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Elad,

Ken - efshar la'asot et zeh bli ba'iyah
Shalom, BunduBoi

Translation:
Yes - it would be possible to do this without a problem
Cheers, BB

Hi,

We are looking to visit marakele in Feb, our daughter would be 2 1/2 and I am wondering if it is safe for young children. Has anyone been before with young children. Is there a swimming pool and can children come on game walks and drives?

Thanks

Hi ruthwillemse,

There is a bit of info of travelling to the park with kids here.

I think children have to 12/14 (or was it 16/) for gamedrives/walks.

I visited Marakele Nat Park with a group of birders on 27/9/2006. As real birders, we started at 6:00 am and went to Marakele for hopefully good birding. Arriving at the gate the security officer told us that the gate will only open at 07:30. Now we had to stand around for an hour which we could spend birding.

I can't understand why someone has to wait till the office open before entry is permitted. Why can't the sec officer not let you in with a permit and you have to return to same gate, so then you can pay before leaving. There is no way of leaving the park than through the main gate.

Perhaps someone in Sanparks or the Park Manager can explain to us the reason for it. [/b]

rules are made, to kept nin the rules sorry, i have no better words. But we all have rto stay at the rules and this belongs to birders!

This is the normal time the gate opens....

You can find that here.

Hi Toddelelfe & DuQues

Thanks for your answers and now I know the gate times. That didn't solve the problem. I am coming sometime with Sanparks and for example, in summer you can enter Karoo Nat Park from sunrise. You get a permit at the gate and you have to handed it in as you want to leave. Why would the Transvalers sleep until 07:30. That's rediculous! Come on, the early bird catches the worm!!

You could also sleep over in the park, in Tlopi Tented Camp or Bontle Camping Site. Then you are allowed out a lot earlier (I think). Kruger opens it's camp gates an hour before the entry gates open...

Hello ruthwillemse,

I have forwarded your question to Charles Trennery, Marakele's People & Conservation Officer. He says:

,,Parents with very young children visit Marakele regularly. Parents have to just supervise their children well and not allow them to go walking alone anywhere. There is currently no swimming pool at Marakele. Unfortunately no children under the age of 6 may go on guided game drives and no children under the age of 12 may go on guided walks.''

Hope this helps!

JoelR

Hello Ruthwillemse
I am French, and I visited Marakele 3 years ago (July 2003) with my family. My kids were at that time between 2 and a half and 9. Marakele has actually two parts : one includind a large campsite (Bontle) and every kind of facilities , just next to the entrance. The second, where we spent two nights, is a bit further. Our accomodation was in lovely huts , I didn't read about on SANP Website (they only talk about Tlopi). Those huts were in same part of the park than Tlopi. The kids could walk inside the place, under the parents supervision. Therefore, I think there is no problem to visit Marakele with a very young kids, especially in Bontle campsite but even in the larger park.

Nicolas

Hi All

Can anyone give me some info or pics on the Bontle campsite at Marakele? Is it shady stands, grassed? Planning a trip for December and can only seem to find lots of pics and detailed info regarding Tlopi camp.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Hi Natura,

I found info about Bontle is this thread: Camping @ Marakele

No pictures in the thread, but people do mention the sites are grassed.

Perhaps someone has been there lately and could provide us with some photos?

Here are some pictures (taken 2004)

http://www.andreas-cierpka.de/reisen/fo ... 005_1.html

start at bild_0201 till bild_0216

thanks guys!

I read on some site - in my desperate search forgot the URL - that if you're gonna make the trip there, you must rather pay the extra money and stay in the Tlopi camp.

We feel a bit adventurous though, so we'll try it and let everyone know. Fill the info gap on Bontle.

Thanks Natura.
We would love to see more photos and get more first hand info.