Situated in the northern regions of the Kruger National Park and seven kilometers south of Mopani Rest Camp, Tsendze offers the visitor to the Kruger a unique camping experience. Tsendze, roughly translated from Tsonga, means to ramble around in the bush like someone lost. Thus, although the camp is fenced, only the actual campsites have been cleared of the natural vegetation offering campers privacy to enjoy the bush and to do justice to its name.
Campsites at Tsendze Rustic Camp, Kruger National Park
Campsites at Tsendze are laid out roughly in a figure eight around the two ablution facilities. Most of the campsites offer nearly complete privacy from the neighboring campers. A few of the thirty campsites cater for larger groups and the campsites are clustered together.
The bush surrounding the campsites is not cleared and the natural vegetation has been left intact as far as possible. This leads to prolific bird life inside the campground and several bird species can be viewed right from the campsite.
All the campsites have fairly level gravel surfaces with no grass. Barbecue facilities and dustbins are provided at each campsite and taps are placed at regular intervals between the campsites. Tsendze does not have electricity and both the fence and the lights inside the ablution facilities run on solar powered batteries.
Facilities at Tsendze Rustic Camp in the Kruger Park
Two well- maintained ablution facilities service the campground and are located roughly in the center of each circle of the eight. These thatched ablutions also cater for wheelchair access, but this might be a problem as the access paths to the bathrooms are quite narrow and overgrown.
Each ladies bathroom has four showers and four toilets inside the building and two unique outside showers. The outside showers do not have a roof, but the cubicle is tiled and both hot and cold water is available. The gents’ bathrooms also feature these outside showers, which are popular during all months of the year.
The camp attendants, Roger and Alinah, keep the two thatched camp kitchens, each with five washbasins, four two-plate gas stoves and a laundry basin, spotlessly clean. Freezer space can be arranged with the camp attendants for campers not in possession of their own fridge.