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Safari Lodges and Accommodation in South Africa
Accommodation at Kruger – Berg en Dal, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
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KRUGER – BERG EN DAL
- Standard self-catering accommodation
- World-famous Kruger National Park
- Shop, cafeteria and restaurant
- Sparkling swimming pool
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Berg en Dal is situated in the world-famous Kruger National Park and special care has been taken to preserve the natural vegetation in the camp.
It consists of a six-bed J le Roux Guesthouse, eight-bed Rhino Guesthouse, six-bed family cottages, three-bed bungalows and campsites –
tent or caravan sites with power points, communal ablutions and cooking facilities; maximum six people per site. |
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BERG EN DAL RESTCAMP - KRUGER NATIONAL PARK:
One of the 'new generation' camps, Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park is situated on the bank of Matjulu Spruit and is surrounded by rocky hillsides.
The buildings in Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park are set within natural bush and the gardens planted with flowering shrubs and aloes, leaving much of the natural habitat unchanged within the camp. Berg-en-Dal is one of the newest camps in the Kruger National Park and offers visitors outstanding accommodation and facilities.
Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park, which was opened in 1984, means 'mountain and dale' and is aptly named for its superb location. Great care has been taken to preserve the natural vegetation in the camp area, which comprises Malelane Mountain Bushveld (woodland), which attracts a variety of grazers.
The area hosts White Rhino, Kudu, Impala, Giraffe, some Elephant, Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Grey Rhebok and warthog. Leopard and Wild Dogs are also regularly seen in the region. Lions are usually found in the lower plains on the roads to Skukuza and Crocodile Bridge.
Bird watchers will find the appeal of Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park, irresistible as a wide variety of birds species can be seen here. Well qualified Kruger Park safari guides can take guests on morning, evening and full day game drives/walks, to track down the Big Five.
Accommodation in Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park, comprises of modern six-bed Family Cottages, two & three-bed Bungalows and Guest Houses with multiple Bedrooms such as the Rhino and J Le Roux Guesthouse. The more adventurous traveller can make use of one of Berg-en-Dals Camping-Sites for caravans and tents, each with a power point and braai (barbecue) stand.
While Berg en dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park allows for open air cooking, those who prefer a less rugged eating experience can make use of the licensed restaurant & cafeteria with a view across the Matjulu dam. There is also a well stocked grocery shop, laundromat and petrol (gas) station. Residents and day visitors can make use of the designated picnic facilities. Traditional dance groups from various cultural communities neighbouring the Park also regularly entertain guests.
Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park has a large swimming pool with water cascading into it over walls of natural rock.
Berg en Dal Restcamp, Kruger National Park also boasts conference facilities, which can cater for up to 300 people in a hall that can be divided by soundproof partitions.
San (Bushman) paintings, the only remnants of the traditional San (Bushmen) people who once lived and hunted in this area, can be viewed in the surrounding hill shelters along the Bushman trail.
The new Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport lies just 25km (15.5 miles) from Nelspruit which is half an hour's drive from the Malelane Gate off the R570 and N4. Or, if you are up for it, take a mere four hours scenic drive from Johannesburg.
The rest camp offers basic first-aid assistance, cafeteria, communal kitchens, conference facilities, cutlery and plates hamper, emergency road service, laundromat, petrol station, picnic facilities, post box, public telephones, restaurant, shop and swimming pool. |
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ACCOMMODATION:
Berg-en-Dal offers a variety of self-catering accommodation from camping sites to the more luxury Guest Cottages and Guest Houses.
- 70 Camping-Sites for caravans and tents
- 63 Bungalows with kitchenette, w/c and shower
- 23 Family Cottages with fully equipped kitchen
- 2 Guest Houses - J Le Roux and Rhino Guest House |
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Self-catering accommodation in Berg-en-Dal comprises of the following:
Bungalow Accommodation in Berg en Dal
Air-conditioned Bungalows consist of one room with a separate en-suite bathroom. The room has two or three single beds and bedding is supplied. There is also a clothes cupboard and a table with chairs in the room. The bathroom consists of a shower, hand basin and w/c. Towels and toilet paper are also provided for. Some of the units have their own kitchenettes on the veranda, while others share communal kitchen facilities, at the accommodation in Berg en Dal.
All Accommodation units in Berg en Dal have a bar-size fridge. Units with cooking facilities have basic kitchen equipment such as: Electric kettle, crockery & cutlery (set of four: plates, side plates, pudding bowls, glasses, cups & saucers, knives & forks, spoons and teaspoons), pots and frying pan, salad bowl, bread knife, egg lifter, tin opener and water jug.
