Olifants

About Olifants

Olifants meaning “elephant’s” has the most scenic view of any of the Kruger National Park campsites. Perched around 100m above the Olifants river, it has a southerly to easterly view over the border river between Limpopo and Mpumalanga province.

The Olifants camp has a majestic view over the Olifants river. From the viewing decks of the main buildings and several of the accommodation facilities, there is no lack of wildlife viewing. Birds vary between riverine, montane and savanna species. From the clifftop above, several species like elephant, hippopotamus, crocodile and even lion can be seen along the river down below. In the trees nearby vervet monkeys and baboons on the cliff can be seen. For all the qualities this campsite has to offer, it can be your base for great game viewing drives over several days to many varied ecosystems.

Why visit Olifants?

• Olifants has one of the most idyllic settings in the Kruger National Park.
• Situated on the banks of the Olifants river, this camp is well known for its abundant bird life, verdant riverine trees below and some of the best wildlife viewing in the Kruger Park.
• The camp also has an interesting nightlife, listen for the deep hoot of Pel’s fishing owl, nightjar and fruit bats.

Tips:

A family friendly camp, with varied accommodation and facilities – no swimming pool.
Great game viewing as you leave the camp gates – for newbies, slowly follow the river course towards Letaba or a circular loop past Balule.
Various walks in the camp site offer great birding and tree spotting possibilities.
In the camp, be sure to keep an eye and ear open for Peters’s epauletted fruit bat, thick-tailed bush babies.

Biome(animal and plant habitat)

Olifants is situated in a convergant biome, knob-thorn, bushwillow woodland and Lebombo vegetation surrounding the camp and open savanna with stunted Mopane shrubland.

Animals to look out for in the area:

Prime Big 5 area
Elephant
Leopard
Buffalo
Lion
Hyena
Baboon
Cape clawless otter at the Olifants lookout point
Fruit bats
Hippopotamus
Thick-tailed bush baby
Vervet monkey
Giraffe
Nile Crocodile

Birds to look out for in the area:

Acacia Pied Barbet
Bat Hawk -a visitor for the fortunate birder
Black-winged Stilt
Eurasian Hobby
Gabar Goshawk
Lanner Falcon
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Owl Pel’s Fishing – Near Balule you may need to join a night game drive or bush walk
Red-winged Starlings
Rufous-bellied Heron
Several Sunbird species in Winter
Shikra
Stork Black
Stork Saddle-billed
Trumpeter Hornbills
White-crowned Lapwing
White-fronted Plover
Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Not to miss routes in the area:

S90
S91
S92
S44
S93
S46
S39
S89
Balule/Ngotso loop (morning route – reverse route in the afternoon) H8, S92, S90, pass Balule turn-off, S89, Ngotso weir, H1-4, H1-5, H8 – 45km 2 hours
Timbavati (morning route – reverse for leaving around noon) H8, S92, S90, S89, S39, Timbavati Picnic Site, S40(S39 adds another hour, but could be worth it if you have the morning time), H7, Satara, H1-4, H1-5, H8 – 135km 6 hours
Eastern Satara route H8, S92, S90, S41, S100, H1-4, Satara, H1-5, H8
Letaba (Elephant hall visit) S93, S46, Letaba Camp(visit the elephant hall), H1-6, S95, return on H1-6, H1-5, H8 – 80km 3 hours

Water centered game and bird viewing:

Olifants river – Wherever the river is close, expect sightings, the roads S44, S93, S46 often have good sightings
River crossings: Olifants river H1-5 and S90

Notable Camp Facilities and Activities:

Shop
Restaurant
Bush breakfast and barbecue(braai)
Game drive in an open vehicle, with a trained guide
Filling station
Mountain Bike Trails
Olifants River Back-Pack Trail
Olifants Wilderness Trail
Conference facilities
Guided bushwalks
Camp walks

Accommodation:

Bungalows 107
Campsites none
Guest Houses 2

Contact Olifants

• Tel: +27 (0)13 735 6606/7
• Mobile: 082 888 6563

More Camps in the Kruger National Park

Find more camps in the Kruger National Park here

© images Jacques Fouché