Balule Satellite Camp — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

Balule is an absolute gem and we love to camp there!!!

It's a small satellite camp to Olifants and is a stone's throw south of the river. There is no electricity, no swimming pool, no restaurant, no shop (all available at Olifants 12km away), and day visitors are not allowed. This makes it quiet and peaceful, and the people that generally book there are the type that want to get away from the crowds and noise of the bigger camps.

The camp is divided in two by a fence. One side offers 6 three-bedded huts, and the other section has 15 sites for camping & caravans, where the majority of the camping sites are against the low perimeter fence. However, the camp is so small that it really doesn't make a huge difference - you're going to hear the sounds of the bush quite clearly wherever you pitch your tent!

There are plenty of big trees in the camp which attract a variety of birds. If you're against the perimeter fence, there's a good chance you'll see a variety of game.

Facilities include a communal kitchen with braais, washing sinks with hot water, gas cooker and gas freezers.

The ablutions are small, but adequate: Ladies - 2 toilets, 2 showers, 1 bath, 2 hand basins. Men - 1 toilet, 2 urinals, 2 showers, 2 hand basins. Hot water is supplied by gas geysers and light is courtesy of hurricane lanterns.

The whole camp is kept EXCEPTIONALLY neat and clean by camp manager Vivian and her team. They are very friendly and helpful.

This is probably my favourite camp...

Secluded and rustic - This is satellite camp that is near Olifants camp in the more northern part of the Kruger. It's a small camp with 6 chalets and an area for campers; the chalets have 3 beds with linen and towels.

The camp is on the Olifants river and you're bound to see game when you're here - there was an elephant carcass in the river with a lion and scavengers feasting while we were there.

General information: At night each rondavel gets a lantern that lasts throughout the night There is a freezer that is shared between all the guests that works on gas; at times the meat was frozen, at other times, not, so take care and plan carefully to ensure you don't waste any food. If you want to have a meal at a restaurant, drive to Olifants, Letaba or Satara in the area If you want to buy anything, plan to buy at Olifants Letaba or Satara as the camp has no shop, also ensure you have what you need to light a fire Nothing is supplied, so ensure you have pots/pans/crockery/cutlery and more Shared ablution facilities are kept clean and tidy at all times; there is also a lamp that is placed in the ablution area Pack a flashlight or additional lights powered by batteries etc if you need more light

It's was a lovely, rustic experience. We saw elephants, lion, cheetahs and a lot of plains game in the area.

Enjoy the experience of being without electricity that leaves you without any real contact with the outside world as cellphone...

The Balule rondawels are very rustic with no electricity, but paraffin lamps are lit each night by the camp attendant. Bedding and towels are also provided. There are communal bathrooms and kitchen facilities with gas geyser, -stoves and -fridge/freezers, but no cooking utensils are provided. So definitely a must to bring your own. The camp provides a truly tranquil experience and you feel much closer to nature than when staying over in the chalets of other bigger camps. The mesh screen between the roof and walls of each rondawel provides ventilation and allows the night sounds to be audible... and they keep the mozzies OUT! The birdlife is something else, with great diversity and the bushveld sounds are a treat!! The only downside is that the bedding and towels are very old, worn-out and stained. These definitely need to be replaced. A large bat colony also resides in the roof of the bathroom facilities which causes quite a mess and very unique smell. The friendly camp attendant (Justice) however diligently cleaned the camp facilities early each morning. Balule is a MUST for true...