In the southern part of the Kruger National Park, near the Malelane gate, lies Biyamiti… one of the most beautiful bushveld camps in the area and a spectacle of fauna and flora. Natasha and Anton Schutte of Sunset Adventure Travel believe it’s the perfect place for nature lovers who long for an unforgettable experience in a place where they can relax and unwind.
“The Khakies are approaching from the south! Guys, we’ll have to make a plan.” General Ben Viljoen gave the order after the English, with the greatest force to ever wage war under the imperialist banner, began to threaten the commando very close to the Biyamiti camp.
After the beatings that the intrepid boers had inflicted on the English on various battlefields, they had deployed more than 60 000 soldiers to quell the tide. Genl. Viljoen had no choice but to destroy the ammunition and the Long Tom cannons still in the possession of the boere to ensure that they did not end up in the hands of the English. The plaque commemorating this battle is still visible just south of Biyamiti.
Biyamiti was a staging post for transporters on the trade route between the Highveld and Delagoa Bay (Maputo) for many years. It was also here where Alf Roberts’ padstal offered the necessary goods for sale in the 1880s. However, travellers came through less and less frequently after the completion of the Selati railway. The camp as it is today is actually one of the later camps developed in the Kruger National Park in 1991. Only overnight visitors may use the S139 road on either side of the camp, which makes it much quieter than other camps in the south of the park.
The area is predominantly dense, mixed thorn veld, with giant sycamores and Transvaal ebony trees that tower over
a variety of fauna and flora. With the Mbiyamiti River flowing past the camp and the Crocodile River less than 5km to the south, there is an abundance of wildlife and birds in the area. Rumour has it that you have a good chance of seeing the ghost of the Kruger, the black rhino, in the Biyamiti region. This area is also well-known for sightings of cheetahs and wild dogs, and in the dry winter months elephants are often spotted at the river near the camp’s lookout spot.
The best place for bird watching is in the camp itself, where the foliage attracts a variety of species. Keep an eye out for the African Barred Owlet (Glaucidium capense), Purple Roller (Coracias naevirus) and the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) at the bird-watching shelter by the waterhole. The latter visits us from the north of Russia and has to travel about 10 000km to get here. Just before sunset, Freckled Nightjars fly around by the dozens. It is not unusual to see several owl species while relaxing around the campfire during the evenings.
If there is one camp itself, in the Kruger that offers the same private concessions as an exclusive lodge but at an affordable price, then this is it. The accommodation might not be five-star, but the experiences at Biyamiti certainly are. And, besides, who comes to the Kruger for the chalets?
*For great Kruger Adventures, guided by experts visit: http://www.sunsetadventuretravel.co.za
