The Tembe Elephant Park was proclaimed a reserve in 1989 to protect both the surviving Maputaland elephant population and the local people. Many Tembe elephants carry scars from encounters with Mozambique-based poachers. Access to the dense Tembe sandveld is by four-wheel-drive only.
The
Tembe Elephant Park is located on the Mozambique border. From the N2 take the
Jozini turn- off and from this village cross the dam wall and take the road
to Nduma (Ndumu), then
the turn-off Sihangwane-Kwangwanase. The Tembe Reserve entrance is just beyond
the Sihangwane Store, on the left.
This reserve has a luxury lodge, fully catered , game drives, area excursions and cultural activities. It is a home to a wide variety of large and small mammals including 4 of the big 5, and the rare, diminutive Suni. There is a rich variety of bird and fauna, including several subtropical species at the southern limits of their distribution. An on site air strip is available.