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Marakele National Park
Guide to accommodation descriptions
Location of
Marakele National Park
Marakele National Park
Situated in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains you will find the Marakele National Park, which is well known by the 4x4 enthusiasts who want to get away from it all. The park is a sanctuary for a variety of wildlife including the endangered Cape Vultures, over 800 breeding pairs, plus cat, elephant and rhino. Amongst the plant species found in the area are rare finds of yellowwood and cedar trees, cycads and tree ferns.
Accommodation
Tlopi Tented Camp - 2 bed
- Furnished units
Private bathroom (shower, wash basin and toilet), and a fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator/freezer, two-plate stove and electricity. - Veranda with table and deck chairs and barbeque facilities
- 1 tent has wheelchair access
- The camp is unfenced and is approximately 17 km from the Reception Office
Bontle Camping Site
- Campsites with electricity
- Communal ablutions
Facilities
- Roads
- The access road to the park is tarred; internal roads are gravel
- The camp and surrounding areas are accessible by 4x4 vehicles only
- Most of the park's roads are only accessible to 4x4 vehicles
- The Kwaggasvlakte plains immediately north of the reception/office complex and camping site can be traversed in a normal sedan, as can the entrance roads to the safari tent camp and bush camp.
- The narrow track up to the towers is also accessible to sedan vehicles.
- In an effort to keep the park ecosystem as undisturbed as possible, most facilities are located outside the park in the adjacent town of Thabazimbi
- In Thabazimbi
:
- Shop
- Restaurant
- Garage
- Medical services
- Telephone
- Post Office
- Police
- Electricity: Only the tented camp and camping site is supplied with electricity.
Extra Information
No visitors are allowed at the back of open vehicles- Please do not feed the animals
- Vervet Monkeys will soon become habituated to this and create serious problems in the future
- You are not allowed to get out of your vehicle, except at places indicated to you on the map, by the receptionist
- A general speed limit of 30 km/h must be maintained within the Park’s boundaries
- You will be warned at reception about roads that are inaccessible in the Park
- Should you drive on these roads and get stuck you will be charged for recovery expenses of a minimum of R50, 00
- Fines will be given if you drive off the roads
- No pets are allowed in the Park
- No collecting of firewood
- Please keep your entrance permit with you while driving in the Park
- No fishing is allowed in the dam
Overnight Visitors
- No driving at night is allowed in the Park
- Be aware of BABOONS and VERVET MONKEYS. Keep your tents closed when driving around and lock food in the tent’s cupboard. You may even turn the fridge slightly so that the door does not open easily
- Don’t let anything lie around
- The safari camp has not been fenced and therefore visitors to Marakele are warned to stay within the confines of the tent and deck area
- Walking outside the confines of the camp will put you at risk of dangerous game and negatively affect the experience of other visitors
Day visitors
- Entrance from 07:30 to 16:00
- No need to book in advance
- Currently there is no limit on number of people per day
- 4x4 routes as well as routes for sedan vehicles are open to day visitors
- Day visitors have certain areas and roads where they can drive. You will be informed at reception about the roads that are inaccessible
- Should you drive on roads that are inaccessible and get stuck, you will be charged for recovery expenses of a minimum of R50, 00
Climate
- Summers are hot but not humid
- Summer rainfall region
- Rainfall occurs in the form of heavy thunderstorms or soft rain
- Winter is moderate with frost occurring in the low-lying regions only
- Mornings and nights can be cold, but day temperatures are pleasant
Office and Gate hours
| Open | Close | |
| Reception | 07:30 | 16:00 |
| Gate Summer | 07:30 | 18:00 |
| Gate Winter | 07:30 | 17:00 |
If you are still inside the Park after the gates have closed you can be given a fine.
Check-in / check-out
- You have to vacate the tent at 09:00 on the day of departure
- The key for the gates must be returned to reception on the day of departure
- Alternatively you can leave the key at the points indicated to you by the receptionist
Handy Hints
- Remember to bring a camera, binoculars, bird and wildlife reference books
- Hat and sunscreen lotion
- Medicines such as anti-histamine and lotion for insect stings and bites
- Cool clothing for summer and warm for winter - the region is subject to sudden changes in weather, particularly in the mountains
- Remember charcoal or wood, as this is not available in the park
- Torch, as the camp has no illumination between units at night
