Inyanga vs Balule and other questions (1 Viewer)

Hi All,
currently we are looking at August in South Africa, and for several reasons, we are expecting to take a package trip from Denmark. We are right now looking at two lodges near Kruger:
Inyanga Lodge and Balule River Camp. They should be in similar areas, they should have day trips many of the same places, etc. Any knowledge of these places, or any other comments to that part?

We also expect to build some additional days into the program. I feel like it would be nice to visit the area around Victoria Falls, but is that a good idea? Is it only possible to do touristy things, or can you get out for mammal/birdwatching up there as well?

An alternative could be to be flown into Cape Town. How easy is it to get out from there, I assume a hotel will be part of what we are offered?

thanks for helping me thinking through this
Niels

njlarsen said:

Hi All,
currently we are looking at August in South Africa, and for several reasons, we are expecting to take a package trip from Denmark. We are right now looking at two lodges near Kruger:
Inyanga Lodge and Balule River Camp. They should be in similar areas, they should have day trips many of the same places, etc. Any knowledge of these places, or any other comments to that part?

We also expect to build some additional days into the program. I feel like it would be nice to visit the area around Victoria Falls, but is that a good idea? Is it only possible to do touristy things, or can you get out for mammal/birdwatching up there as well?

An alternative could be to be flown into Cape Town. How easy is it to get out from there, I assume a hotel will be part of what we are offered?

thanks for helping me thinking through this
Niels

Click to expand...

Niels - I am currently travelling back to johannesburg from the Cape region of South Africa. Will be home on Tueday night, and wil try to answer some of your questions then.
Dave

Thanks Dave,
in the meantime, we went ahead and booked with Inyanga: we will have 2 weeks there, only one prepaid day in Kruger if I remember correctly, but with several other game and other outings. Several days "free" which I take to mean another way of earning more money off of us.

Then three days at Victoria Falls, if I understand correctly on the Zimbabwe side. I do not know which hotel yet.

Mammals will be the first order of business on this trip, but I hope to get a healthy bird list as well (everything should be new, my first visit to Africa south of Sahara).

Niels

njlarsen said:

Thanks Dave,
in the meantime, we went ahead and booked with Inyanga: we will have 2 weeks there, only one prepaid day in Kruger if I remember correctly, but with several other game and other outings. Several days "free" which I take to mean another way of earning more money off of us.

Then three days at Victoria Falls, if I understand correctly on the Zimbabwe side. I do not know which hotel yet.

Mammals will be the first order of business on this trip, but I hope to get a healthy bird list as well (everything should be new, my first visit to Africa south of Sahara).

Niels

Click to expand...

Hi, Niels,

I'm not familiar with the Inyanga you have mentioned, and would appreciate any information about it. The only Inyanga I know is in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. For what it's worth, the birding in Zim's Eastern Highlands is excellent, with a large number of species which are restricted to that area.

When in Vic Falls we try to stay at Lokuthula, which features splendid thatched cottages where you can self-cater, or, if you prefer, book for meals at the adjacent Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which features a bar overlooking a floodlit waterhole. Large mammals such as elephant and buffalo move with remarkable freedom in close proximity to Victoria Falls, and happily wander across the nearby Elephant Hills golf course. There are companies which offer excellent birding trips on the Zambezi River, and if you are of a reckless disposition you can go white-water rafting down the Zambezi from below the Falls, or bungee-jump off the Victoria Falls bridge.
It's a fun place, and I am sure you will enjoy it.

Kruger is excellent for birds and mammals, but you haven't given much detail yet about how long you want to spend there, or what you want to see. More detailed information would be useful.
Dave

Thanks Dave,
I think much of this is still so new that I do not even know what the questions are

The place we will be staying is called Inyanga Safari Lodge which seems to be inside something called Grietjie Nature Reserve.

For the second part of the trip, if I read the info on the website correct, we are going to be lodged in Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

I think I am mainly asking about what to do with the time not already occupied by pre-booked outings. Is it easy to rent a car and do individual things in that general area when you have one day here and another there? Would I be better off trying to add outings through the lodge, with extra dollars as a result?

And in Victoria Falls area, what would be best to do re birding - no, I have no death wish for white-water rafting or the like :-O I am not sure whether there is an included program or just the option of purchasing extra. For the trip on the river you mentioned, is there a possibility of a birding trip, or will you always be taking the back seat to mammal watching there also?

thanks
Niels

Edit: Phalaborwa seems to be "next door" to the lodge near Kruger

One additional question: how far is Phalaborwa from "north Kruger"? Is it realistic to make a one day outing to the northern reaches to get some different birds? Driving inside or outside the park?

thanks
Niels

njlarsen said:

One additional question: how far is Phalaborwa from "north Kruger"? Is it realistic to make a one day outing to the northern reaches to get some different birds? Driving inside or outside the park?

thanks
Niels

Click to expand...

Phalaborwa is on the Park's western boundary, roughly half way up the park. In my opinion it would not be practical to do a one-day outing to the northern reaches, either inside or outside the park. Outside the Park there are no direct roads from Phalaborwa northwards, and your average driving speed inside the park is limited to 50kph on tar roads, and 40 kph on dirt. You ALWAYS travel more slowly than this, a) because of stopping for interesting sightings of birds or animals, and b) because you may be held up by large animals such as elephant or buffalo blocking the road. Ideally you should base yourself at Punda Maria Camp to explore the northern areas.

Dave

Thanks Dave,
unfortunately, basing ourselves at other places is not really realistic this time. Sounds like I will have to come back another time.

Niels