Home Park Home All Camps Home Camp Home

• Tourism
  • Accommodation
  • Activities & Facilities
  • Availability
  • How to get there
  • Maps
  • Reservations
  • Tariffs
• Conservation
  • Fauna and Flora
• Information for
  • People with disabilities
• Contact us
  • Contact details
  • Feedback
  • Find contact

All-In-One

-Jump to Camp- Balule Bateleur Berg-en-Dal Biyamiti Boulders Crocodile Bridge Letaba Lower Sabie Malelane Maroela Mopani Olifants Orpen Pretoriuskop Punda Maria Roodewal Sable Satara Shimuwini Shingwedzi Shipandani Sirheni Skukuza Talamati Tamboti Tsendze

Tamboti Satellite Camp

All-in-One

This page displays all information relevant to this park/camp, except the following:

• Availability


• Reservations

"Home of the graceful flyer"

Tamboti tented camp is a small camp situated on the banks of the Timbavati River, on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, approximately 2 km east of Orpen Rest Camp. Due to the size and location of this camp, Tamboti is one of the most popular camps in the Park. A great feature is a boma, which makes it ideal for small groups of people to gather around the campfire and relive the animal sightings of the day. For the birding enthusiasts, Tamboti offers a bird hide in which to spend hours looking for that exclusive raptor that has up to now eluded you. The natural bush feeling is kept inside the camp, which has the result of emphasizing guest privacy.

5 Things to seek

1. Tamboti Trees
2. Baboon
3. Natal Mahogany
4. Black Backed Jackal
5. Blue Wildebeest

Tamboti Contact Information

Tel: +27 (0)13 735 6355
Fax: +27 (0)13 735 6359

Mobile: 082 802 0686

Activities

All activities from Orpen Rest Camp

• Guided Bush Walks
• Game Drives (in the company of trained field guides)
• Bundu Trail – (pre-booked overnight activity)

These activities will ensure an exciting bush experience. All bookings, as well as further details for these activities are available from reception.

Facilities

• Two communal kitchens
• Two ablution blocks
• Boma – communal braai (barbeque) area in camp
• Bird Hide (in camp)
• No shop or restaurant available
• Tamboti offers safari-tented accommodation only
• No Reception office at camp

 

How to get there

Travel routes and times from central Gauteng

Orpen Gate

Head toward Nelspruit on the N4, take the R540 Belfast turn off. At Lydenburg turn left onto the R36 heading north. 30 km before Hoedspruit turn right onto the R531 and head to Orpen gate. Allow between 4 to 5 hours for the trip to the gate. Tamboti tented camp is approximately 4 km away from the gate. Allow about 10 minutes for the drive to the camp, however if you want to enjoy the game viewing possibilities give yourself more time!

Tariffs

• General tariffs information

• Pensioners' discount

• Daily conservation fee

• Tariffs for Kruger outdoor activities and guided game walks / drives

• View pictures of Tamboti accommodation and availability

Tariffs from 1 November 2008 to 31 August 2009
Unit type	No. of units	Rate	Base	Max. beds	Add. Adult	Add. Child
Residents to check in at Orpen Rest Camp
Safari Tent CTT2 (communal facilities)	14	R295	1–2	2 single beds	n/a	n/a
Safari Tent CTT2Z (communal facilities and accessible to the mobility challenged)	1	R295	1–2	2 single beds	n/a	n/a
Safari Tent CTT4 (communal facilities)	14	R295	1–2	4 single beds	R84	R42
Safari Tent CTT4Z (communal facilities and accessible to the mobility challenged)	1	R295	1–2	4 single beds	R84	R42
Safari Tent LST3 (fully equipped)	9	R675	1–2	I double bed and 1 single sleeper couch	R216	R108
Safari Tent LST3Z (fully equipped and accessible to the mobility challenged)	1	R675	1–2	I double bed and 1 single sleeper couch	R216	R108

Flora and Fauna

Mammals

The surrounding area offers excellent opportunities for game viewing. On the drive from Orpen to Satara herds of zebra and wildebeest graze next to the road, while giraffe, impala, warthog and elephant are common.

Turning off from this road to the Timbavati river northwards through pleasant scenery to Olifants camp, lion, cheetah and leopard are likely to be seen.

Vegetation

Standing in the dry open plains of the central area, it is permeated with the unhurried restfulness so characteristic of the bushveld. In camp, tall acacias and marula trees share the grounds with red bush willows, while small rock gardens overgrown with aloes and Barberton daisies separate the huts.

(For more birding information and park bird checklist, go to Information for Birders)

Birding in Orpen

Orpen and the surrounding area is a good region for general bushveld birds and 5 of the "big 6" are regularly seen and breed in the area, with only the Pel's Fishing Owl being absent.

The plains immediately east of Orpen Camp are one of the more reliable places to see the nomadic Senegal (Lesser Black-winged) Plover (Search at the turn off to Tamboti and Marula Camps). Montagu's Harrier has also been recorded on a few occasions in this grassland area.

White-faced and Comb (Knob-billed) Ducks, Little Grebe (Dabchick) and Lesser Moorhen breed in the flooded vegetation at Rabelais Pan. 1999 saw the first Kruger breeding record of Painted Snipe here.

African Rail and African Crake are regularly recorded in dense, marshy areas, particularly on the dirt roads around Talamati. These species early in the morning or late afternoon or on overcast, rainy days when they are foraging on the edge of the road. Fairfield Waterhole near Talamati is a regular haunt. Also just outside Talamati Camp Saddle-billed Stork breed. Of the other storks, Wooly-necked, Open-billed (African Openbill), White and Black may be seen, the latter two being locally common when food is abundant. Marabou Stork is regularly seen at the waterhole outside Orpen Camp.

The Orpen area hosts a wealth of raptors, especially in the summer months. Tawny (breeding outside of the camp), African Fish (at Rabelais Pan), Wahlbergs, Lesser Spotted, Steppe, African Hawk and Brown Snake Eagles, Bateleur, Black-shouldered Kite, Gabar and Dark Chanting Goshawk, Little Sparrowhawk and Amur and Red-footed Falcons (Eastern and Western Redfooted Kestrels) are all regularly seen. Less frequently seen are African Goshawk, Martial and Black-chested (breasted) SnakeEagles and African Harrier Hawk (Gymnogene). Five vulture species may be seen in the area, although the Cape Griffin is least often observed despite a breeding colony near the Strydom Tunnel at Manoutsa.

Night drives, and dawn and dusk produce Pearl-spotted and African Barred Owlets, Scops, Verreaux’s(Giant) Eagle, Spotted Eagle and Barn Owl, as well as Fiery-necked, Square-tailed ( Mo za mbique ), Freckled and European Nightjars. Less common are Marsh and Grass Owl and Rufous-cheeked and Pennant-winged Nightjar.

Rarities to come out of the area include Plain-backed (Blue-throated) Sunbird at Orpen Camp, Long-crested Eagle on the Timbavati River , Olive Bush Shrike at Tamboti Camp and in the incredible wet season of 1999-2000 plenty of Black Coucal. In 2001 a Narina Trogon (not previously recorded in the area) flew into the window of one of Talamati’s cottages and killed itself.

(Compiled by Chris Patton , with input from Nic Squires, Ian Whyte , Hein Grobler , Andrew Deacon , Errol Pietersen, and several other birder both staff and public)

People with disabilities

Please see additional information on Wheelchair Accessibility