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Hi all

In about 10 days' time we will be staying at Balule for 2 nights, and for the first time (in a hut). I know the temps are already high in Kruger and Balule has no electricity, so no fans, fridges etc. - but I have been told that there is a fridge at the gate where they will keep things for you. Could anyone who knows Balule confirm this and offer any other tips? We are flying to Kruger, so won't be carrying anything beyond a coolbox. Thanks in advance for your help.

There are two gas freezers at both the camping and hut sections of Balule. They may not freeze your meat but the freezers will keep your fresh items cold.

I hope this picture(s) from 2005 will help a little bit.



BTW, i know this problem, going in the night to the ablutions. I took an empty 5 litre bottle with me in the hut. And every morning, i forgot to bring it to the ablutions. But no problem, the excellent staff cleaned every day the bottle.

Balule was our favourite camp! We wished that there had been availability to stay more than 4 nights. We even contemplated not leaving and seeing how long it took for our jobs to find us again LOL

We camped and had the most awesome time.

With regards to the loo's at night - take a head lamp, or like us plan it for when the moon is almost full. I didn't need a light at all getting to the loo's - but inside is creepy dark! I'd definitely recommend showering in the afternoons!

But what an amazing location! The hippos laughing at us most of the night, the lions in the distance, the hyena not so far away and we even heard the leopard one night! Bliss!!!

Can't wait to go back next year again!

The sunrises from the Balule area are spectacular. Taken on the S90 2 kms before Bangu Windmill

We've just spent 4 magical nights at Balule (17 - 20 Feb)... The camp lives up to its description as 'rustic' - but thats part of the magic! The Olifants River is very high at the moment, as is the grass, so game viewing is a little restricted. On the other side of the coin, the Park is green, the dams and rivers full, the scenery superb... what more could one want?
Two significant sightings - an African Wild Cat within 100 meters of Balule (late afternoon - kitty walked along the road and flopped down in the grass within 3 meters of the car!). I've been to the Kruger 152 times and this was a first for me!
Second - a Woodland Kingfisher catching a bat (just outside the Elephant Hall at Letaba). The bird whacked the bat against a branch for over an hour - trying to tenderise his meal perhaps??
Any gripes about Balule? Not a single one! Any suggestions?? Yep - some screen doors on the bungalows would be great! It's pretty hot (no windows, chicken wired 'gap' below the roofline is the only ventilation) and sleeping with the door open would be (a) cooler and (b) let the night sounds in...
The local Hyena clan visited the fence each night and a Hippo came around to say 'goodbye' to us on our last morning....
Whatever you do, Park Management, please DON'T ever consider 'modernising' Balule....

Hi all,

Does anyone know if you can do a sunset or night drive from balule?
Do they pick up from oliphants aswell as balule on the same trip?
I cant seem to find the info. on the website....I know its there somewhere!!!!

cheers
john

John, you can do night drives from Balule, just don't get caught.

Jokes aside, you will be collected and dropped off again at Balule.

Hi John I once did a walk from Balule and had one of the best game rangers there. You can book for the different activities at Olifants when you are there and they will pick you up at the entrance to Balule at a specific time and drop you back when done, if I remember correctly prices were the same as normal. Hope you enjoy your stay there.

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does this mean you have to book stands when camping or is it a free for all

we are visiting Balule this year for our first time...

john

No u don't have to book a stand. Stand no 3 looked like a nice stand lots of shade but I gues it is up to u and it depends where u get a suitble spot. Well to be honest with u the first night I have already decided that I would go back to Balule.

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If I remember correctly we had stand 6 and it was great. lots of shade and level enough. Only thing was our fence view was slightly obscured.

I will definitely try make it back to Balule sometime, it was really peaceful and tranquil

I know that this question has been asked before but it has been awhile since being asked.

How is the communial freezer at Balule holding up these days? We are there for 3 days at the end of June and then we are off to other parts of the park for a total of 2 weeks so will will have 2 weeks of frozen meat with us when we check into Balule. Going out of the park to purchase meat is not an option for us either.

thanks

We were there when it was terribly hot and the freezers were battling to be honest. People had filled them trying to get cold water etc and I just do not think the freezers could cope with that and the heat of the day. I assume that at the end of June the weather will be cooler so the freezers will cope better. You might battle for space tho if the camp is very busy.

Freezers were perfect for already-frozen food over Easter