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User Reviews of Balule Nature Reserve (35 Reviews)

Balule Safaris South Africa
Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 31-35 of 35 Reviews

Average User Rating

4.4000 / 5 4.4 /5
4.4118 / 5 4.3939 / 5 4.4516 / 5 4.4348 / 5

Rating Breakdown

5 star 21 / 5 21
4 star 9 / 5 9
3 star 4 / 5 4
2 star 0 / 5 0
1 star 1 / 5 1
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Female avatar icon Barbara Urias Spain flag ES       Visited: July 2017 Reviewed: Aug 29, 2017

Email Barbara Urias  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 / 5

because of the marvellous bush walks and outdoor sleeping.

Avatar icon JoshBakerPhotography Australia flag AU       Visited: April 2016 Reviewed: Sep 24, 2016

Email JoshBakerPhotography

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

A great place to stay, amazing team of guides and hospitality staff. Great Safaris at night and during the day. Plenty to see and do. Well organised and centred around your satisfaction. 100% recommended. The sunset safari with a sundowner was a highlight. An amazing amount of wildlife. All of the staff were great, very welcoming and extremely knowledgable about the wildlife and reserve itself.

Male avatar icon Kanikoski United States flag US       Visited: April 2016 Reviewed: Aug 2, 2016

Email Kanikoski  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

5 / 5 5 /5
4 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 / 5

As far as our game sightings at Balule were concerned, the elephants topped the bill. We had some very close, very powerful experiences with the beautiful animals on the reserve.

Female avatar icon Soma Switzerland flag CH       Visited: August 2015 Reviewed: Aug 30, 2015

Email Soma  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Luxury among the Widerness

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 / 5 5 / 5 / 5
We stayed at the Pondoro Game Lodge in Balule Nature Reserve for a couple of days - and we can absolutely recommend it.

A typical day at Pondoro used to start at 6 am in the morning with the morning safari drive. Safaris were on a open jeep with a guide / driver and a tracker. Our guide and tracker (Rulani and Andries) were absolutely wonderful. Rulani always gave us a brief description of the animals we sighted - which was very helpful for us city people. Both were very friendly and absolutely motivated to provide us the best safari experience. We still remember the time when Andries went out on foot in search of lions, and after half an hour we saw a family of lions heading our way with Andries following them calmly with a stick in hand. We managed to see not only the Big 5, but also zebras, giraffes, hippos, etc.

Robbie and Lize maintain the lodge as a family home and you are always made to feel very welcome. Returning from the morning safari (around 9 am),
Read more there is a luscious breakfast waiting for you. It is indeed an exhilarating experience having breakfast out in the open, with the sound of a stream flowing nearby, where different animals often drop by for a drink. After breakfast, you are free to relax, roam around a bit and explore. The cottages are beautifully designed with modern amenities such as air conditioners, fully equipped bathrooms; and a bit of wilderness such as showers and a jacuzzi out in the open. So you might be taking a shower when an elephant decides to drop by for a visit :)

For a more detailed review, please refer to our blog: http://travel-pics-tips.blogspot.ch/2015/08/south-african-wilderness.html
Male avatar icon Rob Severin South Africa flag ZA       Visited: September 2011 Reviewed: Apr 16, 2012

Email Rob Severin  |  35-50 years of age

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 4 / 5 4 / 5

Part of the Great Kruger National Park