Please familiarise yourself with our Monkey Precautions below to prevent monkeys from accessing the tents.

1. DO NOT FEED THE MONKEYS. Feeding the monkeys encourages them to return to the camp and the tents.
2. Do not leave any food, packaging, or bags outside or inside the tents as this will attract the monkeys.
3. Please place food in the cupboards with childproof locks before leaving your tent.
4. CLOSE ALL WINDOWS AND SLIDING DOORS when leaving your tent.

Be vigilant at all times. The monkeys will make use of every opportunity to snatch food from your tent or deck.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if monkeys managed to access your tent, please contact your host.

In case of emergency, view our list of emergency contacts.

You are now inside a game reserve. Antelopes, monkeys, and warthogs roam freely in the camp and can be a danger to guests if they feel threatened.

Please do not feed the monkeys or any wild animals on the property.

Do not pick up any tortoises, baby animals, reptiles, eggs, etc.

The camp is surrounded by a low electrified fence to keep the large game out. Please keep away from the electrified fence.

If you see a sick animal please contact the guide/host.

Snake precautions

Immediately seek medical advice if you are bitten by a snake. Not all snake bites are venomous, but a venomous bite can be fatal.

DO NOT provoke a snake. Snakes are shy and will not approach you unless provoked.

If you encounter a snake inside the tent, make sure all guests leave the tent immediately. If possible, close the tent panels and contact your host immediately. A snake handler will be contacted to safely remove the snake.

Bee stings

If you are allergic to bees, or experience any of the following symptoms, visit the nearest hospital immediately.

• Feeling of uneasiness, tingling sensations, and dizziness
• Generalised itching
• Swelling of the lips and tongue
• Wheezing and difficulty breathing
• Collapse and loss of consciousness

No self-drive game viewing is allowed, guests may not leave the camp boundaries without a guide, unless:

• they are heading towards the Nkwazi lodge,
• they are driving towards the jetty where they have a boat,
• they are driving towards the reserve gate to leave the reserve.

Check-in: Strictly between 14h00 and 18h00 on day of arrival.

Please note, Pongola Game Reserve South Gate opens at 06h00 and closes at 18h00. Please ensure you have all the necessary supplies for your self-catering stay before arrival. The closest shop is roughly 50 km away. Our on-site shop sells wood, firelighters, water, and gifts.

Please be aware of ticks on the reserve. We suggest that you spray all your packed clothing, socks and shoes with a tick repellant (such as Bayticol) prior to your safari and then re-applying repellent once you are at White Elephant Safaris, before going out on game activities. Symptoms of tick-bite fever include flu-like symptoms approximately 14 days after tick exposure. Please consult a doctor if this occurs.

Pongola Game Reserve is declared malaria-free by the Department of Health. However, if you are travelling via Mpumalanga and Swaziland or to the Northern coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal, before or after your visit to AfriCamps at White Elephant Safaris, you may pass through higher risk areas. We advise you to consult your doctor for the latest high-risk areas and medication advice.

For your convenience, AfriCamps at White Elephant Safaris operates a generator during certain times when there is load shedding. Operational times: 07h00 – 09h00 and 17h00 – 21h00. Guests will have access to all amenities including lights, power plugs, and warm water whenever the generator is in use.

We advise using the EskomSePush App for the latest load shedding schedule. This can be downloaded from the App Store.

AfriCamps at White Elephant Safaris is located in the Candover district. Search for Candover (13), Eskom Direct, UPhongolo, KwaZulu-Natal to stay up to date with scheduled outages.

A first aid kit is available at reception from 08h00-16h00. In the case of emergency after hours, please contact your host.

Please do not disclose the exact whereabouts of any wildlife spotted during our guided activities. Poachers use this information to track down animals, especially rhinos. When taking photos of our wildlife, please disable the GPS image location feature on your phone. You are welcome to tag AfriCamps at White Elephant Safaris in your images, but no geo-tag is allowed when sharing these images.

Guests are welcome to bring their own boat. Please inform us if you do.

White Elephant Safaris has its own launch site and jetty that guests may use. Please note, there are several lodges with jetties in the river. Please ensure you are using the correct jetty as you may have to pay a daily fee.

Guests need to check in at reception before heading to the launching site to launch their boat.

Contact the camp host or guide to assist you with directions.

Kindly leave your dustbin in the tent where it will be removed daily. Please do not leave your rubbish bags outside where monkeys can get to it. Please do not litter or leave items on the property. Please keep the tent closed for monkeys and insects. Please do not leave any food outside when you leave the camp.

Kindly note that all AfriCamps' toilets work with a septic tank system and therefore, cannot handle anything other than natural waste. Please dispose of sanitary products, nappies, wet wipes and ear buds in the bins provided in each bathroom. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

If you notice any strong odours coming from the septic system, please call the manager.

Water inside tents and in the tubs is sourced from the lake. The water is safe to drink but can have a slight discolouration in the rainy seasons. Bottled water can be purchased at reception from 08h00-16h00.

In the unlikely event that there is no water supply in your tent it is possible that a pipe has burst, or a pipe/water filter is blocked. Please let us know immediately if this is the case, so we can rectify the problem in the shortest time possible.

Kindly drive slowly through the camp. The speed limit is 35 km/h. Watch out for wild animals.

According to South African regulations, drones may not be flown within 50 metres of people or private property without permission from the property owner. Prior arrangement needs to be made with the camp owners, subject to approval.

No music or excessive noise is allowed at any of our camps unless you have booked the entire property to host a function. Please consider your fellow guests and quiet down at 22h00.

Please remember this is a private game reserve where wildlife and tranquility is our first priority. Please do not disturb the peace as guests want to enjoy to the unique Pongola night sounds.

Only make fires in the designated areas and practice extreme caution. Please ensure that braai fires are put out before leaving the area. Please do not throw cigarettes and matches on the ground – apart from littering, this can start a raging fire in the heat of summer. No fireworks or flares are allowed.

Children must be supervised by adults on our property. Antelopes, baboons, monkeys, and warthogs roam freely in the camp and can be a danger to young children if they approach these wild animals. Please make sure children keep a safe distance from the low electrified fence that keeps large game out of the camp.

If you would like to request an additional daily cleaning service during your stay, please visit the Extra Services Offered page.

Please remember that all AfriCamps units and locations are self-catering. That means we expect a few things from guests before check-out.

Before you leave:

• Kindly make sure you have washed all the dishes that you used.
• Please place your rubbish in the bin provided.
• If you had to move our furniture around, please make sure all furniture is back where you found it.
• If you used more than one tent, kindly make sure your cutlery and crockery are recovered from other tents.
• There is no need to make the beds.
• Please make sure that you did not accidentally pack any of the tent's contents like towels or kitchenware.
• Please report any accidents or damages to our team.