Balule Satellite Camp
Basic fenced camp without electricity · Central, just south of Olifants Camp near the Olifants River · SANParks (South African National Parks)
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Budget
Inside the park
Park-run (SANParks)
A satellite of Olifants Camp, just south of it near the Olifants River and 85 km from Phalaborwa Gate. SANParks describes it as having only the most basic facilities, no electricity and a low fence as the only barrier from the bush, and calls it a favourite with backpackers and caravanners. Huts from R733 a unit make it the cheapest roofed bed in the centre of the park. You check in at Olifants and arrange any guided activity there. Balule was closed after the January 2026 floods and was expected back by mid-July 2026; confirm with SANParks. Choose it for a rustic night; skip it if you need power. Owned and run by SANParks.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Huts from R733, the cheapest roofed bed in central Kruger
- Campsites from R411
- Small camp behind a low fence
- Activities bookable at Olifants nearby
Cons
- No electricity
- Only the most basic facilities
- Flood reopening not confirmed
What's here
- Campsite
- Self-catering
Read from Balule Satellite Camp's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Kruger National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryR602 per international adult per day at USD 1 = ZAR 16.65 (6 Oct 2026); R692, about $42, from 1 Nov 2026.
- $36per person, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults pay $216 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
SANParks charges no vehicle fee for private cars at Kruger.
Almost every private lodge inside Kruger excludes the SANParks conservation fee from its rate, so you pay it on top for each night.
The full fee schedule for Kruger National ParkRates at Balule Satellite Camp
From $12 pppn (reseller rate). Reseller rates from krugerpark.co.za (Siyabona Africa), read 6 October 2026, for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, per unit per night, self-catering. SANParks prints no unit rates and asks you to request a quote via Online Bookings or Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111. Campsite R411 (13 January to 18 March 2027; about $25 per site, $12 each for two) to R526; hut R733 (1 November to 8 December 2026) or R809 in peak periods. Check-in is at Olifants. Balule was closed after the January 2026 floods and was expected back in mid-July 2026; its current status is not confirmed. Extra on top: the SANParks conservation fee (R602, about $36, per international adult per day until 31 October 2026; R692, about $42, from 1 November 2026 on figures SANParks has linked but we read through secondary sources) and SANParks' 1% community fund on accommodation and activities. SANParks says its rates and fees include VAT.
Self-catering. You cook. Nothing else is included unless the entry says so.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Rates checked 6 October 2026 and converted at R16.65 to the US dollar (rate of that date); re-check before you book. SANParks does not print its unit rates online, so every SANParks figure here is a reseller rate from krugerpark.co.za (Siyabona Africa) for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, quoted per unit and shown per person for two sharing. Private lodge figures come from each lodge's own rate page unless the entry says reseller. The SANParks conservation fee is extra almost everywhere: R602 (about $36) per international adult per day until 31 October 2026, R692 (about $42) from 1 November 2026.
Questions about Balule Satellite Camp
How do I book Balule?
Through SANParks: Online Bookings at sanparks.org or Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111. SANParks opens bookings 11 months ahead, on the first working day of each month. Units may be occupied from 14:00 and must be vacated by 10:00.
Where do I check in for Balule?
At Olifants Camp, which manages Balule (SANParks). Olifants is the nearest main camp, and Phalaborwa Gate is 85 km from Balule.
Does Balule have electricity?
No. SANParks says Balule has only the most basic facilities and no electricity. Bring lights and charge devices at Olifants.