Travel in africa

Spioenkop National Park General information.

The Spioenkop National Park is located at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountain range. It is close Bergville, Winterton and Ladysmith and that makes the Spioenkop Game Park one of the most frequently visited places by tourists including animal nature lovers. Still the Park is such a lovely quiet place to be in and everyone I know who’s been there wants to go back.

Spioenkop Mountain rises over the thorn savannah and water where you can see panoramas that stretch from hot valley bushveld across cool waters to the Drakensberg Mountains. In the Park there is also a dam where you can swim and cool yourself if there is a hot summer day. The place is perfect for a picnic and to take a rest from game viewing. The Spionkop National Park is a fairly small and half a day is enough to cover it and have time for a picnic and a swim.

Spioenkop Mountain is the site of the famous Battle of Spioenkop, which took place in 1900 where the British suffered one of their worst defeats of that period. The Battlefield is accessible by road and the view from the summit is fantastic.

Animals and birds.

The Spionkop National Park is a park without any big predators which makes the grazers very relaxed. The only big five you will find is the white rhino but there is plenty of zebra, eland, giraffe and more antelopes to be seen in the beautiful park. There are also approximately two hundred and seventy different species of birds in The Spionkop National Park. Don’t be discourage by the absence of cats and elephant this actually make the park so much more relaxed when you have your picnic and when you can step out of your car to watch the game.

Roads and infrastructure.

The roads in Spionkop game reserve are gravel roads in good conditions and fine to drive on with a normal sedan. Because of the topography and the lay out Ithala game reserve is excellent for self-driving. Bring your books and binoculars and you will enjoy your day in the park.
There is a small shop in the camp with a limited supply of cool drinks and sweets. The nearest town which has a full range of services is Bergville which is 18 kms away. Winterton is 14 kms away and Ladysmith where there is a hospital is 40 kms away.

Accommodation.

iPhika tented bush camp is situated on the slopes of Spioenkop Mountain overlooking a waterhole. It is only 500 meters from the gate and easy to find. It features a stone and thatch lounge/bar/dining area, separate kitchen with gas fridge and stove, two two-bed safari tents set on wooden platforms and a communal hot water ablution facility. Three six-bed chalets feature three bedrooms, bathroom, lounge/dining room, kitchen and barbecue facilities. Camping is also available.

Booking is best done directly with the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Game drives and activities.

The activities are one of the highlights of the park. Game drives are best done in your own vehicle but can be organized. The dam offers a nice place to cool down with a swim or to fish for barbel and carp. You can also launch your boat if you bring one.

There is a Discovery Trail available to visitors and is situated on the wooded slopes of the south shore of the dam in an area which is free of dangerous game. It is split into a 3 kilometre or 6 kilometre loop. A booklet on the trail is available with information on the Iron Age sites which are fairly common in the area

The Horse Trails runs through the reserve and provides the adventurous with close-up views of a variety of game including giraffe, and encounters with white rhino. This is the best way to see game in the wild as animals are far less tolerant of people on foot. The horse riding and the fantastic Zulu guide was something out of the ordinary and warmly recommended. We were very close to the animals Rhino and giraffes lying down just 30 meters away from us. The horse safaris are twice per day.

Gate times and prices.

Gate Opening and Closing Times:
Summer ( October to March ) 06h00 to 19h00
Winter (April to September ) 06h00 to 18h00
Office Hours:
The office is open from 08h00 to 12h30 and from 14h00 to 16h30
Camp Telephone Number: (036) 4881578
Camp Fax: (036) 4881065
Check Out Time: 10h00
Check In Time: 14h00

How to get there:

From the south turn off the N3 on to the R74 signposted Winterton. One kilometre after Winterton cross the Little Thukela and turn right on to the R600 signposted Spioenkop.
From the north turn off the N3 on to the R616 and head towards Ladysmith.5 kilometres down that road turn right on to the R600 signposted Spioenkop.