be observed at close-quarters from game-drive vehicles or from the discreetly-located hides which overlook their watering holes.

The luxury Tembe Elephant Lodge is privately managed under leasehold from the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service. Guided game drives through the park in open 4x4 vehicles are a most exciting activity available to guests.

The lodge comprises luxury safari tents that blend unobtrusively with their natural surroundings and are tucked away in secluded areas, offering guests a unique, private wilderness experience. A refreshing sundowner and a dip in the lodge's sparkling swimming pool provides a welcome time for personal reflection after an awesome day's game viewing.

Supper is spent reminiscing about the day’s game drives and the amazing sightings which were revealed to you by our skilled and highly trained local guides. After dinner, coffee in hand, we amble over to the fire and listen to the night sounds of the African bush! The roar of a lion or the eerie call of a hyaena will quicken the senses, but enhance the comfort offered by the fire! With the knowledge of luxurious amenities close at hand, guests are happy to enjoy tasty meals around the campfire and enjoy the unforgettable experience of Africa under the stars.
This is an Africa that tourists seldom see, where an abundance of African elephants, big game and rare species live in an environment unchanged by time.

To find out more about a vacation of a lifetime at TEMBE contact us on email: nicvj@seasaf.com

Tembe Lodge also offers guided tours in luxury, air-conditioned vehicles or open safari vehicles.

Other activities in the area include:

Game viewing and bird watching at the adjacent Ndumo Game Reserve, Boat trips on the Kosi Lake System,
Snorkelling and scuba diving at prime dive venues along the reefs of the tropical Indian Ocean coastline at Kosi Bay, Black Rock, Rocktail Bay and Sodwana Bay.
Turtle watching along the coast from Kosi Bay to Ponte de Oro. {Seasonal}
Exploring Lake Sibaya and the coastal forests.
Rock, surf or deep sea fishing. Tiger fishing in nearby rivers. Visits to a traditional Zulu Cultural village. Canoeing on the local pans and rivers.

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES:

Tembe Elephant Lodge is very supportive of the rural communities which live around the reserve . Regularly Zulu dancers come to the lodge and perform a variety of tribal songs and dances which are, for the most part, re-enactments of various Zulu folklore stories. The dancers are predominantly teenagers, dressed in traditional Zulu/Tsonga regalia. Shields, spears, furs and skins are all the order of the day!
They perform their tribal dance routine voluntarily, for your enjoyment... but any gratuities are more than appreciated! Guests are encouraged to join in the festivities of dancing …and place gratuities on the ground, amidst much excitement.
The dance group usually pool all monies collected into a fund which is used to buy school uniforms for local children who cannot afford their own.
Local cultural happenings in the area also include visiting some of the local homesteads where you can interact with these friendly people, see how they live and even eat a traditional meal with them in their traditional home.

Whatever you choose, we promise that your visit to Tembe will be the experience of a lifetime.
All amenities are catered for and tariffs include: luxury en-suite tented accommodation, meals, teas, coffee and light refreshments, morning and afternoon game drives conducted by experienced guides.
Visit us for a night……… or…. as longgggg ….as you wish. This is Timeless Africa where you will mellow out as the warmth of the area and its people will melt into you and you will find it difficult to say goodbye!

MALARIA AND INSECT REPELLENTS

Although Tembe Elephant Lodge is located in a low incident malaria area we have never had a malaria problem.
This is largely thanks to the regular mosquito control programme we have around the lodge and, as a result, mosquitoes are rarely found in the camp. The lodge is situated in a dry region of the park, which does not have any stagnant water nearby, and this reduces mosquito breeding opportunities.
We do however encourage guests to ‘cover up’ in the evenings, and apply the insect repellents we supply on game drives and in the individual tents. This is especially important for evening game drives and in the summer months.
The taking of malaria prophylactics is purely the choice of the guest, but we do advise guests to consult their General Practitioner prior to visiting Tembe Elephant Park.

THE TEMBE EXPERIENCE WILL TAKE YOU TO A DISTANT WORLD OF AFRICA AS IT ONCE WAS - UNSPOILT, NATURAL, AND LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM THE PRESSURES OF CIVILIZATION.