Marakele National Park Tour

While hunting with Cruiser Safaris you can visit the MARAKELE NATIONAL PARK in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains. The variety of plant and wildlife will astound you.

MARAKELE NATIONAL PARK TOUR

The Marakele Nation Park is a relatively new game reserve under the management of South Africa's Nature Conservation and National Parks Board. The park is located in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains near the town of Thabazimbi. Marakele means a "place of sanctuary" and a game drive in the breathtaking scenery makes this one of the favorite destinations in the area.

Marakele National Park contains an impressive variety of wildlife due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of South Africa. The park is characterized by contrasting majestic mountain landscapes, grass clad hills and deep valleys. Rare finds of yellowwood and cedar trees, 15 feet high Cycads and tree ferns are some of the plant species found here. All the large game species from elephant and rhino to the big cats (except lion) as well as an amazing variety of birds, including the largest colony of endangered Cape Vultures (more than 800 breeding pairs) in the world have settled here.

5 of the highlights to seek out are:

1. Cape Griffin Vulture - The park hosts the world's largest breeding colony of this endangered species. While birds may be seen in the air catching thermals anywhere in the park, the drive up to the old military tower is nearest to the colony and close encounters with these enormous birds will leave visitors breathless.

2. African Elephant - While some elephant had been previously reintroduced into the park, it was the release of the Tuli elephants in 1999 that captured the public and media's imagination.

3. Rhino - Marakele has a high density of both rhino species and most visitors should see these animals, particularly the more gregarious and diurnal white rhinoceros.

4. Cycads - The park is host to a number of these prehistoric plants, particularly in the sheltered kloofs.

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

Marakele is home to most of the large mammals synonymous with the African bush, including elephant, black and white rhino, buffalo, leopard and cheetah. Lion are not currently permanently found in the park although they do occasionally wander in from Botswana or from neighboring private reserves. When Marakele's land consolidation is complete, permanent populations of lion, wild dog and spotted hyena will be reestablished. Resident antelope include Roan, Sable, Kudu, Eland, Impala, Waterbuck, Tsessebe and many smaller species. Chacma Baboon and Vervet Monkey are two species to be watched carefully for mischief, particularly around the rest camps. An amazing variety of birds including the Cape Vultures, Fish Eagle, Martial Eagles, Ibises, Cranes, Egyptian Geese and many other species can also be found there.

The cost for this trip is included in your side trip daily rate (see our daily rates page).