Tag Archives: Tlopi Tented Camp

Continuing our Marakele Game Drive

So far we’ve seen a leopard, beautiful birds, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes, creepy crawlies of all description, and inspiring scenery. Let’s see what else we might encounter as we continue our explorations of Marakele National Park.

Several groups of Banded Mongooses are to be seen in the Kwaggasvlakte section of the Park

Giraffe portrait (photo by Joubert)

Kudu cow

All ears! Kudu calf (photo by Joubert)

Kudu cow

Kudu bull (photo by Joubert)

Kudu bull

Coy Baboon (photo by Joubert)

Impala Ram

Rock Hyraxes are usually to be seen up top at Lenong Viewpoint

Warthog youngster with a mouth full of food

Warthog

Black-backed Jackal

Plains Zebras on the aptly named Kwaggasvlakte (photo by Joubert)

Plains Zebra

Plains Zebra on a hillside

Mountain Reedbuck

Klipspringer pair

Remember that DeWetsWild will gladly assist you with a reservation and planning if you’re interested in visiting Marakele National Park and making the most of your visit.

Marakele’s Magic

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The Marakele National Park, and the Waterberg Mountains it protects, is a beautiful place.

Marakele scenery

Plectranthus hereroensis – the Herero Spur Flower

Stand of Plectranthus hereroensis – the Herero Spur Flower

Plectranthus hereroensis – the Herero Spur Flower – thrives on the rocky slopes of the Waterberg at Marakele’s Lenong Viewpoint

I suspect this is the blooms of a type of Senecio

Traveling on the plains below the Waterberg reveals a very different community of plants

Marakele’s Magic!

Towering cliffs of the Waterberg

Looking down into the valley from atop the Waterberg

Beautiful woodland lining a road through Marakele National Park

A small river running through Marakele

Remember that DeWetsWild will gladly assist you with a reservation and planning if you’re interested in visiting Marakele National Park and making the most of your visit.

Our 2022 in pictures

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Join us for a look back at the wonderfully wild South African destinations we visited during 2022. May 2023 be a blessed year for you and your family, memorable for all the best reasons.

Satara Bungalow B50, December 2021 – January 2022

First sunrise of 2022

Tlopi Tent #1 (Plover), Marakele National Park, February 2022

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, seen from the Mbidi Loop

Beautiful scenery around Lake Mankwe in the Pilanesberg National Park (20 February 2022)

Chalet 12 in Mantuma Camp, uMkhuze Game Reserve, Isimangaliso Wetland Park, March 2022

uMkhuze scenery

Log Cabin 25, Cape Vidal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, March 2022

Sunset over Lake St. Lucia

Hilltop Chalet 47, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, March 2022

View from Hilltop Chalet 47, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, March 2022

Chalet 16, Mpila, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, March 2022

White Umfolozi River

Joubert interacting with an elephant at African Hills Safari Lodge, June 2022

Cottage #18 in Leokwe Rest Camp, Mapungubwe National Park, June 2022

Iconic Mapungubwe: baobabs, elephants and rocky outcrops

Tent #10, “Loerie”, at Tlopi Tented Camp in Marakele National Park (June-July 2022)

Sunset at Tlopi

Sunrise over Marais Dam in Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Sandy Place unit 21, St. Lucia Town, October-November 2022

National Women’s Memorial in Bloemfontein

Looking out over Lake Saint Lucia and the forested dunes on Indian Ocean coast

Chalet #17 in Karoo National Park, December 2022

A normally dry Karoo streambed transformed into a flowing river

Van Breda Cottage in the West Coast National Park, December 2022

Salt marsh in the West Coast National Park, dominated by Perennial Glasswort

Tietiesbaai

West Coast Fossil Park

Table Mountain towering over Table Bay

Rhodes Memorial

Eland Cottage, Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain National Park, December 2022

Hout Bay harbour

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, 23 December 2022

Aloe Canyons Guest Farm, December 2022

Koppie Alleen Beach in De Hoop Nature Reserve

Waskraalvlei in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area

Protea Glamping, Kleine Windpompie Guest Farm, Klein Karoo, December 2022

View from our tented unit at Kleine Windpompie.

