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5. Orpen rest camp

Orpen camp is a small and peaceful wilderness camp in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, with an atmosphere of unhurried restfulness, interchanged with exciting wildlife and birdlife encounters, which is so characteristic of the African bushveld.

With its beautiful rock gardens alive with Aloes and Barberton daisies, this small and peaceful wilderness camp is situated on the western border of the Park, serving as an entrance to its central region, from where the rest of the Park can easily be reached.

Placed amidst the expansive plains of Kruger National Park’s central region, the camp is shaded by, tall Acacias and Marula trees, together with Red Bush-willows.

The abundance of sweet grass on the wide-open plains attract many browsers. This in turn, attracts the eye-catching Cheetah, Lion and Leopard.

Orpen rest camp is the smallest main rest camp in the Kruger National Park and was named after the Orpen family who donated seven farms during the early days of the Park.

Learn more about this camp ant its exciting bird watching;

Entrance gate to the Orpen camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South-Africa-tours-and-travel.com
General info,...

The unrestricted open landscape around Orpen restcamp covered with some of the sweetest grazing in the western part of the Kruger National park, generates an extraordinary diversity of habitat and wildlife. Visitors will have excellent opportunities to experience exciting encounters with Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard in a natural environment. Just outside the fence of Orpen Camp is a small waterhole, and plenty of wildlife can be seen there at just about any time of day.


Giraffes on a wide-open grassy plain in the Kruger Park
Orpen rest camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
Photograph Arno Meintjes
Orpen camp and surrounding region is excellent for general bushveld birding. Five of the "Big six" breed in the area and are regularly seen, with only Pel’s Fishing Owl being absent. The birding equivalent for the "Big Five" in the Kruger National Park are the "Big Six" for birders. They are the Lappet-faced Vulture, the Martial Eagle, the Saddle-billed Stork, the Kori Bustard, the Ground Hornbill and Pel's Fishing Owl.


Portrait of a Ground Hornbill near Orpen camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South African tourism
The Orpen restcamp area hosts a wealth of raptors, such as the Tawny Eagle, African Hawk, Bateleur and the Black-shouldered Kite amongst others, especially in the summer months. Bird life in the camp itself is alive and bustling, with Trumpeter Hornbills and Pied Barbets regularly seen and when the many Aloe plants in camp are in flower, they act as a magnet for Sunbirds. A rarity to look for is the Plain-backed (Blue Throated) Sunbird.

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Map,...


Tawny Eagle
Orpen camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South African tourism
Go to SANParks.org to view a map of the Kruger National park showing the location of Orpen rest camp, then click on the map to enlarge.

Go to SANParks.org to view a map of the Orpen rest camp showing the lay out of the camp itself, then click on the map to enlarge.

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Facilities,...


The small well-stocked shop at the Orpen camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South-Africa-tours-and-travel.com
Orpen restcamp has recently been renovated and visitors can now enjoy the wonderful new swimming pool, which overlooks a waterhole. There is a designated day visitors area at Orpen, where day visitors and visitors from other camps can “braai” (barbeque) and picnic. Next to a small but well-stocked grocery shop, there is a first-aid centre and a fuel station providing petrol and diesel. Please note, there is no restaurant.

The information desk at the reception of the camp can give you detailed information about all the facilities available, which include the following;

• Information at Reception
• Public Telephone
• Post Box
• Shop
• Laundromat
• Filling Station (cash and garage cards only)
• Communal Kitchens
• Communal Ablutions
• Swimming Pool
• Cutlery and Plates Hampers (from Reception)
• Basic First Aid Assistance
• Day Visitors Picnic Area in camp
• Cell phone reception

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Accommodation,...


Guest cottage at Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © SANparks
Doubling as an entrance gate to the Kruger National Park, Orpen restcamp is quite small, offering a range of accommodation comprising 5 budget type Huts, 6 Bungalows, and 3 Family cottages. The camp is a It is a convenient starting point for whatever part of the park you are planning to visit. All units are serviced daily and supplied with bedding, towels and soap.

