Toro Yaka Bush Lodge in Balule, Limpopo

Welcome to Toro Yaka Bush Lodge on SA-Venues.com, offering 4 star graded accommodation in Balule, Valley of the Olifants.

Owner / Manager team, Steve and Nicole Baillie would like to invite you to visit Toro Yaka Bush Lodge. This special lodge is nestled in the heart of the Balule Nature Reserve, a 38 000 hectare conservancy, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park area.

Toro Yaka means ‘My Dream’ in Northern Sotho, one of South Africa’s local languages, and the creation of Toro Yaka Bush Lodge has fulfilled the dreams of Steve and Nicole, by establishing a haven of peace and tranquillity from which to share their passion for nature.

The lodge has been designed in a modern elegant style, with a relaxed atmosphere, allowing guests to sit back, relax and feel at home. The four en-suite double rooms ensure tranquillity and comfort at all times.

Together with all of this, Toro Yaka Bush Lodge offers you good home cooked food, friendly service, warm South African Hospitality and loads of enthusiasm.

Accommodation

The main lodge has been designed to maximize interaction with nature. During winter the warthogs are regular visitors and most nights the bush babies can be seen. The communal areas include indoor and outdoor dining areas, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, and an honesty bar.

The Boma offers and African dining experience around an open fire under a starlit sky, whilst the 9m swimming pool is a refreshing relief from the summer heat. The gardens’ indigenous trees and flowers attract and abundance of bird species and animals gathering at the waterholes can be views from the communal lodge area and the pool deck.

All the rooms are air-conditioned, with ceiling fans, mosquito nets and private decks. The en-suite bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers, double basins and separate toilets. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the insect screens ensure closeness to nature, while keeping the “creepy crawlies” out.

Steve has spent more than a decade sharing his knowledge and love for the bush with clients from all over the world at luxury game lodges throughout South Africa. Nicole is a qualified holistic massage therapist and takes care of all the tiny details. Together with the Toro Yaka staff, they will ensure your stay to be a memorable one.

Balule is home to a large variety of plants and animals. From the smallest spider to the largest elephant, from the tiniest flower to a 1000 year old Leadwood tree, owls at night and eagles by day, every aspect of the ecosystem is explored.

The Olifants River, which flows year round through the Balule, is home to hippos and crocodiles, and the whole area is one of scenic splendour, with the northern tip of the Drakensberg mountain range being visible from many points.

Activities

At the lodge we offer two safari activities per day (morning and afternoon/evening). They are done in the Balule Nature Reserve and last 3-4 hours long.

In the Reserve
• Game drives, in an open 4x4, give you a chance to see big game of all varieties. Balule has a high number of giraffe. These are exquisite animals to see and they form a large part of the diet of our local lion pride
• Morning bush walks offer a wonderful opportunity to see nature from a different perspective. The only way to truly experience the pulse of the African bush is through your feet
• Birding in the Balule Nature Reserve is very rewarding, and our bird list to date has over 250 birds on it.

Massage treatments
Spoil yourself with a relaxing massage. We offer various forms of massage treatments on site

Other activities in the area include
• The Kruger National Park – we are 1 hour’s drive from either Orpen or Phalaborwa Gate
• Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre
• Khamai Reptile Park
• Hot Air balloon flights
• White water rafting
• The Blyde Canyon
• Horse Riding
• Boat trips on Blyde Dam or the Olifants River

Find out more about Balule or view things to do in Valley of the Olifants. Please let us know how you enjoyed your stay by leaving a review.