Spring is in the air and with it comes a delightful burst of colour, energy and new growth! Not only in the surrounding bush, but also at the lodge itself. There have been so many projects and exciting developments during these past few months. What better way to share everything that’s been going on, than with an exciting Spring EP Newsletter?

In May of this year, the new Elephant Plains Game Lodge main offices opened its doors in the heart of Nelspruit. Reservations and many of the operational functions moved from the lodge to a more centrally located base in the heart of town. Our doors are open for any visitors, wishing to enquire on availability, or any other information that they might need. The office is manned by our Reservations Manager, Lorien Henning ([email protected]) and Operations Manager, Barbara Nolte ([email protected]). Both can be reached telephonically on either +27 76 838 2827 or +27 83 567 2417. The office is located at 38 Mostert Street in Nelspruit. If you are ever in the area, do pop in for a quick visit and a cup of coffee!

We also had the privilege of welcoming Dee-Anne, our Communications Liaison, to the team. Her unwavering commitment to guest satisfaction sets a new, unparalleled standard. With an innate passion for elevating each visitor’s experience, she goes above and beyond to ensure their stay is nothing short of extraordinary. Infusing her care and meticulous attention to detail, she cultivates an ambiance of authentic connection that resonates deeply with our guests. Dee-Anne’s friendly presence within our team is cherished, as she truly embodies the essence of what makes EP so heart-warming and familiar.

Darryn and Kellé are doing an amazing job as management couple and we couldn’t be happier to have welcomed them back home, after they’d been part of the EP team, pre-Covid. Welcome back home, guys!

Our new addition to the kitchen, Chef Renier Troskie, has gracefully taken over the helm as our new Head Chef. With his dynamic leadership, the Food & Beverage department has experienced a remarkable revitalization. Renier has masterfully curated a new menu, seamlessly intertwining the richness of traditional South African cuisine, together with a global tapestry of flavours. We are excited about this new culinary journey, promising our guests an exquisite fusion of freshly prepared, innovative delights, to enchant and captivate their palates.

We are also delighted to introduce the latest additions to our team of guides: Jordan Delvecchio and Jordan Nell. Their profound affinity to nature and their unwavering commitment to crafting unparalleled wildlife experiences for our guests, render them a perfect match for our team.

Other additions to the team include Keletso (Commis Chef), Robby (Maintenance), Veronica (Housekeeping) and Langutani (Housekeeping). You’ve all fitted right into our EP traditions and have contributed so much to the team already. Our members of staff will always remain one of our biggest assets.

We are still busy with our gentle refurbishments of the Rondavels. The first in line was Rondavel 5, where a delightful change is almost complete. Subsequently, we plan to revitalize each individual Rondavel in a phased manner. Our overarching aspiration is to capture the enduring allure and timeless elegance, intrinsic to the South African Safari, while still keeping a bit of the original charm of years gone by.
Rondavels 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been adorned with some new furnishings and decor elements, poised to elevate the guest experience. The infusion of these changes not only adds a touch of modern sophistication, but also harmonizes seamlessly with the natural allure of the surrounding gardens. As we continue to enhance every detail, we eagerly anticipate the delight and appreciation that these newly transformed spaces will evoke in our cherished guests. As soon as the upgrades are finished, we’ll send out some much-anticipated photos of the upgrades.

The Wi-Fi installation at the lodge has also been completed with fibre being installed, in order to include all our rooms with coverage. This has been a lovely addition to the overall experience and the connection is a lot more consistent, enabling our guests to share their amazing experience here far and wide.

Lately, our wildlife encounters have been nothing short of extraordinary. The enchanting Tiyani, a female leopard, has given birth to two cubs, born in the early days of August. We still eagerly anticipate the privilege of witnessing their growth and journey ahead. At the moment they are still safely tucked away in their den site.

We have enjoyed remarkable sightings of cheetahs, typically more elusive to the area. These special sightings have been more frequent, surprising and delighting us during the past few weeks.

Our traversing area has also been graced by the presence of wild dogs. It’s a heart-warming sight to view their energetic interaction. The Ottowa pack seems to be gradually relocating their precious pups closer to our property, which is very exciting!

Adding to the excitement, our traversing area now hosts four new male lions. Their majestic presence adds an incredible new chapter to the rich history of our area’s lion prides through the years.

