Bush bliss at Dinokeng
At Jabula, Zulu for “joy”, you’re far from the hustle and bustle you get at resorts that have swimming pools, water slides, and caravans lined up like sardines. Here, tranquillity is everything.
It’s always exciting to set up camp somewhere in the bush where there are no fences and you share the veld with the animals – all the better if the animals occasionally come to say hi. But the first prize, of course, is to find yourself in a reserve where the Big Five also hang out. At the Dinokeng Big Five Reserve there are a handful of these campsites – or bush camps, rather – and this is where you and an animal can look each other in the eye. The Jabula Bush Camp is about 4 km from the Tau gate as the crow flies, and you immediately start relaxing as you drive along the winding road through the rugged veld to your site. The hustle and bustle of the city is quickly forgotten, and you have a great excuse to turn off your cellphone. Francois and Lucia van den Berg are Jabula’s owners and warmly welcome you to your stand. The registration process is completed quickly, and the indemnity
forms are signed – you are, after all, in Big Five world and responsible for your own safety. Lucia reminds you not to walk in the veld, not even from one campsite to another. And do keep your shoes inside your tent when you go to bed, because there are some foxes that specialise in shoe theft. Francois and Lucia used to own a business in Hammanskraal, so they know this area. Francois says he had been thinking about setting up a campsite for years, and Dinokeng was the perfect spot. They bought the undeveloped land in 2019, christened it Jabula, and started developing a tented camp, followed by the campsite. They took great care to disturb the veld as little as possible, and so the stands were carefully marked with ribbons before the clearing process started. They also made the decision to use only solar power and gas. Jabula has only five stands, and with about 120 m of veld between you and your neighbours, it feels almost as though you’re camping on your own. Stands 1 and 2 are the farthest apart, while stands 3, 4, and 5 are closer to one another – and, therefore, good choices when a bunch of friends come camping together. A maximum of two off-road trailers or tents are allowed per stand. The round camping spots are 25 m in diameter and big enough for you and your camping partner’s trailers or tents. Each stand has a tree or two, so there’s a shady spot where you can shelter from the summer sun. The campsite’s solar-power system provides power only for the lights in the kitchen and bathroom – so remember to bring your own solar panels and battery to keep your fridge running. Or simply bring your cooler box full of ice to keep your food cold; it works just as well as a fridge for a weekend camp. Francois sells ice at R20 per bag if yours runs out. As befits any good bush camp, the braai area is on the ground. The neatly built circular braai with its adjustable grid is large enough to keep a fire burning on the one side for atmosphere, while your chops braai on the other side. Remember to smother the coals with the drum provided before you go to bed. A movement-activated LED on the side of the kitchen roof casts a strong ray of light on the braai, but you can switch it off if it bothers you. Francois is only a call away when you run out of wood and firelighters (R20 each), and he comes to deliver them in his tuk-tuk. Your ash goes in the steel bin, while the plastic bin is for your other rubbish. Camping in the bush doesn’t mean you have to do without the luxury of hot water and a flush toilet. At Jabula, each stand has its own ablution facilities. The best thing about the bathroom – some would even say it’s better than the hot water – is the view when you shower. The large opening between the 1,6 m high walls and the roof gives you a view of the veld. The two sides have been covered with reeds for privacy. The bathroom has
a shower, basin, mirror, and toilet. Plus plenty of hanging and packing space for all your toiletries, towels, and clothes. Two LED strips, one at the shower and the other at the sink, provide light, and a gas geyser heats the water. If you prefer to look at the stars when you shower, the outdoor shower with its reed screen is amazing, especially in the summer months. The kitchen is adjacent to the bathroom. Two of its sides are open, both looking onto the campsite. The kitchen is large enough so that two camping chairs can fit comfortably inside when you seek shelter from the sun or an afternoon bushveld rain shower. Next to the stainless-steel sink is a concrete work surface with storage space underneath. The kitchen is equipped with a brush for your skottel braai, a broom and dustpan, a mop, and even a bucket of sand for cigarette stubs. The kitchen also has an LED strip above the work surface, and the solar regulator has two USB points where you can charge your phone.
You can’t visit a Big Five reserve without going on a game drive. Dinokeng’s selfdriving route, for which you need to purchase a permit, runs through different areas with a variety of different types of veld. Pack a picnic basket, some wood, and something to braai, and stop at one of the four picnic spots along the route. To relax at Dula Nokeng, which is along the public tarred road about 3 km from the Tau Gate, you don’t need a selfdriving permit, but Bayete, Riverside, and Veldjierondom on the eastern side of the reserve are on the self-driving route where you do need a permit. Dula Nokeng and Veldjierondom have kiosks that serve traditional light meals. The Veldjie kiosk is in a characterful zinc building where the smell of a coal fire and fresh roosterkoek hangs in the air. A fireplace for cold days and a hot condensed-milk coffee (R25) and homemade food will brighten up anyone’s day. The roosterkoek with bacon, eggs, and cheese (R55) is a firm favourite, as are the pancakes with a variety of fillings (R15 to R70). Just make sure you leave some space for the milk tart (R35), or take a slice with you to enjoy later at your stand. There’s also a gift shop here. In the Bread & Butter Bush Café at Dula Nokeng, you’ll find a pot of bean soup simmering on the charcoal stove. A bowl costs R35, but you can also tuck into jaffles with different fillings (R30), pancakes (R5), their delicious homemade ice cream (R35), farm bread and homemade jam (R45), and fresh pastries. Buy one of the big farm breads (R35) to eat with a thick spread of butter with tonight’s braai. Both kiosks are open on weekends and holidays (07:30-15:30) but double check on their Facebook pages, although you can still use the facilities at the picnic sites even if the kiosks are closed. Buy your self-driving permit online – go to dinokengreserve.co.za – or at the reserve gates or at Dinokeng Events in the Safari Mall, about 7 km from the Tau gate (S25.347443 E28.370807). Remember to also buy a map (R30, in book format) when you get your permit. Here’s a tip: pay your conservation fee, vehicle and self-driving permits in advance on Dinokeng’s website – that way you’ll skip the long queues that form at the gates, especially on weekends.