CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

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KOOS BEST
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CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by KOOS BEST »

Hi, have just returned from my annual camping trip at my favourate spot Balule , just below Olifants camp on the bank of the river.

As you guys may know, its one of the 2 non electrical camps. Only has 14 sites , SO NO BIG CROWDS with the cleanest of facilities, and terrain, kept in this condition by Titus the camp commandant.
Gameviewing roads also not busy around Balule, somtimes deserted.
It also got to be the best camp for night sounds, Lion, Hyeana, Jackal,Hippo,Elephant , Owls and night jars.
This camp also lies in the savanna veld, with the Mopani veld staring just north of the river.

Once again , the park did not disappoint with the wildlife and flora , also the good thing about this time of year is that all the migratory birds have arrived, and all the birds are "sleeping vlerk" with the girls.
Our highlight was when we spotted a leopard walking out of the bush to a nearby clearing, a few seconds later a second leopard appeared, which was the female and they mated, a double whamy!!!! 2 leopards and a sight nearly never seen by others when they mated , it all happend so quick.We had 5 sightings of this beautiful cat species.
Lions were plentifull, all over , all of them were in prime condition, with males and females showing a lot of old and new battle scars, what a violent world they live in, fighting fighting fighting.
Only managed to find a pair of Cheetahs.
A big herd of Buffalo,few hundred strong were resident on the banks of the river.Elephants my other special animal , were around every bush.
Also never seen so many herds of Waterbuck, this buck specie is the favourate buck hunted by Lion in the KNP. Its also a good indicator of excellent gracing and sweet veld.
Certain trees were in full bloom like die "sambok peel,Van Wyks hout, Huil boerboon,Wors boom, Vlam klimop,haak en steek" and off course the Impala lilies.
One word of warning for those who cant handle heat, "dit is bloedig warm" this time of year , but I personally like the hot climates.

So now my batteries are charge again for the last stretch till Christmas, until I leave on my next trip to the Cape province, will be doing the 8 passes of the E Cape all around Rhodes , Berg Kwagga and then travel the passes of Thomas Bain,Die hel en Seweweekspoort with my furthest south camping spot will be Anysberg and up to Sutherland.
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Sambok peel in bloom
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A new king
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An old king, being satisfied
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Red bill Oxpecker
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Leopard in a Wors boom
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far too early to go out hunting, waiting for the heat
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Surveying the river
Koos Best(Kosie)Mtunzini Zululand
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Jules
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by Jules »

Excellent Koos, dit lyk op die stadium dat ek KNP gaan besoek in Des en die Kaap dalk op n later stadium doen, tans is n moontlike reis plan,21 & 22 Pretorius Kop( Hut), 23 Balule( Hut ) en dan 24 - 27 Tsendze( Kamp). As mens deur swaziland ry wat is afstand tot by Krokbrug?

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KOOS BEST
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by KOOS BEST »

Hi Jules, het jou boodskap gekry op my foon, in die wildtuin, jammer het nie terug gekom nie.
Aangaande Tsendze, n baie mooi kamp reg agter Mooiplass se piekniek plek. Onthou dit le reg in die middel van Mopanie veld, so jou wildkyk ervaring n bietjie beperk, meestal Olifante. Maar nogtans n unieke kamp, baie boomryk en skaduwee.
By PK , soek die Lichtenstein hartbeeste en swart witpense.Hulle is meestal op die voortrekker pad.n Baie nice swembad daar , kyk ook uit na die bosveld papegaaie in die vye bome.
Afstand van Mtunzini , via Swaziland na KROK.Brug is 485km, slegs een opdraande oor die Lebombo by Golela.As jy detail soek oor die pad se roete bel my.
Maar omdat jy PK toe gaan kan jy by Malelane hek ingaan.
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JG Shields
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by JG Shields »

Baie mooi Koos! Hoe oud is daai donker maanhaar mannetjie....72?

Ek's bekommerd as jy spog met slegs een opdraende langs die roete. Onthou net...'n Patrol skrik nie vir 'n opdraende nie! ha...ha...
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KOOS BEST
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by KOOS BEST »

JG Shields wrote:Ek's bekommerd as jy spog met slegs een opdraende langs die roete. Onthou net...'n Patrol skrik nie vir 'n opdraende nie! ha...ha...
Hi JG , lees bietjie hierdie sleep toets http://www.overlander.com.au/vehicle_te ... rge-Wagons
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by JG Shields »

Koos, ek't trek net jou been. Ons moet iets doen om seker te maak jy bly aktief op hierdie forum.

