Olifants Rest Camp
Hill-top main camp · Central, on a hill above the Olifants River, 83 km from Phalaborwa Gate · SANParks (South African National Parks)
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Budget
Inside the park
Park-run (SANParks)
A main rest camp on a hill that SANParks says towers several hundred feet over the Olifants River, 83 km from Phalaborwa Gate. Lookout platforms over the river are the draw, and the camp runs SANParks' river walk, morning walks, drives and the mountain bike trail (no one under 16). There is no campsite; campers use Balule just south. Bungalows start at R2,485 a unit, dearer than most main camps. Olifants closed after the January 2026 floods and was reported operating again by 23 March 2026. Choose it for the view; skip it if you need to camp. Owned and run by SANParks.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lookout platforms high above the Olifants River
- River walk and mountain bike trail
- Manages Balule for campers
- Reported open again since March 2026
Cons
- No campsite
- Bungalows from R2,485, dear for a main camp
- Flood status should be checked
What's here
- Restaurant
- Solar or 24h power
- Self-catering
- Laundry
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Guided walks
- Night drives
Read from Olifants Rest Camp's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Kruger National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryR602 per international adult per day at USD 1 = ZAR 16.65 (6 Oct 2026); R692, about $42, from 1 Nov 2026.
- $36per person, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults pay $216 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
SANParks charges no vehicle fee for private cars at Kruger.
Almost every private lodge inside Kruger excludes the SANParks conservation fee from its rate, so you pay it on top for each night.
The full fee schedule for Kruger National ParkRates at Olifants Rest Camp
From $75 pppn (reseller rate). Reseller rates from krugerpark.co.za (Siyabona Africa), read 6 October 2026, for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, per unit per night, self-catering. SANParks prints no unit rates and asks you to request a quote via Online Bookings or Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111. Bungalow R2,485 (about $149 per unit, $75 each for two); Nkambako bungalow R3,494; guest cottage R3,759; guest house from R9,459. No campsite; Balule satellite camp nearby has one. Olifants closed after the January 2026 floods and was reported operating again by 23 March 2026. Extra on top: the SANParks conservation fee (R602, about $36, per international adult per day until 31 October 2026; R692, about $42, from 1 November 2026 on figures SANParks has linked but we read through secondary sources) and SANParks' 1% community fund on accommodation and activities. SANParks says its rates and fees include VAT.
Self-catering. You cook. Nothing else is included unless the entry says so.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Rates checked 6 October 2026 and converted at R16.65 to the US dollar (rate of that date); re-check before you book. SANParks does not print its unit rates online, so every SANParks figure here is a reseller rate from krugerpark.co.za (Siyabona Africa) for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, quoted per unit and shown per person for two sharing. Private lodge figures come from each lodge's own rate page unless the entry says reseller. The SANParks conservation fee is extra almost everywhere: R602 (about $36) per international adult per day until 31 October 2026, R692 (about $42) from 1 November 2026.
Questions about Olifants Rest Camp
How do I book Olifants?
Through SANParks: Online Bookings at sanparks.org or Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111. SANParks opens bookings 11 months ahead, on the first working day of each month. Units may be occupied from 14:00 and must be vacated by 10:00.
Which gate is closest to Olifants?
Phalaborwa Gate, 83 km away (SANParks). Phalaborwa (Gateway) Airport is about 3 km from the gate.
Can I cycle at Olifants?
Yes, on SANParks' guided mountain bike trail: three to four hours, up to six riders, two armed guides, no under-16s. The 2024/25 tariff was R971 with your own bike and R1,339 with a SANParks bike.