We are still eagerly awaiting the first rains and we’re looking forward to the welcoming lush greenery and all the baby antelope this new season will bring. We are looking forward to a fantastic Springtime. Hopefully, you’ll join us on safari one of these days. Until then, keep safe.

“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa, for he has so much to look forward to.”
– Richard Mullin –

The EP Team

Photo above by Kayleigh-Rose Humphries

Wow! Our first Newsletter of 2022 and the year is already well on its way! We hope that our previous and future guests alike, all enjoyed a well-deserved Christmas holiday break, together with family and friends. 

Elephant Plains is doing very well under, still undesirable, hospitality circumstances. If Covid-19 taught us anything, it is that the unpredictable is still very much predictable. Green shoots of recovery in the market are sporadically showing and we’ve seen an increase in international travellers making bookings. More flight routes are opening up and this also brings along the prospect of recovery. As we are starting to get ready for the Travel Expo Season, we are optimistic and excited. Challenges always bring about change and it’s up to you, whether these inevitable changes are positive or not. Adaptability is key and we’ve always been known for our tenacity and creative, forward-thinking abilities. Without our trusty staff members, the past two years would have been impossible to endure and we are looking forward to a great future for the lodge. Without their teamwork, none of this would have been possible. We are looking forward to a great 2022, doing what we’re passionate about – spoiling our guests with unbelievable sightings, great hospitality and sharing and instilling our love of nature with them.

The bush is slowly, but surely, changing to the dryer season, as fall is fast approaching. Although we’ve had 250mm of rain for the year, the grass is turning paler by the day. Despite this natural cycle, our dam and grass load levels are looking good. Game viewing has been great. There is a new male leopard in the area, Xitsalala. He is about three years old and we are excited to get to know him better. Tiyani and her cubs are doing well and the cubs are starting to hunt on their own. They’ve been seen drinking water from the water feature at reception on a number of occasions. Xidulu also gave birth to two cubs. We are seeing them more regularly, whilst still giving mom and the cubs the opportunity to bond. Ndzutini, Tiyani’s previous cub, also seems to be back, as we’ve been seeing her on a more regular basis, after spending some of her time in Mala Mala. The Tortoise Pan male, is still our dominant male, although he seems to be getting more and more pressure from the Flat Rock and Hosana male leopards. The hyena den still doesn’t cease to amaze us, and we are currently entertained by six cubs.

We are excited to announce the acquisition of an additional 4000 ha traversing rights at Djuma and Buffelshoek, to the northeast of Elephant Plains. These areas are well-known for their large watering holes and big open areas and we are looking forward to the added wildlife diversity. We have always had the philosophy of “tread lightly” and with this additional traversing, we are spreading our vehicle impact on nature. We are still continuing the fencing of big Marula and Knobthorn trees and have started using a local contractor, Rexon Ntimane and his team, from Nkaxa Habitat Management Services.

The new signboard at the entrance to the lodge is looking amazing! We are also busy renovating the Zebra Luxury Suite. This project includes a new roof, new windows, repainting and extending the outside viewing deck. We are also busy revamping the interior and we are looking forward to seeing the end result. In our next newsletter we will be able to share some photographs. Our brand-new wine list will be introduced in the next couple of weeks and it includes a very special selection of some of South Africa’s best-known wines.

There has been a number of staff changes, which brings about some fresh dynamics to the EP team. Ruan Momberg was promoted to Lodge Manager, but is still available as ranger, on request. From there on, it’s girl power all the way! Lorien Henning is now Head of Reservations. Barbara Nolte took over the role of Office Administrator and Relief Manager and will fill in at Reservations for Lorien during her leave cycle. Originally from Potchefstroom, Barbara has a B. Com degree in International Trade and Marketing. She also recently acquired her guiding qualifications. With a passion for nature, she is fully enjoying her new adventure at EP. Mariska Booysen is our new Head of Housekeeping. She is also Chef Yolandé’s fiancé. We wish them the happiest of futures together! Originally from Pretoria, Mariska has an eye for attention to detail and is a welcome addition to the team. From the start, she fitted right in.  Clarissa Fourie was employed as Relief Office Administrator and Human Resources. She also does relief for FOH and Housekeeping.  She grew up in Johannesburg and finished her B. Com degree in Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations. She worked in Centurion as an HR consultant, before joining the EP team. Last, but not least, is Kayleigh-Rose Humphries. She is our newest ranger and already a proud member of the team. Her passion for the bush started at age 4 and she started her guiding career in 2017. She has a special interest in plants and traditions. With all these new additions to the EP team, we are looking forward to a very bright future!

