With the exception of lion, all the major game species occur in Ithala. T hree major veld types - lowveld, tall grassveld and mountain sourveld are represented at Ithala. In addition, other habitats such as cliff-faces, rivers and streams, granite boulder outcrops and deep narrow valleys provide places for a great variety of plants and animals, including over 20 species of indigenous fish, over 80 species of mammals, over 320 bird species and probably close to 100 species of amphibia and reptiles. Bush Camp Chalet A nimals occurring in the reserve that are considered rare and endangered include greater bushbaby, leopard, honey-badger, brown hyaena, pangolin, tsessebe, goliath heron, bald ibis, bathawk, martial eagle, brown necked parrot and Cape Eagle owl. T he altitude reaches 1450m above sea-level and the rainfall, which occurs mainly in summer, varies from 685 mm to 1170 mm per annum.
Accommodation is allocated as far ahead as six months in advance.