Tembe Elephant Park

Tembe protects about 300 square kilometres of Maputaland sand forest, palm veld and the Muzi swamp, hard against the Mozambique border in the far north of KwaZulu-Natal. Chief Mzimba Tembe set the land aside in 1983 to keep the elephants that moved between here and southern Mozambique, and the park opened to the public in 1991 once the Mozambican war ended. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife runs it with the Tembe community, which owns the lodge. People come for one thing: elephant bulls with ivory you do not see elsewhere.

Getting there

Tembe is just under 400 km from Durban, around five hours of driving, and 240 km from Richards Bay. Take the N2 north, turn onto the R22 at Hluhluwe and follow it to the district road for the gate near KwaNgwanase; Jozini is 72 km away. The roads outside the park are unfenced and full of cattle and goats, so slow down. Inside, there is no tar at all, only deep sand tracks, and only proper 4x4 vehicles with low range are let in. No sedans, no soft-roaders. Lodge guests without a 4x4 leave their cars in secure parking at the gate and get collected. Day visitors are capped at a small number of vehicles, so arrive early. Gates run about 05:00 to 18:00 in summer and 06:00 to 17:00 in winter.

When to go

May to September is best for elephants and general game: the sand forest thins out and the animals gather at the pans. It is still hot by day but the nights are comfortable and the humidity drops. October to April is sticky, with afternoon storms, but that is when the 340-plus bird list fills with migrants and the sand forest specials (Rudd’s apalis, Woodward’s batis, African broadbill) are easier. Tembe is a medium to high risk malaria area all year, worst November to April. Take prophylaxis and cover up at dusk.

What to do

Mahlasela hide in the south-east overlooks a busy waterhole and is where the big bulls drink in the heat of the day; it is also where the park’s webcam points. Give it two or three hours. Ponweni hide sits further north-east on the edge of the Muzi swamp. Self-drivers get a map at the gate and can roam the whole network, but the sand is soft and the tracks are narrow, so passing oncoming vehicles takes patience. Lion, buffalo, leopard and both rhino species are present, as are wild dog, giraffe, nyala and the tiny suni. The lodge offers guided drives, walking trails and a night in a hide.

Good to know

The park holds more than 200 elephants from one of only three naturally occurring populations left in South Africa. Isilo, the giant bull who put Tembe on the map, died in 2014, but others carry heavy ivory. It is very hot in summer: carry water in the vehicle. Accommodation is limited to the community lodge inside (safari tents, pool, spa, restaurant) and Royal Thonga on the boundary, so book ahead, and arrive with a full tank.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: Wikipedia, Roxanne Reid, Africa Addict, Hluhluwe Game Reserve (independent guide), SafariBookings, Africa Geographic Travel, De Wets Wild, Tembe Elephant Lodge.