We hope to welcome you to EP and its magic, in the very near future!

Kind regards,

The Elephant Plains Team

Photo by Joshua Venter

Spring is in the air. With it comes the promise of new life, new growth, new beginnings… As I sit here typing, contemplating what to write today, I scroll back to the previous newsletter, to read what I wrote back then and the first paragraph still holds so much value today:

Sometimes, when a crisis arises, all you can do is wait it out. To go with the flow, to tell yourself that “this too shall pass.” That “things would change”, that next year this time “the problems of your here and now, would be a distant memory.” Or you could fight it, call it injustice, shout from the rooftops: “Unfair, absurd, preposterous…”  You could also go and sit in a corner, feeling sorry for yourself, your circumstances, your career, your life choices. Each of us reacts differently. This doesn’t make one person’s reaction better, or worse than the other’s.  “Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living and if you get as far as I am, just maybe, you will see how strong I really am.” – Unknown –

Another few months have passed and EP has, once again, withstood the test of time. The lodge is doing well under the current tourism circumstances, as we seem to be fighting wave after wave of Covid-19… We are all glad to still be healthy, despite so many people across the globe, having been negatively influenced by die aftermath of Covid-19. Our hearts go out to everyone who lost loved ones during this terrible pandemic.

The Sabi Sand Wildtuin embarked on a vaccination rollout, which took place from the 30th of August to the 1st of September. Sabi Sand staff members, the anti-poaching units, lodge employees, as well as their families, were vaccinated and I am glad to report that all the staff members at EP have been vaccinated. I am super proud to mention that Etienne came up with the idea for the initiative. I still remember the evening he phoned me to soundboard the idea and I also thought it was brilliant! Together with the support of Gabe Simaan from Simbambili Game Lodge, Dis-Chem Pharmacies and Eurolab, more than 2000 people were vaccinated in just three days. This vaccine drive aimed to achieve reserve and community-wide immunity, in order to attract visitors back to the Sabi Sand. Thus securing current livelihoods, creating new employment opportunities and saving jobs.  Thanks to everyone involved in this initiative. What a great team effort! The Sabi Sand is currently investigating the possibility of having a PCR testing facility within the reserve. Thereby ensuring quick turnaround time and a more cost-effective solution for guests, as well as staff members. More on this will follow later. 

We are excited to welcome a new member of staff to the EP team. Dylan Peter is an outdoors person, feeling most comfortable in the bush, sharing his knowledge and expertise with guests. He has a special interest in herpetology. Welcome to the team, Dylan! 

Despite having fewer guests than EP is used to at the moment, the bush never ceases to amaze and entertain. Sightings have been awesome and guests that have had the privileged to join us on safari during the past couple of months would attest to the quality sightings that we’ve had. The Weekly Sightings updates on our Blog keeps our guests informed on animal activities. I would like to mention that Tiyani and her cubs are doing well. The female cubs are 4 months old and as per usual, one is a little bit more inquisitive than the other, although both are very relaxed with the game drive vehicles. They are mostly seen on Elephant Plains, but also sometimes venture to other properties, with mom at their side. 

We are continuing our efforts, which began during the start of lockdown last year, to save as many big trees as possible. Ringbarking by elephants destroys so many lovely trees and tree wrapping with chicken wire has proved to be very effective against this. Specific Sabi Sand guidelines are followed whilst wrapping tree trunks. It does not only save trees but also protects hollows for smaller creatures, thereby protecting nesting sites for birds, small mammals and reptiles alike. So next time, you’re out on game drive at EP, look around at the bigger trees, to see how many we have thus far been able to save.  

We are keeping our current special rates until the end of December and for 2022, we will honour our 2020 rates. Please contact the lodge directly for more information on the special rates at [email protected]

Since childhood, this was one of my favourite blessings and I would like to share it, before saying goodbye…

“May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hands.”

