ABOUT US
Tembe Elephant Park offers intimate encounters with some of the largest elephants in Africa. The 300km2 reserve, located in the Republic of South Africa between Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mozambique, is the ancestral home of the Tembe tribe who own and co-manage both the Park and the Tembe Elephant Lodge.
OUR STORY
Tembe is the only community-owned, full-service game lodge located in a proclaimed game reserve. A beautiful sand forest ecosystem in the middle of unspoiled bush.
Spot many of Tembe’s 340 bird species from your own verandah, enjoy a hot open-air shower under the stars, and sleep safely surrounded by the sounds of the African bush.
Small animals wander through the camp grounds day and night, and the animals hardly know it is there. Sometimes it’s just an experience to stay in camp and let wild Africa come to you.
OUR COMMUNITY
Tembe is an unparalleled community conservation success story. The Tembe tribe own and manage Tembe Elephant Lodge on their own ancestral land. Tembe Elephant Lodge is testimony to the care and pride the Tembe people take in a project that continues to uplift their community in many ways.
Tembe Elephant Park has grown to become the biggest private sector employer in the region and is the largest contributor to the local economy. The Lodge currently employs 55 people, all from the KwaTembe region who are provided with professional training in hospitality or as guide
CONSERVATION
The Tembe Tusker Foundation was founded to secure the future of our gentle giants. Read more about our plans and vision for Tembe and support our work here.
For 30 years we’ve been providing our elephants with the water you see them enjoying on our free webcam, now we want to bring clean water to our people too. Please click here to read, support and share our vision.
OUR PEOPLE
We have been assisting the community by trucking water from a borehole near the Park to the villages. However, in this drought-prone, water-scarce region – a more permanent solution needs to be found.