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In the 2000 floods the Rabelais dam wall broke and caused a severe erosion gully downstream.

Before that , and the dam still held water , there were always game around which was superb for parking and waiting any time of day and only 12 km from Orpen.

I have witnessed a pair of Cheetah males kill an Impala there .

Apparently the latest research on Sodic Soils points to the area as unsuitable for a dam because of the overgrazing impact . As conservationist we accept that but what a pity from a game-viewing aspect .

Thanks for the info Mike, yes it is a pity but I agree. The timbavati is still IMHO a great road and is fortunately close to Orpen. I too saw cheetah hunt at the Rabelais dam - jinx!

Was my first time at Orpen
Everybody working there, from the gate attendent, reception, shop to the hut attendent were all very friendly and helpfull
Did their best to make you welcome

Although its a gate camp, once on the terrace of your hut you never had the notion that many cars pass by.

And the waterhole is a gem. Always had something to watch and the nightsounds were great.

Just a pity that the pool wasnt leafless. A croc would have got lost there.

News about the pool and building work .

The pool will be OPEN as from the school holidays and the long weekend - 22nd September , at last .

The new reception centre is "awaiting funds" before work commences again for the final finishing work .

Interesting though I was reading a November 1991 issue of CUSTOS magazine when the reported on previous upgrades -
- 3 family cottages completed
- Escom electricity laid on
- huts wired for lighting and refrigerators
- "new" reception office and shop (ie the current one as before that it was the cubicle in the middle of the road) .
Up until then the huts had parrafin lamps (later gas) lighting ,
there was a communal parrafin fridge (ala picnic spot fridges) ,
the bathroom hot water geyser was wood fired (donkey boiler which still stands in the back) but there was a Lister generator for bathroom lights only till 9 pm when it would be lights out until an hour before gates open when it would be restarted .
The day visitors picnic spot had braai fires which did supply coals for evening braai's to the huts (by the hut attendants) . The kitchen had a coal stove for hot water and kettles .
The shop only had dried goods and cooled drinks until then . You always brought ice from Satara for sundowners.

How we take amenities for granted !
And rememeber the attendants had duties and hour before and after gates - generator , coal stoves , kettles and donkey burner etc .

The conversion to gas skottel braais was in March 1990 , however Orpen and Punda Maria camps and Babalala and Pafuri picnic spots still had hardwood communal fires for a couple more years (Orpen till November 1991) .

Here's a pic I took of the new bungalows.

Wild Dogs are quite difficult to spot in this area, but some regular sightings have been on the H7, Cheetah is another story there quite a good chance of seeing them here - especially on the H7 & S100. If you want to see Wild Dog and Cheetah I reccomend staying rather at Berg-en-Dal, Pretoriuskop & Crocodile Bridge, these animals are very regular sights on the H3, H1-1 & H4-2.

Saw wild dog on the H7 once (far from the road and many moons ago - early 80's). But after many visits to the Orpen/Maroela area since then, I have never seen any again.

The nearest I have seen them to Orpen lately, was south of Muzandzeni (on the S36) while on a night drive from Talamati.

I agree with MarkWildDog's recommendations. We had some great sightings near Berg-en-Dal, Crocodile Bridge and Pretoriuskop.

Hi

we have seen wild dogs a number of times near orpen camp, H7. as well as on S106 near the old Rabelais dam. However, I be leave that this specific pack roams between Orpen and a neighbouring private game reserve.

In Jan. 2006 we saw them taking down a impala on the S126 Sweni road near the S36 close to Muzandzeni picnic spot.

They are there, I guess it is being at the right place at the right time.

I have also seen wild dog around there , although by far the best areas are South of the Sabie , as mentioned above .

Orpen is really looking good now after the revamp .

We stayed in a family unit (The one by the fence ) , and where very impressed with the new look and decor

This is how the upgraded units look in Orpen. It is Stunning.

This came in from DinkyBird last friday:

Hey, orpen camp has been great over the past few years. as a family of 6 we have had many great sightings of lion, leopard, wild dog and the occasional cheetah! We have even seen both lion and leopard at the waterhole in front of the camp! the dirt road to Timbavati has been our most productive in the area- we saw four huge male lions there all to ourselves there last year august, and a leopard and lone male lion last year December! An excellent camp!

I love every single place in the park, but I believe in "Good, Better, Orpen!"

And you have the floodlit waterhole with the webcam thrown in.

Hi Rui -- was there in Sept -- the pool is great, but no cafetaria They also had a power failure so no floodlight at the waterhole But the bungalows are super -- will definately put Orpen on my go-back-to list