Situated in Maputaland, the north-eastern region of KwaZulu-Natal, adjoining the Mozambique border, Tembe is home to the province's biggest elephant herd and its only indigenous elephants. Tembe's elephants used to be South Africa's last remaining free-ranging herd, at one time moving seasonally between Mozambique and Maputaland. The larger adults are physically the biggest in South Africa.
The habitat in Tembe is a mix of sand forest, woodland, grassland, and swampland. It makes for great wildlife viewing - particularly for elephants, and this is made even easier by the discreetly positioned hides which overlook the waterholes. You could spend hours in here watching the comings and goings!
At 300 km2, Tembe is the third largest game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, and it is home not only to the unique elephant population but to a profusion of wildlife - including the Big Five (buffalo, rhino, elephant, leopard and lion). Black and white rhino (more than 65 in total), buffalo, leopard, hippo, serval, eland, zebra, giraffe, hyena, jackal, wildebeest, nyala, kudu, water buck, reed buck, red duiker, warthog, and other small mammals thrive here. Tembe is also home to the rare and elusive suni antelope, one of the smallest and shyest species of buck in southern Africa. They're hard to spot, but you never know!
Tembe is also a bird-watching paradise. More than 340 species have been recorded in the park - including the rare Rudd's apalis, the rufous-bellied night heron, the Natal nightjar and the Woodward's batis.
The Tembe Elephant Lodge is very supportive of the surrounding African communities. Regularly - and on request - 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. You can sometimes take visits to a nearby village on request.
