Marataba Camps
MARATABA CONTRACTUAL NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA
An innovative tourism-conservation model.
Including private vehicles with each booking offers a personalized experience that goes beyond the norm. Choose from a wide variety of safari activities, from walking to boating, from game drives to learning about conservation; you are in the driver’s seat of your own experience.
DID YOU KNOW?
Due to our modern lifestyle, researchers estimate that humans spend up to 90% of their lives indoors. This disconnection from nature has severe negative impacts. Quite simply, when we are less connected to nature we feel less responsibility to protect it.
PURPOSEFUL SAFARIS FOR CONSCIOUS TRAVELLERS
Marataba, a 52,000-acre privately-managed section of the Marakele National Park, is uniquely situated where lush bushveld gives way to the Kalahari sands. The Park has an impressive backdrop of the Waterberg Massif, considered one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
Staying at Marataba Camps is all about ultimate flexibility and adventure with a generous dose of fun – and plenty of relaxation too. Each booking has a dedicated guide, and is designed around your interests. Enjoy day and night game drives, walking safaris, river cruises, and learn about conservation, all at your own pace – or simply enjoy some down time amid these beautiful landscapes.
Marataba is privately-owned by a group of Dutch philanthropists who are committed to the optimisation of biodiversity conservation and have a dedicated shared vision – the proliferation of nature. The Park, together with Founders and Explorers, are managed by dedicated conservationists who have opted for a high-value guest-participation tourism model with low-impact on the environment.
FAST FACTS
RATES
Founders:
R 9 075 – R 14 650
per person per night
(min 4 adults per booking)
Explorers:
R 5 895 – R10 505
per person per night
(min 4 adults per booking)
ACCESS
Fly:
Charter flights from Lanseria International Airport.
Drive:
3 – 3.5 hrs from Lanseria or Johannesburg International Airport
CHILDREN
Founders:
8+ years
Explorers:
8+ years
It is never too early for kids to become the conservation ambassadors of the future. Marataba welcomes children from 8 years and older. Large array of activities allowing children to dive deeper into safari and conservation.
What we love
NATURE CONNECTEDNESS
In order to protect the environment, you need to connect with it first.
ACTIVE CONSERVATION
Every guest becomes an active participant through learning and engaging with on the ground conservation practices.
PRIVATE VEHICLE
Every booking has a private vehicle and guide allowing for complete freedom to build each day around your interests.
Choices, choices, choices
From daily game drives, nights drives and active conservation interaction to mountain exploring, game drives, sunrise and sunset boating and river swims…it’s your safari to fit around your interests.
Marataba Camps
The impact of your stay
Marataba is a public-private collaboration (between South African National Parks, the country’s highest conservation authority, and the private shareholders of Marataba) that aspires to be a leading African conservation initiative by sustainably managing ecosystems and keystone species for generations to come. They are committed to driving a financial model which supports the long-term conservation of the park while maximising sustainable socioeconomic opportunities for surrounding communities.
Marataba is a Contractual National Park and their land and wildlife responsibility involves active conservation management in conjunction with SANParks. As a result, they are able to offer a participative experience for limited guests.
Everything at Marataba is underpinned by their guiding compass and three founding pillars: Conservation | Communities | Commerce.
Every stay contributes through:
- Making the conscious choice to stay and participate in a safari experience which is underpinned by conservation. Just by being here, guests are making a valuable difference and contributing to the Commerce pillar.
- Paying R 1 500 per person (kids 15 and younger pay R 750) per day Conservation & Community Levy. Every cent of this is allocated to the 2 pillars of Conservation & Communities.
- Spending time with the conservation team to gain an understanding of the business of conservation and what it costs to maintain our wild spaces.
- Taking part in identifying, monitoring, tracking and collecting data on mega fauna such a rhinos and elephants, as well as predators like the cheetah.
- Participating in walks to areas in the reserve that are not possible to reach in a vehicle, to view the magnificent scenery, and review wildlife movements.
- Getting involved (if you are fortunate enough to be there at the same time) with the vets and conservation team as they manage large scale immobilisations.
