Tembe Elephant Park
KwaZulu-Natal

Until about 30 years ago large herds of freely roaming elephants still lived in the border area between Mozambique and the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal - then called "Maputaland". But during the civil war in Mozambique poachers decimated them considerably for their meat. Some surviving elephants managed to escape into the dense forests of the area which is now the reserve, founded in 1983. In the beginning the elephants still reacted very aggressively to humans, but in 1992 the park could be opened to visitors.

Today, some 180 elephants live in the game reserve. It is 30,000 hectares in extent and lies in the transitional zone between the tropics und the subtropics. The park is overall very rich in game. The "Big Five" - elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard - can be found here as well as zebra, giraffe, hyaena, hippo and many species of antelope, from Kudu to the small Suni. About 340 bird species have been counted in Tembe.

The bushland is in parts very densely vegetated and even forested, the ground being deep sand. There is also open savannah and swampland.

The land belongs to the Tembe, a tribe of the Tonga people, who have been living here for centuries. These very friendly and open-minded people run the reserve together with the official nature protection Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Visitors can explore the park in their own vehicle. However, a four-wheel drive is required, because all the roads are soft sand. Chances to view game are very good in this park. Especially the waterhole at the protected Mahlasela Hide is a heavy-traffic zone with constant comings and leavings of animals.

More visitor information and accommodation in Tembe: INFO

Top left: Elephant skull. Bottom left: Elephants at the Mahlasela waterhole Top right: Tembe elephant. Bottom right: Sandy road in Tembe Park