Ek't nog nooit in die D3 en D4 se vermoens getwyfel nie. Dis "awsome" voertuie wat fantasties sleep. Ek't dit al self ervaar. Ek verstaan ook hierdie verslag en die tbedoeling van die toetse wat hulle gedoen het, en dit praat sekerlik met ons "opdraende" opmerkings. Nietemin is dit ook tog interessant dat die redes waarom Patrol in hierdie verslag ietwat uitsak teenoor sy mededingers, juis die redes/rigting is waaroor ons op hierdie forum al gese het Patrol moenie daarheen beweeg nie nl onafhanklike suspensie. Ek is bly om te sien dat Patrol nie in hierdie bepaalde toets die beste gedoen het nie. Dit sou beteken dat Patrol ook 'n "sagter veld" voertuig geword het. Sy beste waarde le in moeiliker omstandighede as hierdie toets.

Ek was bevoorreg om my Patrol 2 weke gelede direk te vergelyk in die Clarens berge met die Cruiser bakkie en die Cruiser 100 4.2TD wagon. Die omstandighede was werlik moeilik en die rotsagtige hindernisse nogal lank. Die Cruiser bakkie het sy werk goed gedoen, maar sy agterste bladvere bly maar 'n kwessie in sulke omstandighede. Hy draai ook wyd wat hom laat sukkel het in sekere hindernisse. Die Cruiser wagon voel aanvanklik goed en klim baie lekker. Die afkom slag is nie so aangenaam gewees met die onafhanklike suspensie wat baie duidelik 'n wiel laat val dat dit klink of die pad onder die voertuig wegval. Ek dink die "traction control" speel ook 'n negatiewe rol in daai omstandighede. Ek was teleurgesteld in die Cruiser wagon met sy onafhanklike vering. My ou eenvoudige dubbel dif no-nonsence Patrol (weliswaar met OME) het in alle opsigte gat geskop en gesorg vir die mees moeite vrye en beste passasier rit van al drie.
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Jules
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by Jules »

JG ons moet defnitief werk aan so GTG in daardie area :woo:

Shalom
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JG Shields
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by JG Shields »

Jules, ons beplan alreeds weer aan 'n trippie daarheen. Omdat dit so naby is vir ons kan ons dit bekostig om vir 'n kort naweek daarheen weg te breek. My een greelde trip vriend (met die Cruiser bakkie genaamd Bangalala) woon net suid van Durban. Ons wil daar heel bo gaan kamp vir 'n naweek. Ek sal jou beslis laat weet sodra so iets begin werklikheid word.
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by Gerrit Loubser »

Ek stem saam, Jules :thumbup: .
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KOOS BEST
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Re: CAMPING AT BALULE CENTRAL KNP SEPT/OCT 2010

Post by KOOS BEST »

Reel daai Vrystaat trip., dit sit mooi in die centre vir almal.
Moenie worry JG , ek trek ook maar jou been.
n Vriend van my vlieg omtrent elke 6 weke Aus. toe vir so n 2 weke op n slag, hy doen werk daar , dan bring hy vir my die buitelewe en 4x4 tydkrifte terug, dit is waarin ek gewoonlik al die artikels raak sien.Ek wens ek kan op n manier die volle dubbel bladsy Patrol advertensies scan en plaas op ons forum. Nissan Aus . doen baie om die patrol te bemark, met nice feite ens. jammer ons ouens doen dit nie.
So iets anders , wat baie opmerklik is hoe laag die Aussies se kook geriewe is op hul eie treilers , ek vind dit baie vreemd, ons hou van ons goed tafel hoogte of counter hoogte, lyk my hulle gee nie om om bukkend te staan en werk nie.

Dan my grootste gripe daar onder is, jy mag bykans nerens in hul Nas. Parke oop braaivure he nie, die ouens sit om Weber's en kuier , onder n klomp Bloekoms wat lyk soos iewers op die hoeveld, how bloody boring. Maar hul het n pratige kuslyn, wat so lank is soos 3/4 van Afrika, dit is ongelooflik.

Nog n nice trip report is hierdie een, OK jammer dit is nou wel nie gedoen met n PATROL nie , maar check hierdie ou se fotos, ons bly darem in n plant koninkryk.

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Koos Best(Kosie)Mtunzini Zululand
Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6
Patrol GU 2003 3.0d GRX (SOLD 2010)
Patrol GQ 1996 4.2d ST(SOLD 2007)
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