- Pre-booking (to guarantee a participation experience) a rhino conservation focussed safari. Marataba has a population of white and black rhino of global significance, and supports the repopulation and range expansion of rhino by preparing the animals for relocation to conservation areas across the continent.
- Getting involved in habitat rehabilitation through wire-barking special trees to prevent damage caused by elephants.
- Help set up a camera trap and take a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in the Park during the day and night.
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Marataba Camps
CAMPS
Overlooking the Waterberg Mountains or Matlabas River
MARATABA CONTRACTUAL NATIONAL PARK
Founders
Booked as an exclusive camp, Founders is located on the banks of the Matlabas River, offering panoramic views over the landscape and iconic mountains ahead. The light, bright interiors are a sophisticated fusion of traditional and contemporary.
The four individual suites are all located on the river’s edge and beckon for afternoons watching wildlife amble along the bank. The main living areas have terraced decks hanging over the river, ideal for alfresco dinners, a swimming pool, and a fire pit for sundowner G&Ts. Booked exclusively, the safari timetable is 100% up to you, whether that’s rising with the sun and getting involved in the happenings on the reserve, or simply taking it easy with a good book and that magnificent view.
SEASONALITY: Open all year
CHILDREN: 8+ years
Founders
EXCLUSIVE USE
4 Suites
MARATABA CONTRACTUAL NATIONAL PARK
Explorers
Booked on a semi-exclusive basis (max 2 bookings in camp at one time), Explorers is easy-going, adventurous and fun. At this camp, it is all about embracing the laid-back, outdoors lifestyle of Marataba. Spend your days immersed in stimulating safari and conservation activities, and hike and adventure through the gorges and mountains. Then, return to camp, kick off your shoes, and come nose to trunk with the elephants as they gather at the waterhole in front of the deck (and yes, this is a very popular watering spot for them on an almost daily basis).
The 5 tents and 1 dedicated family tent are set in shady, fenced grounds, complete with a swimming pool. An ideal base for young families looking for a conservation-led experience, this is living in the wild at its best.
Book one side of the camp with 3 tents (minimum rate pay for 4 guests); each group has a dedicated conservation guide and private vehicles.
SEASONALITY: Open all year
CHILDREN: 8+ years
Explorers
SEMI-EXCLUSIVE USE
5 TENTS & 1 FAMILY TENT
marataba contractual national park
Wild Walk & Sleepout
Marataba Wild Walk & Sleepout is the ultimate antidote for disconnecting – and reconnecting with the wild. Set up on demand, Sleepout is available for a night’s stay combined with a guided day walking experience, booked in conjunction with a 3 night stay at Founders or Explorers. The camp is exclusive-use for a maximum of 8 guests, ensuring maximum flexibility and allowing the team to craft a stay suited to each guest’s individual needs. With a focus on exploring the beautiful landscapes of a remote section of the park, Sleepout offers both walking and driving and is designed to get guests out of their comfort zone and indulge in the raw power of the natural world.
Each tent has two stretcher beds, a separate bathroom at the back (not accessible from inside) with a bucket shower and bio-loo. There is no electricity in camp and no mobile phone reception, but devices may be charged from the vehicle. Meals are simple but delicious and cooked over the camp fire.
This is the ultimate, back to basics luxury!
SEASONALITY: 1 May – 31 Oct annually
CHILDREN: 16+ years
Wild Walk & Sleepout
Exclusive use
4 Tents
Marataba Camps
FEATURED OFFER
Rhino Conservation Week
A dedicated and intensive rhino conservation week during which all Marataba Camps’ guests take part in rhino monitoring, DNA collection, and notching. Two fixed arrival, 3-night stays are available and for this week only, rates are available on a per person sharing basis.
CHILDREN: 16+ years
Valid: 13 – 19 July 2023
Marataba Camps
FEATURED JOURNEY
Exclusive Adventures
Perfectly designed for families and groups, journey through South Africa and Namibia, staying in our exclusive-use properties and experiencing the destinations in pure privacy.
Marataba Camps
LOCATION
Getting there
FLY
Daily 1-hour charter flights to/from Lanseria Airport (Johannesburg) with Absolute Aviation.
DRIVE
An easy drive on good road. From OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, it is a 3.5 hour drive. From Lanseria, it takes 3 hours.
