Butterflies in Kruger
By the time a butterfly has reached maturity in the shape of a stately butterfly, it has survived 80 – 90 percent of its life’s onslaughts already... [See Butterflies in Kruger Park]
- Dry winter months make for the best game viewing season
- Restaurant, laundry, swimming pool, picnic site and fuel station
- Range of accommodation available from a guest house to camping
- Nineteenth century gold prospecting history
- Bird and wildlife viewing opportunities at the nearby river
In the midst of a peaceful clearing along the Shingwedzi River, set within two adjacent rings are the camp's accommodation bungalows and its luxury guesthouse. Guests can choose to stay in the rustic huts or comfortable air-conditioned bungalows. A 4-bed cottage is also available for guests to use.
Shingwedzi Rest Camp Accommodation
There is accommodation catering for all vacation budgets, including the luxurious and spacious Rentmeester Guesthouse, offering a comfortable stay overlooking the Shingwedzi River. The Shingwedzi River flows only in the summer months, but winter is one of the best times to view wildlife when animals fight over the small diminishing pools which remain behind as the river recedes.
Get in touch with nature, track wildlife and birds on foot or head off on game safari drives in search of Lion and Leopard. Or why not set off on an unforgettable, heart-racing game walk out in the bush surrounding Shingwedzi Rest Camp, or take a mystical night drive out in the African wilds.
Along the way, break for a barbeque and let the whoop of the Hyena and the frog-like call of the Mozambique nightjar enchant you. The 21 kilometres (13 miles) sycamore-lined route which passes by the Kanniedood Dam is a perfect place to be on the lookout for Crocodile, Hippopotamus, Elephant, Bushbuck, and even Leopard. The region around the Shingwedzi River is scattered with many mopane trees and many animals are reliant on this tree.
At Inyati Restaurant, a top chef prepares gourmet meals and thirst-quenching drinks tastefully, and candlelit maps cast a subtle glow in the African evening. Traditional local music plays softly in the background. Eager waiters and waitresses welcome you in while the ambience beckons you in and the tantalizing smell of well-prepared cuisine is enough to mistake this for paradise.
* Please Note: ALL Emergency Road Services are from Satara.
History of Shingwedzi Rest Camp in Kruger National Park
Associated first and foremost with Elephant, the world's largest land mammal. Breeding herds of 50 to 60 animals are common in this region. During the 1970s and 1980s some of the Kruger National Park's biggest tuskers roamed the region.
These elephants were named the Magnificent Seven, and one, Shingwedzi who died near the rest camp in 1981, carried tusks which weighed in at 47 and 58 Kg respectively. His tusks, as well as those of his fellow giants, can be viewed at Letaba Rest Camp.
It still remains uncertain from where the name Shingwedzi is derived, but it is believed that the early Tsonga named the rivers of this area after prominent local people. Shingwedzi is said to be a combination of Shing-xa-goli, the name of a prominent person and 'njwetse', which describes the sound of iron being rubbed together.
Shingwedzi Rest Camp Facilities
- Information at Reception
- Public Telephones
- Post Box
- Basic First Aid Assistance
- Cafeteria; Shop
- Cutlery and Crockery Hamper
- Emergency Road Service; Petrol Station
- Laundromat
- DSTV only Available in Guest Houses
- Picnic Facilities
- Swimming Pool
- Cellphone reception
