Letaba Rest Camp is one of our favourite places to stay at in Kruger National Park because it’s a great spot from which to watch and listen to animals.
The camp is set high on a riverbank with a wide sweeping view of the river below. You can sit overlooking it and while away the time scanning the scene for wildlife.
Elephants may come and go down the riverbed, hundreds of storks may be standing on the sandy banks catching the afternoon sun and waterbuck may be ambling through the bushes.
The rest camp has a path that runs along the boundary fence. It’s nice to walk along the path at night time, torch in hand, scanning the bushes for eyes reflecting the light and looking back at you.
You might just come across some of the resident bushbabies in the trees too. Also, be sure to listen out for hippos laughing and lions calling in the middle of the night.
For some in-camp entertainment, sit down to a meal at the restaurant followed by a wildlife film evening shown in the outdoor amphitheatre on most days of the week.
Closest Entrance Gates
If you’re travelling to the rest camp, the nearest Kruger Park entrance gate is Giriyondo Gate, 44km (27 miles) away.
However, this gate is on the border of Kruger Park and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. If you’re coming to the rest camp from within South Africa, the closest gate is Phalaborwa Gate, 51km (32 miles) away.
Accommodation
All the types of accommodation available in Kruger National Park can be found at this main rest camp, these being:
Camping / caravanning sites- Huts
- Safari tents
- Bungalows
- Cottages
- Guest houses
If your accommodation has an outside fridge, be sure to turn the fridge into the wall when you’re not around so the door can’t be opened by prying vervet monkeys. Campers also beware; keep your food packed away when you aren’t there!
You’ll also see resident bushbuck, tree squirrels and birds about the rest camp.
Game Walks and Drives
While at the rest camp, you might consider going on some ranger-led activities. If that’s what you’d like to do, you’re in luck because the camp offers the following tours:
- Morning walk
- Afternoon walk
- Morning drive
- Sunset drive
- Night drive
Elephant Hall
Aside from the living animals, another draw card attraction to the camp is the fascinating Elephant Hall.
The exhibition in the hall will leave you in awe at the size of elephants after you’ve seen the full sized skeleton on display, a preserved elephant heart and read stories about the elephants with the biggest tusks that ever lived in Kruger National Park.
These elephants were collectively known as the Magnificent Seven and had tusks a couple of metres long, each weighing as much as an adult person!