Marakele National Park activities include game drives, bird watching, 4x4 eco trails, bush walks, hiking trails and many more.

“Marakele” is a word in the Tswana language, meaning “ Place of Sanctuary”. This wild and remote nature reserve certainly delivers on that name. Lying in between mountain ranges, it is a beautiful setting for an unforgettable African bush experience.

Next to enjoying the fantastic scenery, you can relax in a tranquil oases of serenity, view the endangered Cape Griffin vulture, enjoy close encounters with a large variety of African wildlife or enjoy game drives in luxury 4 wheel drive vehicles.


Hippo smile
Marakele National Park activities - copyright © Arno en Louise Meintjes
Activities offered by the Park administration itself include:

• Bird watching and game viewing.


• Mountain pass up to an incredible view and proximity to the Cape vulture colony.


• Morning and Sunset drives available.


• Morning and Sunset Bush walks available.


• Two nights 4x4 eco trail available.


• Two nights Hiking Trail.

All this under the guidance of qualified and experienced Field Guides/Rangers in the park.

Look for the following animals on your game drives, because they will be the highlights of your drive:

The Cape Griffin Vulture

The park hosts one of the world’s largest breeding colonies (about 800 breeding pairs) of this endangered species. While birds may be seen in the air catching thermals anywhere in the park, the drive up to the Sentech Towers is nearest to the colony and close encounters with these enormous birds will leave visitors breathless.


Cape Vulture
Marakele activities - copyright © Arno en Louise Meintjes
The African Elephant

Sit on the deck in front of your tent at Tlopi and watch the elephants herds coming in to the dam to drink, absolutely stunning.

The Rhinoceros

Marakele has a sizable population of both Rhino species, the black and the white Rhino. There should be no problem for you to come across these animals, especially the more friendly and companionable White Rhino.


Elephants challenging each other
Marakele National Park activitiescopyright © Arno en Louise Meintjes
The not-so-often-seen-elsewhere antelope species:

such as reedbuck, mountain reedbuck, eland and Tsessebe that can be found here.

If you are in to star gazing don't forget your telescope as you will have some good dark sky and if you don't have a telescope sit down with your binoculars and have a look at the stars it might be the start of a brand new addiction.

The Kudu antelope

A magnificent animal. As browsers these antelope are in their element at Marakele. Look out for the bulls with their magnificent spiral horns.


Magnificent Kudu bull
Marakele National Park activities - copyright © Arno en Louise Meintjes

For the birders Marakele National Park is really a hotspot

With an extraordinary variety of bird species.

Search for birds like the Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike and Gorgeous Bush-Shrike in kloofs where 30m tall Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus) can be found; Relax at the dam with water fowl and water iguanas while the African Fish-eagle dive-bombs the Egyptian Geese and White-faced Whistling Duck;


The Black Eagle is landing
Marakele National Park activities - copyright © South African tourism
Scan the wetlands from a spill-way for Waxbills, Firefinches and Canaries; or do your birding around the house amongst the lovely indigenous trees at the foot of the majestic Waterberg.

Surprise Blue wildebeest and Waterbuck while scanning the grasslands and finding the Crimson-breasted Shrike, White-helmet Shrike and Pied Babbler;






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