As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters during the years, my mom instilled in us a deep love of poetry and the written word. One of the most well-known writers, poets and artists in South African history has to be Breyten Breytenbach. He just has a special way with words… My favourite Breytenbach quote is “die lewe is ‘n asem lank…”, which directly translates to “life is but a breath long…” Let us all keep that in mind as we go about our daily lives.

Look after yourselves and your loved ones. Till we meet again one day. Stay safe and God bless.

Kind regards,
Marlet Swart

The Elephant Plains Family

Sometimes, when a crisis arises, all you can do is to wait it out. To go with the flow, to tell yourself that “this too shall pass.” That “things would change”, that next year this time “the problems of your here and now, would be a distant memory.” Or you could fight it, call it injustice, shout from the rooftops: “Unfair, absurd, preposterous…”  You could also go sit in the corner, feeling sorry for yourself; your circumstances; your career; your life choices. Each of us reacts differently. This doesn’t make one’s reaction better, or worse, than the others.  “Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living and if you get as far as I am, just maybe you will see how strong I really am.” – Unknown – 

It is officially the 26th of March 2021. Why is this date significant? It’s my eldest son’s birthday… He’s turning 13 today! Another reason for the March 26th significance? It signalled the first day of South Africa’s very first lockdown, due to Covid-19. March 26th 2020 was our D-day. Our President gave the nation a few days to prepare ourselves and by 00:00 on the 27th of March, you had to be at home, where you would have to stay for around three weeks in Level 5, full lockdown.

We rushed back from a visit to my parents in the Free State and arrived at Elephant Plains midday on the 26th of March. The members of staff that stayed on site held a birthday party for Etienne Jnr. and we were looking forward to a special three-week family holiday in the bush… This turned out to be extended more than once and we ended up spending a glorious 75 days in total at EP. A special time we would never regret having spent together. 

Fast forward to a year later… Covid-19 is still with us and South Africa is starting to wonder when the third wave will hit. Looking at Europe and the trend overseas, we are always a few weeks behind and with a lot of countries now once again on different stages and levels of lockdown, many of us are already thinking about what our next lockdown would be like. Surely our economy would not be able to survive a total, hard lockdown once again? Surely people would have learnt valuable lessons during the past year? Stay at home, only go out if you really need to, practice social distancing, sanitize, wear your mask. Surely these measures would be able to keep us from another hard lockdown, this time around…?

Surely, maybe, but we just don’t know, now do we? And that is something that I’ve become quite accustomed to during the past year. Something that I’ve learnt to embrace. The certainty of uncertainty. The predictability of the unpredictable. The knowledge that no matter what who says, there is still a lot about this virus that we just don’t know, or fully understand.  

The lodge is doing well under these trying circumstances. If I look at the number of establishments in our industry that were forced to close down, I feel grateful that we’ve survived thus far. It would take years to re-build to what we were before Covid-19, but at least we have that opportunity. I read a few wise words the other day: “Don’t be afraid to start over again. This time, you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience.” In our case, it is 23 years’ worth of experience. Add to that a wonderful team of friendly, positive and hard-working staff members, our surroundings – being situated in the pristine Sabi Sand Game Reserve – and the fact that we do not believe in ever giving up, but rather in adjusting and continuously striving to better our product… With all these things counting in our favour, I cannot help but feel positive about the future.

When will things go back to normal? Nobody knows. What would the new normal look like? Your guess is as good as mine. Has Covid-19 only brought along with it the bad, the negative, the ugly? I sincerely don’t believe that. In the bigger picture, there’s always a reason for things to happen. You might not immediately recognise why. You might never totally understand its purpose. But I truly believe that this virus has also brought some good. People are living more aware of their surroundings. A lot of relationships have become stronger. Old friends have decided to catch up again. Family feuds have been buried, as we all returned to ourselves, to the here and now and to the things that really matter. Priorities have changed for the better, I believe. This was (or still is) a reset button. I, for one, am continuously trying to adjust, to be more aware, to make the best. It would be pointless if inner transformation did not somehow take place to a certain extend.

Please do not get me wrong. Covid-19 also brought along so much devastation, loss of loved ones, jobs, security, surety.

So let’s not beat around the bush. Life is difficult. 2020 has been difficult and by the looks of it, there’s still a whole lot more difficulty up ahead, before things would really start getting better. Are we up to it? I suppose it depends on when you ask who. Do we have a choice? No. Are we tired of Covid-19? Hell, yes! Do we want things to return to a “better than before” normal? It’s a no-brainer. Are we grateful for what we still have left? Of course. 

