Balule Private Game Reserve

Various landowners in the area known today as the Balule Private Nature Reserve assembled in the early 1990s and decided to drop all internal fences between their farms. The sudden extension to their range prompted wildlife to follow new migratory paths, which prevented overgrazing and expanded the gene pool.

Hunting became obsolete as the animals became used to tourist vehicles shooting them with nothing but cameras. The reserve quickly developed a reputation as a place where visitors would see a wide variety of spectacular bird and animal life.

Once the border fences were electrified, the national park authorities decided Balule was ready to be incorporated into the greater Kruger National Park. Management removed the fences between Balule, Kruger, Klaserie, and Timbavati. Balule added an incredible 40 000 hectares to the Kruger National Park overnight. Although Balule is a young reserve compared to Kruger, its beauty and biodiversity give it an ageless allure that visitors will remember for a long time.

The reserve is known for its abundance and variety of wildlife. Many plains animals, such as zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, impala, and giraffes, are prominent at the various watering holes. The larger game, including hippos, elephants, and crocodiles, are found in the Olifants River catchment throughout the day - availability of prey attracts lions and other predators, as always, closely followed by hyenas. Moreover, the reserve is a leader in anti-poaching initiatives and combats poaching daily to conserve rhinos, wild dogs, and cheetahs in the area. Their Black Mamba anti-poaching unit won the 2015 Champions of the Earth Award, the United Nation's highest environmental honor.

Balule is a favorite among birders, with over 260 species in the area. Waterbirds like storks and herons are viewed along the Olifants River, and the area also serves as one of the main breeding grounds for the rare saddle-billed and black storks. Predatory birds such as eagles and hawks, including the revered African fish eagle, are regularly spotted here. The reserve is also well-known for its nighttime wildlife encounters, and guests can be on the lookout for civets, owls, bush babies, aardvarks, hares, and the elusive leopard, to name a few.

Balule's vegetation is predominantly bushveld, located in the subtropical Lowveld region. The latter is synonymous with the African continent. Although the occurrence of each species fluctuates depending on the area, the long grass combined with striking woodland trees, such as the fever, mopane, and thorn trees, are easily recognizable wherever you go. The broad, slow-moving Olifants River and its riverine vegetation significantly add to the range and frequency of fauna and flora to be found, with a staggering 336 tree species and more than 2 000 plant species documented in the Lowveld expanse.

During the dry winter months, the Olifants River's scattered pools and riparian woodland attract wildlife in great numbers. Baobab trees, knobthorns, marula, leadwood, apple leaf, and sjambok trees are the principal species in this wooded savanna. When spring arrives, they are joined by breathtaking seasonal flowers, pods, fruits, and an influx of migratory birds. The conservation efforts in the area are not limited to wildlife. With some species that can be found nowhere else, policies include clearing alien vegetation, controlling erosion, and planting indigenous flora to ensure its prevalence.