In Middle February we had the opportunity of a quick weekend visit to the Marakele National Park in the Waterberg of Limpopo Province. With us still experiencing a good rainy season here in the north of the country, the Park’s scenery was lush and green and it was good to see the Waterberg (Water Mountain) living up to its name.
African Leopard Butterfly
The little dam at Bollonoto Hide
Kudu bull
Kudu bull
Steenbok
Warthogs
Marakele scenery
European Bee-eater
Cape Chestnut flowers
We were booked into Tlopi Tented Camp again, and with its wonderful view of the dam and mountains beyond and an abundance of animal life all around it was as near to heaven as can be imagined.
Tlopi Tent #1 (Plover), Marakele National Park, February 2022
Tlopi scenery
Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake at our tent
Male Eastern Blacktail Dragonfly (photo by Joubert)
Adult African Fish Eagle in flight
Immature African Fish Eagle in flight
Sharptooth Catfish (photo by Joubert)
Sharptooth Catfish (photo by Joubert)
Red-veined Dropwing Dragonfly (photo by Joubert)
On Saturday afternoon we explored the plains and foothills of this section of the Park. Animals were to be seen in abundance, but the amazing scenery also kept clamouring for attention.
Young Kudu bull
White Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)
Marakele Scenery
Marakele Scenery
Plains Zebra
Marakele scenery
Kudu cow
Kudu cow
Marakele scenery
Marakele Scenery
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
Marakele scenery
Young Red-billed Oxpeckers
Impala lambs
Marakele scenery
Elephant
Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, seen from the Mbidi Loop
Some very interesting insects came to visit our fully-equipped safari tent after dark.
Ground Beetle
Wahlberg’s Bush Cricket
Sundowner Moth
Sundowner Moth
At dawn on Sunday morning there was just one place we wanted to go; up to the Lenong Viewpoint atop the Waterberg. The narrow, steep, winding road that takes you there, the immense vistas and the fresh air up there takes our breath away every time.
Steppe, or Common, Buzzard
Klipspringer on top of the Waterberg
Marakele scenery
Marakele scenery
Mountain Reedbuck at Lenong Viewpoint
Marakele scenery
Buff-streaked Chat
Marakele scenery
Marakele scenery (photo by Joubert)
Marakele scenery
Marakele scenery
Eventually we had to descend from the mountain, go back to Tlopi to pack our belongings, and head for home – at least we could console ourselves with a few hours drive through the Park to get to the gate and the outside world.
Sjoe, die landskap is (amper) so mooi soos die diere! Die laaste foto van die kudu bul met sy pragtige gedraaide horings is pragtig … hoe wonderlik dat dit so naby aan die beskawing is, maar tog lyk of jy baie ver daarvandaan is.
Beautiful scenery and lovely sightings. How great to see such a young kudu with its mum. Lovely shots of birds in flight. The pic of the spider reminds me how relatively rare these have become these days.
It is wonderful to see pictures and to read of the satisfying experience you have enjoyed at Marakele. It is a place I have wished to visit for some time, yet have received conflicting reports about it. This post of yours throws a very positive light on it!
Really the ONLY negative comment I could make about Marakele is the fact that the roads could be tricky, but not impossible, in a vehicle with low clearance. You really should visit if you get the opportunity, Anne. You will not be disappointed.
It looks lovely there and as usual when you have so many photos, I can’t really pick a favorite. I always enjoy the kudus but then I enjoyed all the others as well. 🙂 Good problem to have, though.
Sjoe dit was ‘n heerlike tyd daar. Nie besef hul het renosters en olifante daar nie. Nou’s ek sommer jaloers. Dis so naby Potties en ek het nooit eers daar gaan kyk nie. Die Sundowner motte het ons dive bombers genoem omdat hul altyd so sterk vlieg en met spoed.
Marakele is regtig n besonderse Park, Ineke, met al die groot 5 diere en nog n wye verskeidenheid ander soorte ook. Om nie eens van die landskappe te praat nie!
Het bietjie opgelees oor die plek en al die diere. Dis naby Vaalwater. Daardie tipiese rotskoppe van die Waterberg trek my hart sommer met n punt soontoe.
Hoewel die Park se noord-oostelike hoek tot in die Vaalwater distrik strek, Ineke, is die hoofhek maar 10km uit Thabazimbi uit. Maklik binne 2-en-n-half uur se ry van Pretoria en Johannesburg.
de Wets Wild 
Wow. You hit the jackpot on that trip, Dries. I was very taken with the colour and pattern of the butterfly’s wings in that final set of photos.
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Thank you very much, Tracy. Big or small, Marakele is beautiful at every scale.
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Sjoe, die landskap is (amper) so mooi soos die diere! Die laaste foto van die kudu bul met sy pragtige gedraaide horings is pragtig … hoe wonderlik dat dit so naby aan die beskawing is, maar tog lyk of jy baie ver daarvandaan is.
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Ons is regtig geseënd in hierdie land dat daar so baie sulke plekke is waar mens heen kan vlug wanneer die stad begin druk.
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Beautiful scenery and lovely sightings. How great to see such a young kudu with its mum. Lovely shots of birds in flight. The pic of the spider reminds me how relatively rare these have become these days.
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Thanks very much, Carol. I can’t recall now whether you were able to visit Marakele pre-pandemic?
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We didn’t get there in the end, but we hope to get there before too long. Your post has definitely encouraged us to start planning 🙂
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I hope you get a chance soon!
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Thanks 🙂
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It is wonderful to see pictures and to read of the satisfying experience you have enjoyed at Marakele. It is a place I have wished to visit for some time, yet have received conflicting reports about it. This post of yours throws a very positive light on it!
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Really the ONLY negative comment I could make about Marakele is the fact that the roads could be tricky, but not impossible, in a vehicle with low clearance. You really should visit if you get the opportunity, Anne. You will not be disappointed.
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Thank you for this advice, Dries.
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It looks lovely there and as usual when you have so many photos, I can’t really pick a favorite. I always enjoy the kudus but then I enjoyed all the others as well. 🙂 Good problem to have, though.
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Marakele’s a really special place, Janet. I hope the photo’s conveyed some sense of that.
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They did.
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Thank you!
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Sjoe dit was ‘n heerlike tyd daar. Nie besef hul het renosters en olifante daar nie. Nou’s ek sommer jaloers. Dis so naby Potties en ek het nooit eers daar gaan kyk nie. Die Sundowner motte het ons dive bombers genoem omdat hul altyd so sterk vlieg en met spoed.
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Marakele is regtig n besonderse Park, Ineke, met al die groot 5 diere en nog n wye verskeidenheid ander soorte ook. Om nie eens van die landskappe te praat nie!
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Het bietjie opgelees oor die plek en al die diere. Dis naby Vaalwater. Daardie tipiese rotskoppe van die Waterberg trek my hart sommer met n punt soontoe.
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Hoewel die Park se noord-oostelike hoek tot in die Vaalwater distrik strek, Ineke, is die hoofhek maar 10km uit Thabazimbi uit. Maklik binne 2-en-n-half uur se ry van Pretoria en Johannesburg.
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Dis ‘n hele ent. Dis egter baie mooi daar veral omdat dit gereën het.
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