Safaris
Experience malaria-free Big Five safaris in the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere. Expert field guides lead mountain and savanna adventures where dramatic landscapes enhance every wildlife encounter.
Unique Safari Experiences at marataba game lodges
Big Five Game Drives
Guided Bush Walks
Miss Mara Water Safari
Night Drives
Rhino Conservation
The Reserve
Marataba operates within the malaria-free Marakele National Park, where the dramatic Waterberg mountains create a unique ecosystem attracting extraordinary wildlife diversity. As part of a UNESCO-recognised biosphere protecting 23,000 hectares, this transition zone between mountain and savanna supports both grassland and bushveld species. The elevated location provides sweeping views while ensuring comfortable year-round game viewing without malaria concerns.
The Wildlife
Big Five encounters where mountain ecosystems create unexpected diversity
- Big 5
- Rare species
- birdlife
Game Drives and Bush Walks
Marataba's landscape - mountains rising beyond plains, rivers threading through valleys - creates safari experiences unlike anywhere else. Game drives reveal diverse wildlife across varied terrain, from open grasslands to rocky outcrops where leopards hunt. Bush walks sharpen your senses, bringing you close to tracks, scents, and smaller ecosystems that vehicles miss. Miss Mara water safaris offer a completely different perspective, floating quietly past hippos and waterbirds whilst your guide interprets river life.
Exclusive Experience
Marataba's private management agreement within Marakele National Park provides exclusive access unavailable to day visitors. Fewer vehicles, longer sightings, freedom to follow animal movements across varied terrain. The Waterberg provides dramatic backdrops to wildlife encounters - watching herds move across plains with ancient peaks beyond, or observing how different species utilise the transition between mountain and savanna ecosystems. It's about quality over crowds, patience over racing between sightings.
Safari Surprises
Morning drives pause for coffee with sneaky Amarula tots and rusks. Your field guide knows the perfect sundowner spots - gin cocktails and local bites as the setting sun turns the Waterberg golden. These aren't interruptions to the safari; they're moments when you stop chasing sightings and simply absorb where you are and what you're experiencing.
Tim, our guide, went above and beyond, making our six-night stay not only special but deeply memorable. His passion for the bush and ability to share interesting insights turned every drive into an adventure.
The reserve is full of animals and we saw the Big 5 countless times, as well as many other species over the course of our 4 nights.
MORE Field Guides
Our FGASA-accredited field guide and expert tracker are a close-knit team who make the safari what it is. Trackers are often locals who have honed their incredible skill at ‘reading the bush’ since childhood and can identify signs of life from the smallest disruption, such as a bent branch. Our field guide and tracker work together to locate the animal sighting, getting you closer and interpreting the animal’s behaviour. Your field guide's extensive knowledge will enlighten and enrich your understanding of the wilderness.
Tracking skills
Wildlife storytellers
FGASA-accredited
