SANParks.org Forums

I wish I can say the same, I was their for a week and did not see much at all,

Hi all

We also have returned from marakele 27 feb 2011 and it was an absolute pleasure to go up the mountain and see birds i had never seen before Gurneys sugar bird, Buff streaked chat, Familiar chat, mocking chat as well as Cape rock thrush. The view from the top was breath taking and well worth the drive.

Cannot wait for the next trip ...................mmmmmm .....................soon

Hi Sandeep thank you for taking time to share on this GREAT majestic park and yes we do consider ourselves blessed please do not apologise for carrying on and still more please, your pics are great.

Hi Sandeep,

Thanks for a very interesting TR on Marekele. Great pics of the elie charging, rhinos and lovely birds pics as well. Your photo of the Kingfischer is quite a unique angle.



We've visited the park in 2007 and also found that the 4x4 roads was a bit tough to drive. I've done a 4x4 route at Ithala and the routes near Phalarborwa gate, but the roads in Marekele is not sissy 4x4 routes, but real ones. OK not 5 grade, but I am sure around 3 - 4 at some places.
Somehow we did not visit the park again , but I will surely going to make a booking during this year. We are between KNP and Marekele and always voted KNP (more due to Pretoria traffic at 4 pm on a Friday) It took us 2,5 hours to get through to Zambezi from Bronkhorstspruit

Thanks Son. It is one of my favourite pics of the striped kingfisher - sometimes you just get lucky with the light . I was driving a Nissan X Trail and you know it is not a "real off road" vehicle. I did get stuck on a route that was unmarked but it had no 'no entry' sign either. A proper and well marked out map would really help avoid potential mishaps, though personally I can think of worse things in life than to get stuck in the middle of wilderness .
Mellory thanks. I got the max info about Marakele from this forum and was determined to put in whatever info I thought could be useful for anyone else visiting - this forum deserves all credit
Etienne did you have any luck with the raptors?? This was my big disappointment - 0nly seeing steppe buzzards. Looks like the Gurney's Sugarbird is a permanent resident at the top .
Jesica guess it is the luck of the draw. However at the risk of pushing unasked for advise, I would suggest taking at least one game drive with the ranger - you will traverse on some roads and sections of the park which you will not be able to do otherwise.
I am a bit surprised that no one mentioned the elands. Have you all seen them regularly??

Hi Sandeep you are about right with the only raptor being spotted is the Steppe buzzard and thats about it. I am still taken a back by the beautiful scenery and views one gets when driving through the park. OH AND OF COURSE the camping site at Bontle is terrific ...........only camp to rival it is tsendze in kruger and then it is by a slight margin.

love Marakele

Went to Marakele at the end of December. We did not see any Steppe Buzzards but did see African Harrier-Hawk & Cape Vultures. We stayed at Bontle and could hear African Scops-Owl, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl & Pearl-spotted Owlet calling at night.
Yes, the Gurney's are resident at the top of the 'mountains'. They prefer the vegetation (especially the Protea caffra) found at the higher altitudes.

Hi Sandeep,

Thanx very much for the beautiful pictures and TR. You were very lucky with all yur sightings. And to think you guys even saw an aardwolf! Would have loved a picture of that.

However, I do not share your sentiments on the Lenong drive.. you must have taken another road...

Next time I try that road again I will make sure that I have a few prescription pills to calm me down or a good consumption of an alcoholic beverage. I need to find out what will be strong enough ,though....

Etienne couldn't agree more on the views
Johann thanks for the info. I thought I did spot a Verreaux's Eagle flying close to one of the mountains, but I was too far away to confidentaly identify it.
Eagle Owl - didn't see a aardwolf, but did see a brown hyena. The Lenong drive wasn't really that bad. We even passed a few cars going up while we were on our way down and it was fine. The alcohol beverage sounds like an idea as long as you are not doing the driving - but then again you might feel like flying like the cape vultures on top, and that may not be such a good thing....

Nice sugarbird, I don't remember to have seen pics of one on the forums

Try Gurney's Sugarbird on the birding pages.

Oops... I actually meant brown hyena.

Thank you Johann, must go there more often

Wonderful pictures and sightings

Thanks so much for sharing them with us, sandeep

Eage Owl must add that seeing an aardwolf wouldn't have been so bad . I also saw my 1st black rhino in a Sanparks National Park, so not bad for the "rarer sightings".
Thanks Micetta, Johann and Pumbaa