Balule Private Game Reserve Safari Trips & Tours

A lesser-known but expansive Big Five reserve in Greater Kruger with boundless adventure to be had.

Once productive farmland, Balule Private Game Reserve is today 40,000 hectares of wilderness where all manner of creatures roam including the iconic Big Five. Entirely separate from the Kruger National Park, Balule is a conglomeration of private game farms and reserves, bisected by the ever-flowing Olifants River. The reserve is private, thus allowing off-roading game drives and you’ll often find yourself crunching through the bush in an open-sided game vehicle, feeling like nature couldn’t be closer. The wildlife is quite used to human visitors, making for outstanding photography, and, while the sightings maybe aren’t as prolific as some of Balule’s neighbours, your chances are fantastic for seeing elephants, buffalo and lions as well as the ‘Big Six’ of raptors. As for the choice of accommodation, there is everything from the most intimate, down-to-earth camps to wonderfully luxurious lodges.

Things to do

What to do in Balule

Part of the unfenced Greater Kruger ecosystem, this private reserve offers the considerable advantage of off-road driving privileges without the traffic jams that plague more popular safari destinations. The Big Five roam freely across diverse habitats, from savannah to riverine forests, while approximately 250 bird species provide constant entertainment for twitchers. Beyond traditional game drives, guests can track buffalo on foot during guided bush walks, spot crocodiles and hippos during leisurely boat safaris on the Olifants River, or simply enjoy sundowners as the African sky ignites with colour. The experience is often enhanced with surprise bush breakfasts under acacia trees or dinners beneath the Southern Cross. The true appeal here lies in exclusivity, wildlife encounters without another vehicle in sight.

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