Situated in the heart of the Waterburg and about 2.5 hours from Johannesburg, Marakele National Park is probably one park I will carry on visiting. Not that it has a lot of wildlife, but rather that the wildlife comes to you when camping at Bontle Camp Site.
A word of warning though, as with Mapungubwe National Park, a high rise vehicle is advisable if you intend to visit the park’s northern side.
Bontle Camping Site is situated next to a small dam making it an ideal spot to setup camp and relax. There are no fences to talk about here, the pillars are there but the fence is long gone. A good thing really because you feel more connected. The ablution blocks are well maintained and clean, as with Mapungubwe National Park, the park’s shop has very little to offer, luckily it’s a short 15 minutes ride to Thabazimbi, a mining town where you can find anything you will need.
Left side of view from my tent at Bontle camping site in Marakele 
Right side of view from my tent at Bontle camping site in Marakele
Once you have set up camp on the dam side, if you can find a spot, sit down relax and let the wildlife come to you, let it sink in, enjoy the sounds and smell and who knows the local rhinoceros and ostriches may just come and visit, not to mention the usual bucks and antelopes… It is also worthy to note that Marakele National Park has a vast bird life.
Click to enlarge photographs.
Related posts:
- Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site
- Day 4: Witsand Nature Reserve – Augrabies Fall National Park (338km)
- Day 5: Augrabies Falls National Park – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park [Twee Riveren Restcamp] (381km)
- Bush Trip 2009 – Itinerary
- Day 1: Johannesburg – Kimberley (472km)
Tags: National Park, Reviews, Traveling