Berg-en-Dal Camp is one of the Kruger National Park's youngest camps and has modern bungalows that break the Kruger Park tradition of thatched bungalows (rondawels). |
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Guest House Accommodation in Berg en Dal:
The J le Roux Guesthouse has 3 air-conditioned bedrooms which can sleep a total of 6 persons. One bedroom has a bathroom en suite (bath, toilet and basin and the second bathroom (bath and basin) has a separate toilet and shower. The open-plan kitchen is equipped with a stove (with oven), refrigerator/freezer, sink, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery. Other facilities include a lapa with braai/barbecue facilities and carport.
The Rhino Guesthouse has four air-conditioned bedrooms which can sleep a total of 8 persons. Two bedrooms each have a bathroom en-suite (with bath, toilet and basin) and a third bathroom has a bath and basin. There is also a separate toilet and separate shower. The open-plan kitchen is equipped with an electric stove (with oven), refrigerator/freezer, sink, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery. Other facilities include: large lounge/dining room, two lapas, braai/barbecue facilities and a carport. |
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Family Cottage Accommodation in Berg en Dal:
Family Cottages have two air-conditioned bedrooms, one bedroom with a double bed and the other bedroom with two single beds. The unit has one bathroom with a bath, washbasin, separate shower and toilet. The cottage has an open-plan kitchen and a lounge with 2 bench-beds. The open-plan kitchen is equipped with an electric stove (without oven), refrigerator/freezer, sink, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery. Some cottages are equipped for handicapped persons. |
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Camping Sites:
A maximum of six persons, one caravan with a side tent and one vehicle, or one tent and one vehicle, or one autovilla, or one motorised caravan will be permitted per site for accommodation in Berg en Dal. In the case of camping with a small tent, more than one tent will be permitted on a site, provided the maximum number of 6 persons is not exceeded. There is an extra charge for additional vehicles, as space can be limited in peak season.
Most campsites have sites equipped with power points at the accommodation in Berg en Dal. Visitors may use generators from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset only. Although ground sheets may be used in the rest camps, specific arrangements must be made at the reception office of those sites where lawns have been planted. Guests can make use of the communal kitchen (cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are not provided) and ablution facilities. |
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FACILITIES:
- Public Telephones; Post Box
- Basic First Aid Assistance
- Cafeteria; Shop
- Emergency Road Service*
- Petrol Station |
- Laundromat
- DSTV Only Available in Guest Houses
- Internet Cafe
- Film Auditorium
- Conference Facilities
- Picnic Facilities
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*Please Note: ALL Emergency Road Services are from Skukuza.
LOCATION:
Berg-en-Dal Camp is situated on the banks of the Matjulu spruit, in the south western corner of the Kruger National Park.
- The only rest camp set in a natural rugged environment
- Situated in the south western corner of Kruger National Park
- The airport is 25km (15.53 miles) from Nelspruit
- Berg-en-Dal is situated on the banks of the Matjulu Spruit
- Located only 4 hours drive from Johannesburg
Berg-en-Dal Camp's location in Kruger National Park, in a ruggedly beautiful mountainous terrain, makes for pleasant weather all year round. The summer months are hot with occasional bursts of quick summer storms, which cools the air and settles the dust. Winters are warm and mild.
The new Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport is just 25km (15.53 miles) from Nelspruit, half an hour's drive from the Melalane Gate. Or, if you are up for it, take a mere four hours scenic drive from Johannesburg. |
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HOW TO GET THERE:
Travel routes and times from JHB/PTA
MALELANE GATE: Take the N4 to Nelspruit, head through Nelspruit to Malelane. Then turn left at Kruger National Park sign just outside Malelane and head to gate. Allow between 4 to 5 hours for the trip to the gate. Berg-en-Dal Main Rest Camp is 12km away from the gate. Allow about 30 minutes for the drive to the camp; however if you want to enjoy the game viewing possibilities give yourself more time! |
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CLIMATE:
Kruger National Park is in a summer rainfall area. Such precipitation is usually convectional and can result in heavy downpours. The summer months (October to April) are hot and often balmy. Winters are warm and mild, although visitors going on night-drives will require warm clothing. |
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VEGETATION:
Berg-en-Dal is situated in Malelane Mountain Bushveld. Many unusual plants grow in the mountain landscape. The plains between the mountains are covered in sweet grass, which attracts a variety of grazers. Prominent trees are the red bush-willow and the magic guarri. |
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ACTIVITIES:
Berg-en-Dal Camp offers full day game drives as well as morning and afternoon game walks for a Kruger National Park safari.
