Camp Jabulani is a family-run luxury safari lodge located within the private Kapama Game Reserve adjacent to the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Kapama Game Reserve
If you're looking for a unique safari experience with elephants, look no further than Camp Jabulani! The camp's commitment to rescuing orphaned and injured animals is amazing.
Jabulani the First Elephant Orphan Turns 25! Celebrate with a Chance to See Him! 🐘
The Story Behind Camp Jabulani
On our first visit to Camp Jabulani, a Five Star lodge near South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park, in 2008 we met some of the house elephants who had been raised or rescued by humans. After the young Jabulani, born in 1997, was abandoned by his elephant relatives when he became stuck in the mud the owners of the privately owned Big Five Kapama Reserve opened their hearts and their pockets to adopt him. In 2004, they established Camp Jabulani.
“Camp Jabulani is a rather special lodge as it was established with the sole purpose of providing and income to look after Jabulani and a herd of elephants rescued from Zimbabwe in 2002,” Christo Rachmann, general manager, explained. “Currently the cost of looking after our elephants is around R450 000,00 per month.
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Elephant Herd
The Camp Jabulani Elephant Experience
During our two night in stay in May 2017 we had The Camp Jabulani Elephant Experience. The day we arrived we had The First Meeting, part of The Camp Jabulani Elephant Experience. We spent a few minutes with Jabulani and another even larger young male. Under the watchful eye of Matipedza Tigere, elephant manager, we fed them pellet snacks, touched their skin and took photos. They smelled us with the tip of their trunk, quickly picked the pellets directly from our hands and let us run our hand along their side with surprising calm.
Such nearness could give the false impression that elephants are easy to approach. Many safari trips have taught me that is far from true. I have a deep respect for the gentle giants. The elephants and the elephant manager’s relaxed demeanor reassured me as did his instructions. Tigere, a native of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, had 18 years of experience, and had a Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) Level One Theory rating. He had been at Camp Jabulani since 2008.
Because of the rescued elephants unique background the herd developed a positive atypical family structure. The staff explained that there are strong ties between male and female animals, and clearly established matriarchs have assumed responsibility for all infants, their own (five babies were born to the herd), as well as that of new orphans. The babies that have arrived in the last five years were successfully introduced to the herd with minimal human intervention.
The following day at noon we waited for the 15 semi-tame elephants of the house herd to enter the water hole, hoping they would bathe. That was the In Their Element activity, also part of The Camp Jabulani Elephant Experience. We watched from our vehicle and they watched us back, curious. When playful elephants approached our vehicle our guide reversed, avoiding contact. A couple of times he revved the loud engine to make a particularly nosy elephant retreat. When we asked if there was danger he explained that wasn’t the case. They were curious about us and wanted to explore. We watched the herd feed and interact. A number of elephant handlers sat around on the ground. We waved hello and they waived back. They called the youngest elephant to one side where they fed her a special extra nutritious blend from a bucket. For whatever reason the herd didn’t go in the water that afternoon. I didn’t mind much. Watching them so calm and playful was enough for me.
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A few minutes later the handlers rose to their feet, calling the herd away. As we drove back to Camp Jabulani I smiled.
Luxury and Comfort at Camp Jabulani
Camp Jabulani features six intimate suites and the private two-bedroom Zindoga Villa, which can be booked exclusively for families. Stone bathtubs and glassed-in outdoor showers offer a luxurious indulgence, and each suite has a private deck and plunge pool. The camp exudes understated elegance while feeling like a private home.
Guests may enjoy meals may at a family-style dining table, in the riverbed in front of camp, or in a variety of beautiful private settings for couples. Meal locations and menus are changed frequently to make each day unique. In between the rush of wildlife viewing on daily safari drives, one can sink into a plush sofa next to a roaring fire with a good book, or enjoy a massage surrounded by the sounds of the wilderness in the al fresco bush spa.
Designed with pure relaxation and intimacy in mind, the Jabulani suites are as discrete in positioning as they are lavished in detail. Each suite opens up to a private oasis set in the African bush. Zindoga Villa brings absolute exclusivity to one of South Africa’s finest game lodges. A private entrance leads you to a secluded 700 m2 three-bedroom grand villa that reflects the splendid elegance of the Jabulani offering.
Activities and Wildlife Encounters
The Camp Jabulani experience begins with an informative introduction to the elephant herd, followed by tracking the herd in the bush with elephant keepers. Enjoy a sundowner in a beautiful setting with the herd, and then follow them back to camp and help put them to bed in their stables.
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Other activities include wildlife drives in open vehicles, guided bush walks, and putting the elephants to bed at night.
The Kapama Game Reserve is home to lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhino, buffalo, spotted hyena, kudu, giraffe, zebra and more.
The Kapama Game Reserve is home to a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, and large populations of giraffe, impala, blue wildebeest and kudu. Predators include lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and many smaller species.
Wildlife Sightings in the Area
Kruger National Park is a quintessential wildlife destination, featuring the Big Five and other big cats and large mammals. The below chart helps to illustrate major wildlife sightings often experienced in the area. Other typical sightings may include warthogs, baboons and a number of other mammals, birds and reptiles.
| Animal | Likelihood of Sighting |
|---|---|
| Lion | High |
| Elephant | Very High |
| Rhino | Moderate |
| Buffalo | High |
| Leopard | Moderate to High |
| Cheetah | Moderate |
Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center (HESC)
Visits to the nearby Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center, founded by Camp Jabulani's owner, Lente Roode, is a must, and guests can volunteer their time with the rescued cheetahs, wild dogs and other animals that the center rehabilitates.
The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center (HESC) is one of the foremost private breeding and research facilities for endangered wildlife in South Africa. The HESC was established initially as a cheetah breeding center in the late 1980s by Lente Roode with the goal of creating a broader gene pool within the cheetah meta-population of southern Africa, a vital step in the long-term survival of the species.
Conservation of the various types of endangered wildlife at the center is ensured through educational programs and volunteer opportunities. The HESC today comprises more 250 acres of natural bush and cares for cheetah, African wild cats, African wild dogs, sable, tsessebe, nyala, and a number of other resident animals. The center is actively involved in breeding rare mammals, releasing captive-bred cheetahs into the wild, the treatment and rehabilitation of orphaned or injured animals brought to the center, and student programs.
Jabulani Safari rangers are consummate professionals. Report to the gate. Report at the gate and continue on the gravel road for 400 metres.
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