Marakele National Park

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Marakele National Park – the Setswana name meaning “Place of Sanctuary” – traces its existence to the proclamation of a 150km² tract of the Waterberg as the Kransberg National Park in 1986. Over the years, more land was added and today the expanded protected area known as the Marakele National Park covers 670km² of bushveld plains and soaring mountains.

Marakele Landscape

Marakele Landscape – the top of the Waterberg

Marakele Landscape

Without a doubt the highlight of a visit to Marakele is the vista from Lenong Viewpoint high up on the mountain.

Lenong viewpoint is up there, at the towers, in Marakele National Park

Lenong viewpoint marker

The view from the road to the top of Lenong Viewpoint on the mountain

The view from the top of Lenong Viewpoint on the mountain

Marakele’s name is well deserved, considering that it is home to 91 kinds of mammals (including the famed “Big 5“), 363 kinds of birds (including an important colony of Cape Vultures), at least 62 species of reptiles, 27 amphibians and as many as 20 species of fish.

Vervet Monkeys gossiping (photo by Joubert)

White-crested Helmetshrike (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful Lion in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)

Elephant cow that made sure we were well and truly out of reach of her family (photo by Joubert)

Buffalo bull (photo by Joubert)

Klipspringer

Buffaloes visiting Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Giraffe on the Kwaggasvlakte near Bontle in the Marakele National Park

Green-backed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Hamerkop (photo by Joubert)

Rock Hyrax

Grey-backed Camaroptera

Redbreast Tilapia in the dam at Tlopi

Sharptooth Catfish (photo by Joubert)

Southern Boubou

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Banded Mongoose

Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake

Burnt-necked Eremomela

White Rhinos going for s stroll

Elephant roadblock at sunset (photo by Joubert)

Black Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Cape Vultures in flight over Marakele – the Park is home to the world’s biggest colony of these birds.

Southern Pied Babbler (photo by Joubert)

The South African National Parks provides a range of overnight options to suit almost every taste and budget in the malaria-free Marakele National Park. Bontle Rest Camp is located just a kilometre into the Park, very near the main gate and reception office. Here guests can camp in their own tents and caravans or rent one of the fully self-contained safari tents that sleep either 2 or 4 people. The camp is unfenced and regularly visited by various kinds of animals and birds. Guided drives and walks can be arranged through the reception office, and a swimming pool was added to the camp’s facilities in March 2023.

Welcome to Bontle!

Bontle Safari Tent

Bontle Campground

Better safe than sorry

Warthogs at home in Bontle

Ostrich at home in Bontle, Marakele NP

Bontle ablution block

Our camping setup at Bontle in Marakele National Park, March 2023

Bontle Swimming Pool

One of the three ablution blocks serving Bontle’s campers

Motswere Cottage, in a remote woodland corner of the Park, is the most secluded option available to overnight guests. It is a revamped farmhouse that can accommodate groups of up to 8 guests.

Motswere Cottage, Marakele National Park

Tlopi Tented Camp is Marakele’s most popular accommodation option, with the ten two-bed tents (an additional stretcher is available for kids) situated beautifully on the bank of a dam that attracts a constant parade of wildlife day and night.

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021

Tlopi Tented Camp’s setting on the dam

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, seen from the Mbidi Loop

Tent #10 (Loerie) at Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021

Tlopi Tent #1 (Plover), Marakele National Park, February 2022

Tent #10, “Loerie”, at Tlopi Tented Camp in Marakele National Park (June-July 2022)

Elephant visiting at Tlopi

Visitor at Tlopi

Elephants arriving at Tlopi’s dam

Tlopi scenery

Sunset at Tlopi, with the smoke from our braai fire wafting over the dam

Sunset at Tlopi

Early evening at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Joubert got this photograph of a Vervet Monkey sneaking into Tlopi Camp by jumping across the electric fence spun over the entrance to camp

Vervet monkey waiting for a gap at our tent in Tlopi Tented Camp

The Thutong Environmental Centre provides dormitory-style accommodation for up to 128 people and is ideal for big organised groups from family reunions to schools and church groups.

