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White Elephant Safari Lodge
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Pongola Game Reserve
White Elephant Safari Lodge 
Surrounded by the majestic Lebombo Mountains and shimmering waters of Lake Jozini, the Safari Lodge offers every comfort for your sojourn in the African wilderness.
Originally built in the 1920's, this tented safari lodge captures the history, the ambience and romance of a bygone era.
Accommodation at White Elephant:
The sweeping views and tranquil setting provide the venue for a unique African experience. Eight luxurious safari-style tents, each with en-suite bathroom, outdoor canvas shower, private veranda and personal bar, ensure a secluded retreat in unspoilt savanna bushveld teeming with game and birdlife.
Unwind with dusky birdcalls, moonlit vistas and the distant gentle lapping of water.
Inclusions / Exclusions
Rates Include:
Accommodation, dinner, pre-activity continental breakfast, brunch (late breakfast), afternoon tea (high tea), daily coffees, teas, juices, cakes, snacks and savouries, V.A.T and two eco-activities per day - game drive, boat cruise, a guided walk, canoeing, elephanting and rhino walk.
Rates Exclude:
Other beverages, telephone & fax, laundry service, personal purchases, additional activities (Lebombo Gem Stone Trail, Wellness Centre, Scenic Flights) , transfers to and from the camp, and gate entrance fee (per vehicle) payable at the gate.
Extra information
Activities
Journey into the bush on a game drive or a bush walk with one of our professional guides who will share with you some of the wonders fo african wildlife and habitat.
A cycling safari on dusty African roads in the late afternoon sun will heighten your senses and invigorate the soul.
Gentle boat cruises on lake Jozini add a new dimension to game viewing and birdwatching. Hear the haunting cry of the fish eagle, hippos snorting, feel the winds whispering against your skin, inhale the tranquillity and solitude of Africa. Test the shimmering waters for 'tigers' with our expert fishing guide to assist you.
From the novice fisherman to the expert anglers fishing with a fly. Lake Jozini offers you the ideal fishing location famous for tigerfishing in this pristine wilderness setting that compares favorably to the wilds of Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe
Rhino walks are an exhilarating experience, allowing you to gain a closer understanding of these prehistoric mammals, their ways and their battle against extinction.
'Elephanting' will give you so much more than the mere thrill of sighting elephants. As you participate in our Research Programme, you will learn to 'see' elephants differently. Stand in their footsteps and feel their mighty presence. Explore with us their problems in today's world and learn with us about our 'silent' elephants.
Discover the mystery and magic of zulu culture by taking part in our Umgano or Uthambothi tours. A visit to Dumazulu Cultural Village and Illala Basket Weavers can be arranged, as well as visits to rural schools, zulu chiefs and herbal doctors. Venture a little further into some of Maputaland's other wonderful Game and Nature Reserves (Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Mkuze, Itala, Ndumu, Tembe and the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park).
Climate
There really is not a bad time to visit, as the climate is subtropical with a tendency to become hot and humid in the high summer from October to February. The best time to visit Zululand is from March to June when we experience what we term our "champagne weather" the days are warm yet dry with low humidity and no wind.
Temperatures in Summer are on average 35°C.
Winters are very mild from min 10°C and averaging at 22°C.
Malaria
White Elephant Safari Lodge and Bush Camp are officially located on the periphery of a low risk malaria area in northern Zululand of KwaZulu-Natal.
Mosquitoes need stagnant water pools to breed and multiply. Due to low annual rainfalls (+ 400 mm) caused by the rain shadow along the western slopes of the Lebombo mountain range, White Elephant has very few mosquitoes. The mosquito that transmits Malaria, Anopheles sp, is absent from White Elephant and Pongola Game Reserve.
However, should your travels take you north into Swaziland, Mozambique and the Mpumalanga lowveld i.e. Kruger National Park and adjacent private game reserves, one must focus on the prevention of mosquito bites. Prophylaxis should be seen only as ancillary to mosquito avoidance measures.
What to pack
During summer, light weight comfortable clothing is recommended. If you are going on safari, make sure you pack a warm jacket for the evenings, as it can get quite chilly on the back of an open vehicle when the sun sets, even in the summer months. Comfortable walking shoes arealso advisable. The idea at game reservesis to relax and enjoy your time under the African sky, and listen to the calls of the wild all around you! Dinner dress is therefore casual and comfortable. Don't forget to bring along your camera. A pair of binoculars will also come in handy on game drives and for spotting game from your lodge.
