Description: The riolite formations of the Lebombo mountains and the variation in the vegetation give the camp its exceptional character. Fever trees, wild fig and tree euphorbias may be sighted along the river drive. This scenic drive follows the Olifants and the Letaba Rivers and game such as elephant, zebra, impala and kudu are often sighted en route.

Regulations:

Accommodation:

Sponsored Accommodation:

Lebombo Guesthouse (On the river front) (Facilities for 8 persons)
• Four air-conditioned bedrooms, each with two single beds and bathroom en suite (bath, shower, toilet and basin).
• Lounge/diningroom with air-conditioner. Kitchen with an electric stove, eye-level oven, refrigerator/freezer, sink and cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery.
• Guest toilet.
• Barbecue area with a view across the river.
• Open parking.
• Apply thirteen months in advance.

Nshawu Guesthouse (On the river front) (Facilities for 8 persons)
• Four air-conditioned bedrooms, each with two single beds and bathroom en suite (bath, shower, toilet and basin).
• Lounge/diningroom with ceiling fans.
• Fully-equipped kitchen with an electric stove, refrigerator, sink, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery.
• Barbecue area (one under cover), (gas braai).
• Carport for two cars.
• Apply thirteen months in advance.

Other Accommodation:

Four-bed cottage with two bedrooms, each with air-conditioning and two single beds, bathroom (with bath), toilet, and a fully-equipped kitchen with a two-plate stove (without oven).

Two-bed huts with air-conditioning, toilet, bath or shower and fully-equipped kitchen with a two-plate stove (without oven). Two of the huts have an interleading door and may be reserved as a unit.

Two-bed huts with air-conditioning, shower, toilet and two-plate stove (without oven) and sink. Cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are not provided.

Two-bed and three-bed huts with air-conditioning, shower, toilet, refrigerator and a veranda. A few huts have a hip-bath with a shower above the bath. Cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are not provided.

One two-bed hut is equipped for the handicapped and has air- conditioning, a bath, toilet, refrigerator and a veranda. Cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are not provided.

The closest camping is at Balule

Services / Facilities:

Activities:

Ecozones near this camp:

General Information:

What to do and see nearby

Routes:

Places of special interest / History:

Wildlife:

Mammals: The Olifants area plays host to most of the park’s classic larger game. As the name of the camp suggests, elephant are common in the area. Baboon and Vervet Monkey both inhabit the camp as do fruit bats and thick-tailed bush babies at night. Lion and leopard are regularly seen on game drives. Cape Clawless Otter has been seen from the Olifants lookout point on the gravel road to Letaba.
See mammal checklist

Birding: Two birds to look out for on the Olifants River are White-fronted and White-crowned Plover, both of which can be seen in the riverbed. The bridges on the main tarred road and at Balule are the places to look for these species. Search the riparian trees on the Olifants River near Balule for the Pel’s Fishing Owl. It is occasionally seen on night drives from the low level bridge here, while it has also been seen infrequently from the high level bridge on the main tar road. This low level bridge adjacent Balule is an extremely productive venue. During the day one will get close encounters with several stork, heron and kingfisher species while the lure of the Fishing Owl by night is a big incentive. It is usually seen on the same sand-bank adjacent the same river pool. Only a few metres away, a white-backed night heron is sometimes seen. Then, at dusk in November 2002 a Black Egret (very rare in the park) was watched from only 5m away as it employed its definitive umbrella-wing fishing technique.

Camp bird-life in Olifants, like all camps is busy. Red-winged Starlings are particularly prominent. Trumpeter Hornbills and Pied Barbet are regularly seen in camp, and when the many aloe plants in camp are in flower, they act as a magnet for sunbirds. Rufous-bellied Heron has been recorded on the Olifants River.

Vegetation: Olifants is situated in rugged veld on rhyolite / basalt soil.Lowveld cluster-leaf, Raisin Bush and Mopane are all prominent in the area. Just south of the river is the transition zone between thornveld and the mopane belt. Visitors can thus have the enriching experience of game viewing in both ecozones.

In the camp itself there is a plethora of trees and plants, some that are scarce elsewhere in the park. A variety of aloe species are a real highlight.Next to the filling station there is a Sesame Bush.This is probably the only accessible place in the park where it can be seen.