- Bush Braai, Dawn Game Drive, Morning Walk, Sunset Game Drive
- View traditional San (bushman) paintings along the Bushman trail
- Picnic facilities available for day visitors
- Traditional dancing performed by the local people
- Self-guided (Braille) walking trail for visually impaired hikers
There are well qualified wildlife guides that can take guests on half or full day game drives on request for your Kruger National Park safari. These guides are available for morning and afternoon game walks as well. There is also a self-guided walking trail, equipped with Braille for visually impaired hikers on this Kruger National Park safari.
PLEASE NOTE:
If you must walk around at night please do not do so without a torch. |
GAME:
The area hosts White Rhino, Kudu, Impala, Giraffe, Elephant, Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Grey Rhebok and Warthog. Leopard are seen regularly in the region - some lucky people have even seen them drinking at the dam in front of the camp, while on a Kruger National Park safari. Wild Dog are also found in the area. Lion are usually found in the lower plains on the roads to Skukuza and Crocodile Bridge. |
BIRDING:
The camp is an excellent venue to see fantailed flycatchers, Heuglin's and Whitethroated robins. Scarletchested sunbird is particularly prominent. The adjacent Matjulu Dam attracts a constant supply of water birds and African Fish Eagle is usually present and viewed at close quarters. The surrounding hills host a wealth of species and are a good place to search for pennantwinged nightjar (in summer and at dusk) and croaking cisticola, on a Kruger National Park safari. |
5 THINGS TO SEEK:
- White Rhino
- Klipspringer
- Leopard
- Scarlet-chested Sunbird
- Heuglin's Robin |
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
In camp:
Rhino Perimeter Trail:
The first section of the Rhino Trail in the camp on this Kruger National Park safari, is wheelchair friendly and accessible to all with very interesting stops along the way. Part of the trail also caters for the visually impaired with interesting Braille boards and other information. |
Berg-en-Dal Restaurant:
The Restaurant is situated in the main complex over looking the dam. The Restaurant has large windows allowing the guests to enjoy the view whilst relaxing in an air-conditioned atmosphere. In the evenings guests may sit outside and enjoy the night sounds and the cooler fresh air. There is also a large boma which can be booked for braais (barbecue), private parties, and special events such as weddings and conferences. |
Bush Braai:
A unique Kruger National Park safari experience is where guests are taken on an evening drive to a venue in the bush, away from all modern conveniences. Here they are treated to a traditional braai with the opportunity to play the African Drums. |
The Rhino Shop:
Berg-en-Dal has a curio shop available in the camp that also has a supply of essential items for sale.
All major credit cards are welcome. |
Reservations and Enquiries |
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KRUGER NATIONAL PARK:
The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park of nearly 2 million hectares, SANParks - Kruger National Park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.
Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park's natural assets.
The Kruger National Park is the primary destination in South Africa for many international tourists. Each year more than half a million visitors are registered.
The National Park was opened in 1898 at the instigation of then-president Paul Kruger. After hunters had considerably decimated the originally rich game stock, all the land between the Sabie and the Crocodile Rivers was put under the protection of Nature Conservation to ensure the survival of the remaining animals. Only as recently as 1961 was the extended Kruger Park fenced in.
The park stretches from the Crocodile River in the south up to the Limpopo River, which is the international border in the north. Altogether it is 350 km long, 65 km wide and comprises an area of about 20,000 sq km.
A web of roads of 1863 kilometres leads through the National Park, 697 kms of them being tarred. For the visitor there are numerous differently equipped restcamps, most of them scenically positioned. Within the park boundaries, travel is only allowed between sunrise and sunset. After dark one has to stay in one of the fenced restcamps.
The best time for observing the animals is the dry winter season. Then the grass is low and bushes and trees don't have leaves, so that one can have an unobstructed view. Because it virtually doesn't rain in winter, the animals come to the waterholes to drink in the mornings and evenings and can easily be viewed from the car.
Overview of The Kruger National Park
Where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sights – this is real Africa. The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park of nearly 2 million hectares, SANParks - Kruger National Park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.
Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park's natural assets.