In the meantime, we have extended our special to the end of 2021. Please contact our reservations office at [email protected] for more details.If you haven’t done so already, do yourself a favour and google Kitty O’Meara’s poem: “And the people stayed home.“

My wish to all our readers is pretty much summed up in the last verse:

“And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”

Look after yourselves and your loved ones. Till we meet again one day. Stay safe and God bless.

Kind regards,
The Elephant Plains Family

Life is unpredictable. That’s a given. But if anyone predicted the chaos that Covid-19 would cause during the past year, no one would have believed it. Still, the year 2020 threw a curveball to all of us, not only in tourism but worldwide, in every possible industry. Covid-19 arrived swiftly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. I still remember December 2019, when I first read of its impact in Wuhan. It seems like a lifetime ago and never in my wildest dreams, while I read the article to Etienne, did I imagine that we would also be impacted by it.  Still, a few months later, we closed our doors on the 26th of March and only opened up again on the 1st of October. A whole six months later! The thing I found spectacular about our opening date, was that Etienne initially opened Elephant Plains’ doors on the 1st of October 1998. So 22 years later, to the day, we had the opportunity to once again open our doors to the public, much like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

My mother instilled in us a love of poetry and when we opened in October, the poem of C. Louis Leipoldt came to mind. It is an Afrikaans poem called “Oktobermaand”. For our international readers, I will attempt a translation, although the impact may not be as emotionally intense as the Afrikaans version. The bottom line of the poem is that October is the most beautiful month of the year. For us, it’s been true twice, since Elephant Plains’ existence.

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Discouraging elephants from ringbarking the trees

This epitomizes how we felt when opening after six months of lockdown. Everything felt fresh and green, the days were beautiful!

During the lockdown, we obviously did not sit around twiddling our thumbs. We kept a small staff compliment and everyone helped with maintenance. We redid all of the main building decks, refurbed reception, the curio shop, library, main bar and dining area. We redid the old camp swimming pool deck, as well as all the Rondavel decks. The Rondavels also had a fresh paint job inside and out. We worked on the roads and also tried to save as many of our big trees, as possible. We secured the bottom parts of the trees with chicken mesh. This discourages elephants from ringbarking the trees. When they ringbark a tree and too much of the cambium layer gets damaged, the tree ultimately dies, as the cambium carries all the nutrients the tree needs to survive and thrive. Covid-19 luckily did not damage our own cambium layer and we were able to not only survive but to also thrive! I will share a sneak peek of some of the work we did during the lockdown. The rest you will have to come and see for yourselves.

Main lodge

We have decided to extend our EP photo collage entries to the 31st of December. Be sure to send through your favourite EP selfies for our Covid-19 Collage to [email protected]. Thanks to everyone that have already send through your amazing EP memories.  We are excited about this project and can’t wait to see the end result. For those of you that did not read the initial message about this project, here’s what it’s all about… During the first few days of lockdown, Etienne had a dream. He dreamed that when we opened up again one day, we would make a collage of all our past guests’ favourite EP selfies. This would be displayed on a special wall at the lodge. With your help, we are making this dream come true.

We have also decided to extend our special until the end of June 2021. Be sure not to miss out on the amazing deal of R3000 p.p.p.n. sharing for Rondavels and R4000 p.p.p.n sharing for the Luxury Suites.

Wine cellar

We are sad to say farewell to Morné and Tersia Fouché, who spent the past 15 and 11 years with us. They were team players that started as a ranger and front of house assistant and worked their way up as managing couple. We will dearly miss them and wish them the best of luck with their new adventure. We are also excited to announce that we’ve already appointed a new management couple. Anthony and Louise Battaliou have an enormous amount of experience in the industry and we are looking forward to having them join the EP team on the 7th of December. I am sure that they will be another great asset to the lodge.

At the end of a very eye-opening, character-showing 2020, we would like to wish you all the very best for the last month of the year. May you have time off to rest and relax with your friends and loved ones and may 2021 only bring happiness, love and laughter!

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.”

– Rainer Maria Rilke –

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Elephant Plains Game Lodge in the near future. Come and create a lifetime of memories with us!

Until then, keep well and stay safe.

Kind regards,

The Elephant Plains Family