Thutong Environmental Education Centre, Marakele National Park, September 2017

Thutong Environmental Education Centre, Marakele NP, April 2019

Thutong view

Thutong Environmental Education Centre, Marakele National Park, September 2017

Remember that DeWetsWild will gladly assist you with a reservation and planning if you’re interested in visiting Marakele National Park and making the most of your visit, whether you intend staying at Bontle, Tlopi, Motswere or Thutong.

Marakele National Park is within easy reach of Gauteng’s major urban centres, lying just 220km north of Pretoria along good tarred roads. The town of Thabazimbi, just 10km from Marakele’s gate, provides all the necessary amenities one might need, from shops and fuel stations to medical facilities. Inside the Park guests are able to explore along a network of rough gravel roads, with the route up to Lenong viewpoint being the only stretch of tarred road in the Park.

Limpopo Ramble 2022: Royal Welcome at Marakele

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Scarcely half-an-hour after arriving at Marakele National Park on the 29th of June, while making our way between reception and our allocated tent at Tlopi Tented Camp, we were met by this beautiful male lion, out patrolling and marking his territory. It really is nice to have your arrival acknowledged by the local royalty, don’t you think?

Beautiful Lion in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful Lion in Marakele National Park

Beautiful Lion in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)

Limpopo Ramble 2022: Tlopi Buffalo Pub

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One afternoon during our recent visit to Marakele National Park, while relaxing on the deck of our safari tent and enjoying the serenity of Tlopi Camp, this sizable herd of buffaloes visited their local waterhole for a drink. Joubert is responsible for all these pictures.

Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)

Buffaloes visiting Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Limpopo Ramble 2022

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We’re fresh back from our visits to two of the lesser known National Parks in South Africa’s Limpopo Province; Mapungubwe and Marakele. We had a wonderful time and have lots of stories and photos to share in the coming weeks. This is just a little teaser.

Mapungubwe National Park 25-29 June 2022

Meeting place for three countries: The confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers

Red-eyed Dove (photo by Joubert)

Scaly-feathered Finch

Angry elephant (photo by Joubert)

Limpopo River at sunrise

Pel’s Fishing Owl (photo by Joubert)

Klipspringer Ram (photo by Joubert)

White-fronted Bee-eater (photo by Joubert)

Verreaux’s EaAdult Verreaux’s Eagle departing from the nestgle

Kudu Bull

Large-spotted Genet (photo by Joubert)

Mating pair of Lions

Lilac-breasted Roller (photo by Joubert)

Impala (photo by Joubert)

Mapungubwe’s interpretative centre has a model of the famous golden rhino

Misty morning along the Limpopo River

Misty morning in Mapungubwe

Meves’s Starling

Yellow-spotted and Cape Rock Hyrax sharing the sun in Mapungubwe

Baobabs dotting the Mapungubwe landscape

Iconic Mapungubwe: baobabs, elephants and rocky outcrops

Mapungubwe scenery

Lappet-faced Vulture (photo by Joubert)

Mocking Cliff Chat

Cottage #18 in Leokwe Rest Camp, Mapungubwe National Park, June 2022

Elephants at the Treetop Walk

Crested Barbet (photo by Joubert)

Gemsbok

Marakele National Park 29 June to 3 July 2022

Vervet Monkeys gossiping (photo by Joubert)

White-crested Helmetshrike (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful Lion in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)

Elephant cow that made sure we were well and truly out of reach of her family (photo by Joubert)

Sunset at Tlopi

Buffalo bull (photo by Joubert)

Tent #10, “Loerie”, at Tlopi Tented Camp in Marakele National Park (June-July 2022)

Klipspringer

Buffaloes visiting Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Giraffe on the Kwaggasvlakte near Bontle in the Marakele National Park

Green-backed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Hamerkop (photo by Joubert)

Marakele scenery

Rock Hyrax

Visitor at Tlopi

Grey-backed Camaroptera

Redbreast Tilapia in the dam at Tlopi

Violet-eared Waxbill (photo by Joubert)