Vegetation and Climate
The Kruger National Park is generally flat to gently undulating, with average height of 260 metres (853 feet) above sea level, with its most mountainous areas being along the eastern boundary, formed by the Lebombo Mountains. Sixteen distinct landscapes provide a multitude of habitats for the Kruger Park's inhabitants. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, the Kruger Park has its share of rain and hot weather. During the summer months (September-April), the Park experiences sporadic rainfall in the form of quick thunder showers. April through August represent the winter months in Southern Africa which in turn means very little rain. As far as rainfall is concerned, the southern region receives the largest amount of rainfall while the central plains receive the least. The temperatures average from 30 C (86 F) in January (summer) to 23 C (73 F) in July (winter). Please be aware that the maximum temperature can reach 47 C (117 F) (January) and 35 C (95 F) (July).For your information, the average nightly temperature can range from 7-18 C (45-64 F) (January) and most certainly freezing in July. It is highly advisable to wear 'breathable' clothes to avoid heat exhaustion or stroke during the day, drink plenty of water and ensure that appropriate clothing is available in the often cold nights.
Vegetation Zones
The varying climatic conditions impact on the type of vegetation in the ecosystem that can survive and flourish in each vegetation zone. This of course affects the distribution and population densities of the various animals - each type favouring some or other ecosystem environment.
History of the Kruger National Park
The first explorer to set foot in the region was the Dutchman François de Cuiper who led a Dutch East India Company expedition to explore. However, the expedition was attacked and driven by local tribes-people near Gomondwane. Only around 1838 Voortrekker expeditions led by Louis Trichardt and Hans van Rensburg were able to successfully establish forward outposts. Hundreds of Europeans and farmers came to the Lowveld lured by rumours of gold and the great quantity of valuable commodities such as ivory and skins.
This caused the number of game to dramatically decrease due to hunting and trading of animal skins and horns. President Paul Kruger was told about the rapid destruction of wildlife in the area by hunters, after which he succeeded to persuade the Transvaal parliament to establish a protected area for the wildlife in the Lowveld region. The "Sabie Game Reserve”, bordered by the Crocodile River in the south, the Sabie River in the north, the Lebombo Mountains in the east and the Drakensberg Mountains in the west, which is now the southern part of the Kruger National Park, was established in 1898.
These reserves would eventually expand into today's Kruger National Park. The Anglo-Boer War stopped any further development of the reserve, but the British, after winning the war, proceeded with the plan to develop the Sabie Game Reserve and gave the task to major James Stevenson-Hamilton in 1902 to protect the animals against hunters, ivory poachers and cattle farmers. The Park was opened to the public in 1927 for visitors to view animals and plant life in an area where they are protected. After the Anglo-Boer War, James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as the first park warden. He spent the next 40 years protecting what the war had destroyed. His actions are no doubt an ever-living contribution to the Kruger National Park's current existence. In addition to his animal conservation, James Stevenson Hamilton was also responsible for acquiring another 10 000 hex acres for the reserve.
After World War I, the Kruger National Park was protected by the government of South Africa and remains under the watchful eye of the government even today. The very first ranger in the reserve was Paul Bester who made his residence in a rustic rondavel (hut) which is now the site of the headquarters camp, Skukuza. Documents concerning the History of the Kruger National Park can be viewed at the Skukuza Library. Half a million years ago, the first San stone age hunters roamed the plains in search of game. The modern day bush men have left fascinating rock paintings all over the Republic of South Africa, and Kruger National Park contains over one hundred sites of these paintings. The Kruger National Park is a living memorial to President Paul Kruger and those who have upheld his vision of a protected wilderness reserve which will forever remind us of that which we are so dangerously close to loosing.
A Short Natural and Cultural History·
There are almost 254 known cultural heritage sites in the Kruger National Park, including nearly 130 recorded rock art sites.
There is ample evidence that prehistoric man – Homo erectus roamed the area between 500 000 and 100 000 years ago.
Cultural artefacts of Stone Age man have been found for the period 100 000 to 30 000 years ago.
More than 300 archaeological sites of Stone Age man have been found.
Evidence of Bushman Folk (San) and Iron Age people from about 1500 years ago is also in great evidence.
There are also many historical tales of the presence of Nguni people and European explorers and settlers in the Kruger area.
There are significant archaeological ruins at Thulamela and Masorini.
There are numerous examples of San Art scattered throughout the park.
The park was first proclaimed in 1898 as the Sabie Game Reserve by the then president of the Transvaal Republic, Paul Kruger. He first proposed the need to protect the animals of the Lowveld in 1884, but his revolutionary vision took another 12 years to be realised when the area between the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers was set aside for restricted hunting.
The Scottish born James Stevenson-Hamilton (born in 1867) was appointed the park’s first warden on 1 July 1902.
On 31 May 1926 the National Parks Act was proclaimed and with it the merging of the Sabie and Shingwedzi Game Reserves into the Kruger National Park. The first motorists entered the park in 1927 for a fee of one pound.
Many accounts of the park’s early days can be found in the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library.
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