Experiencing the magic of Marataba

Arriving at Marataba Safari Lodge for a two-day photographic safari, I was greeted, as always, by friendly faces and the spectacular view. No matter how many times you see it, it still takes your breath away. At the foothills of the Waterberg, in the Marakele National Park, the lodge is known for Big Five safaris, and it was where I hoped to capture some beautiful photographs for our website and social media platforms.

Field Guide Stohm and I headed out a little earlier than most guests. Not long afterwards, the heavens suddenly opened, and we were caught in a downpour. Luckily, Stohm had the foresight to put the roof on our vehicle before we left, so we were able to continue on our photographic mission.

Any photographer, and especially a wildlife photographer, will know that after the rain, if the sun decides to peek through the clouds, the light will be out of this world – and I could hardly wait for this to happen.

Our first sighting was two male cheetah in the middle of an open clearing. We watched and hoped they would get up and move. Just then Mother Nature threw in one of her famous surprises and in an excited voice, Stohm said: “Francois, behind us, a rainbow, an elephant, we need to get this shot…”

Now we were torn between watching the cheetah and photographing an elephant with a rainbow. The elephant eventually won, and we managed to take some incredible photos of this surreal scene, before the elephant bull disappeared between the umbrella- and sweet thorn.

The sun was now out, and the light together with the rain droplets created a beautiful backdrop for us. We turned our attention back to the cheetah brothers, who suddenly got up and started moving quickly. We decided to drive around them and catch them on the other side of the clearing. As we drove, we could hear the alarm calls of impala and wildebeest, as they moved through the clearing – this, of course, prevented the cheetahs from hunting them successfully. They disappeared into thicket, alarm calls growing faint.

We were more than satisfied with the shots we had captured, but Marataba had one last treat for us that afternoon. As we drove, talking about what we just witnessed, a pair of lions emerged from the thicket.

A young male and female, most likely brother and sister, that had broken away from their natal pride. They crossed the road in front of us, giving us an excellent opportunity to take a few photos and then as quickly as they had emerged, they disappeared again. Stohm and I sat quietly after that, reflecting on the incredible sightings of our first afternoon at Marataba.

Day Two started off early to catch the magnificent sunrise over the Waterberg. We could hear a male lion roaring in the distance and our plan became to find him. After about 45 minutes of searching, with other vehicles assisting us, the team effort paid off — two males were spotted not far from where we were. We waited patiently for our turn, allowing guests to enjoy the sighting first. When it was our turn to approach, we were incredibly fortunate to watch these two males, 20 metres away, intermittently roaring as they laid claim to their territory.

On our way back to the lodge after a beautiful morning, we came across a female cheetah and her cubs. As though she had heard something, she got up – there were zebra alarm calls in the distance. It was then that field guide Robyn called to tell us where she had located the two male cheetah.

As we approached, we saw one male chasing a zebra. As we turned the corner, another cheetah was suffocating a zebra foal. Not an easy thing to witness but an incredible wildlife experience. We sat watching them for a while as they feasted on their prey.

We then decided to try catch another glimpse of the female cheetah and her cubs. Our plan changed quickly when Anzelle, one of the guides, called to say the two male cheetah had moved and told us the location. The mist was close to the ground, and we knew an amazing photographic opportunity was waiting for us.

We had a gut feeling to head towards a blue thorn that had fallen over, as cheetah often look for vantage points to scan for possible prey or danger. And it was spot-on. We positioned ourselves in the perfect place, scoring a shot of a male jumping onto the tree and marking his territory. The second male moved slightly towards the side of an open area and offered me the photo I was really hoping to get – a cheetah in the mist…

A perfect ending to two perfect days at Marataba. And this is the beauty of a safari – no matter how many times you do it or how long you spend in the bush, no experience is ever the same.

Words by Francois Fourie, MORE Family Content Manager, NJ MORE Field Guide College and Nakavango Conservation Program

Keep an eye on Marataba Luxury Lodges Instagram for wildlife sightings.