The range of accommodation at Orpen camp includes the following;

HUTS

• 5 x rustic 2-bed, and 1 x 3 bed hut with single beds and communal ablution facilities. There are no cooking utensils, crockery or cutlery, but a communal kitchen with scullery and electric two-plate stoves is available. All huts have a roof fan.

Camp road with bungalows on the right in Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South-Africa-tours-and-travel.com
BUNGALOWS

• 6 x 2-bed units, (single beds) fully equipped with en-suite bathrooms (showers, no baths) and air-conditioner. Bungalows each have an open air kitchen with cooker top, combined fridge/freezer and fully equipped with cutlery, crockery and utensils.

GUEST COTTAGES

• 3 x 6-bed units with two bedrooms (3 single beds in each) and air-conditioning. One bedroom has an en-suite bathroom (bath, WC and wash basin), and there is a separate WC, shower and wash basin for communal use. All units have fully equipped kitchenettes (fridge/freezer combination, sink, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery) and has an outside veranda that serves as lounge.

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Activities,...


Gate entrance at dawn at Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
Orpen restcamp offers an exciting range of activities to bring you closer to the bush and its wildlife, ranging from game drives and tracking Buffalo, Elephant and Lion on foot, to lazing in the swimming pool and watch a variety of game visiting the waterhole just outside the camp. From time to time wildlife video shows are also shown. Self-drive game viewing trips are very exciting and can be a marvellously rewarding bush experience.

All bookings, as well as further details about these activities are available from the reception of the Orpen camp. Activities include the following;

• Guided Bush Walks
• Game Drives (in the company of trained field guides)
• Bundu Trail (pre-booked overnight activity)
• Timbavati Picnic Site (located about 55 km outside the camp)
• Ratel Pan Bird Hide (located about 58 km outside the camp)

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Climate,...


Leopard’s gaze
Orpen rest camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South African tourism
Kruger Park lies in a summer rainfall area with occasional bursts of quick summer storms (which can be quite heavy) occurring later in the day, cooling the air and settling the dust. The summer months (October to April) are hot and often quite humid. Winters are warm and mild with cool evenings. Visitors going on night drives during the winter period may require warm clothing.

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How to get there,...


Parking at the entrance of Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South-Africa-tours-and-travel.com
BY AIR:

The closest airport to Orpen camp is Eastgate Airport, which is situated at Hoedspruit. Eastgate Airport is approximately 68km away from Orpen Gate. The camp is right at the gate. South African Express Airways runs daily scheduled flights between Eastgate Airport and OR Tambo International Airport at Johannesburg and less frequent flights to and from Cape Town.

BY ROAD VIA ORPEN GATE:

Head towards Nelspruit on the N4 and take the R540 Belfast turn off. At Lydenburg turn left onto the R36 heading north. 30km before Hoedspruit turn right onto the R531 and head to the gate. If you are travelling from Johannesburg or Pretoria, allow between 4 to 5 hours for the trip to the Orpen gate. Orpen camp is right at the gate.

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Accommodation availability,...


Black Shouldered Kite near Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South African tourism
Go to SANParks.org top view a monthly calendar with accommodation availability details of Orpen rest camp. You will then be able to view the accommodation availability page of the South African National Parks (SANparks) website, for Kruger National Park"s Orpen camp.

• If you click on the accommodation type, you will see the facilities and content of that particular accommodation unit.
• The accommodation code enables you to book a specific type of accommodation, if you provide it with your booking request.
• The figure between the square brackets [ ] is the number of units available at the specific time and date of your visit to the accommodation availability page.
• Please Note that the information is updated and therefore changing real-time on a continuous basis and that requests for reservations are processed on first-come, first-served basis.

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Reservations,...


Petrol and diesel refuelling station at Orpen Camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
copyright © South-Africa-tours-and-travel.com
Go to SANParks.org to book your reservation for the Orpen camp in the Kruger National Park on the official reservations page of the South African National Park's website.

Tariffs,...

Go to SANParks.org to view the tariffs applicable for the Orpen rest camp on the official tariff page of the South African National Parks (SANparks) website.






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2. National parks in South Africa
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3. Kruger National Park
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4. Kruger National Park restcamps
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5. Orpen rest camp