Southern Boubou

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Banded Mongoose

Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake

Burnt-necked Eremomela

White Rhinos going for s stroll

White-crowned Shrike (photo by Joubert)

Elephant roadblock at sunset (photo by Joubert)

Black Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Marakele scenery

Southern Pied Babbler (photo by Joubert)

Marakele in February

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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

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)

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

Plains Zebra

Marakele scenery

Kudu cow

Marakele scenery

Marakele Scenery

White Rhinoceros

White Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)

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

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

Mountain Reedbuck at Lenong Viewpoint

Marakele scenery

Buff-streaked Chat

Marakele scenery

Marakele scenery (photo by Joubert)

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.

Ground Agama (photo by Marilize)

Kudu cow and calf

Nyala ewe

Nyala ewe at the Bollonoto hide

Yellow-and-Black Kite Spider

Bushveld Charaxes

Foxy Emperor (photo by Marilize)

Yellow Pansy butterflies (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Joker (photo by Joubert)

Marsh Terrapin

Kudu bull

Our 2021 In Pictures

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Take a look back with us at the wonderfully wild South African places we visited in 2021.

Chalet 20 at Mountain Zebra National Park

Wide open spaces at Mountain Zebra National Park

Log Cabin #1 at Cape Vidal

Cape Vidal

Cottage 27 at Glen Reenen in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, March 2021

View from our cottage at Glen Reenen in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, Easter 2021

White rhino calf at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, April 2021

Lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, April 2021

Tent #10 (Loerie) at Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021, seen from Mbidi Loop

Unit #3 in Skukuza’s Nwaswitshaka Research Camp

Our little A-frame hut in the Sweni Wilderness Trails Camp

Lioness charging

Doornkop Chalet #12, October 2021

Duck’s Den #3 at Nylsvley Nature Reserve, October 2021

One of the hides at Vogelfontein in Nylsvley Nature Reserve, with waterbuck in the foreground

Camping at Satara, Kruger National Park, December 2021

Satara Bungalow B50, December 2021 – January 2022

Waterbuck in a lush central Kruger Park, December 2021

Surprise Weekend at Marakele; Sunday 13 June 2021

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It was the morning after Marilize’s milestone birthday, which unfortunately coincided with South Africa experiencing a “third wave” of Covid-19 infections precluding any big commemoration with the extended family and friends. It was up to me and Joubert to make the event memorable, so we surprised Marilize with a weekend breakaway to Marakele National Park.

Having spent all day Saturday at our comfortable safari tent overlooking the dam at Tlopi Tented Camp, we decided to prolong our departure back home to Pretoria on Sunday by exploring the roads leading through the Marakele National Park before checking out. There were lots of animals and birds to be seen, but it is Marakele’s awe-inspiring scenery that steals the show every time!

Giraffe eyeing us from a lofty vantage point

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021, seen from Mbidi Loop

That’s Tlopi Tented Camp and the dam in front of it in the distance, with the Marakele National Park stretching as far as the eye can see

Marakele sunrise

Marakele scenery

White Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)

Marakele scenery

Verreaux’s Eagle on the wing

Marakele scenery. with a beautiful cops of Wild Seringa’s at the foot of the Lenong mountain

Dassie (Rock Hyrax)

View from atop the Waterberg

Marakele scenery

Purple Roller (photo by Joubert)

Kudu cow (photo by Joubert)

Kudu cow

Kudu bull

Check-out time at Tlopi Tented Camp is at 10:00 in the morning. While I was packing the Duster, Joubert was keeping an eye out for thieving monkeys and getting some final photographs of life in and around Tlopi.

Bushbuck ewe wading into the dam at Tlopi

White-throated Robin-Chat

White-browed Scrub Robin

Arrow-marked Babbler (photo by Joubert)

It was time to head for the gate. Along the way we detoured to the Bolonoto Pan and the graves of the Coetzee family, but no matter how we tried we just couldn’t stretch our weekend any further. Around midday we handed back the key for Tlopi unit 10 to the friendly reception staff and said our goodbyes to Marakele National Park, till next time.