POPULAR Olifants Rest Camp, with its elevated terraces overlooking the Olifants River valley, might offer visitors some of Kruger National Park’s most spectacular views but I prefer its little satellites, the simple, rustic Balule Rest Camp. Balule lacks the shops, restaurants and similar facilities offered by the bigger camps. It doesn’t even have electricity. However, what it lacks in sophistication is more than compensated by the authentic bush experience it offers. This small rest camp really is the perfect spot for the true nature lover. And, anyway, starting the day with a shower by the mellow light of a paraffin lamps is an opportunity that should not be missed. It was a number of years since the last time we’d stayed at Balule so I was really looking forward to reacquainting myself with this little patch of heavenly wilderness when we left Maroela Camping area after another early start.
We were planning to do begin our day’s journey along the scenic Timbavati Road, the gravel S39 that followed the Timbavati River to the popular picnic site with the same name.
Waiting for a day-dreaming buffalo to move along.
It is a lovely route that had often provided us with productive game viewing and it didn’t disappoint. Right from the start we saw plenty of plains animals including zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and the ever-present impala. We were stopped by a small contingent of buffaloes that were standing on the road, staring into space. But even buffaloes are allowed to day dream so we patiently waited for them to get bored. It wasn’t long before they’d moved off and allowed us to go on our way. Our next encounter with buffaloes was lovely, a huge herd, a long, long line of them, moving ponderously down to the river for a drink. A big herd of these somewhat belligerent bush dwellers is always exciting to see. Most of the gravel road route was fairly green, offering pretty riverine vegetation and quite a few elephant encounters, but every now and then when we moved away from the river we would find ourselves travelling through a dusty-dry, khaki landscape. The summer rains were still a few months away. How welcome they would be.
The lazy, sandy Olifants River, one of Kruger’s magnificent waterways.
After brunch at delightful Timbavati picnic site and a quick look at the nearby waterhole from the hide, we headed back to the tar and turned north along the H1-4 towards Olifants Rest Camp. Soon after setting off along this road we encountered one of Kruger’s famous traffic jams, usually caused by big cat sighting. This time it was one of Kruger’s smaller denizens that had brought traffic to a halt. A tiny tortoise was taking its time crossing the road and two long lines of vehicles, on either side of the tortoise’s trajectory. were patiently waiting for it to complete its dangerous crossing, the drivers frantically signalling to any newcomer to halt. By the time the little creature had eventually reached safety everyone in the waiting vehicles was smiling.
It really was a feel-good moment, one of those special experiences that make you realise just how much you love Kruger.
One of my favourite lookout points is N’wamanzi, overlooking a great Kruger waterway, the wide, sandy Olifants that eventually joins Letaba River near the Olifants Rest Camp. Quite a few buffaloes were having a lunchtime snooze alongside the river, but there were plenty of waterbuck, impala and assorted water birds going about their business in the midday sun. They included the biggest flock of Egyptian geese I have ever seen. We spent ages looking out over the river and enjoying the watery action then we drove to Olifants to book into Balule. A refreshing cold drink on the famous terrace is compulsory when you visit Olifants and the view was even more spectacular than we’d remembered.
Spoonbills stir up the water, watched by an Egyptian goose.
However, Balule was calling and soon we were on our way, making a quick stop to stroll along the bridge, another compulsory Olifants tradition. From the bridge you could see hyenas feasting on the carcass of a hippo, probably a victim of the drought. Although the animals we were seeing seemed to be holding their own, we’d heard that the poor hippos were taking strain, particularly with regards to grazing. It is always hard to accept drought as a necessary natural cycle.
A handsome waterbuck snoozes next to the Balule Rest Camp drift.
With all the stops and starts and pleasant sightings, we only reached Balule mid-afternoon. It was very full, with only one site left. It overlooked the river, which was great,. but it was very hot, lacking any sort of shade. Once again, Kombi camping proved itself a winner. As we didn’t have to hurry to put up a tent we simply parked our camper in the shade and spent a couple of hours sitting in the grassy, shady central area with our bird books and binocs. A couple of ellies came over and peered at us through the fence and all sorts of birds played in the sprinkler keeping the central area grass green.
A peaceful riverine scene.
As the sun began to dip we hopped into our vehicle and spent an hour doing some more productive birding at the drift just outside Balule’s gate.
We were home in time to watch a spectacular sunset from our now much cooler riverside campsite and then to spend a very special night listening to the Balule night time bush chorus. The simple little camp was just as wonderful as we’d hoped it would be.
