Marataba Safari Lodge

Marataba Safari Lodge in the Waterberg Mountains is off the typical safari goers path. It was chosen (besides the animals) for the beautiful mountain views (think Sedona or Zion), the permanent tents, and access to water. The white rhino have their horns (no poaching). It’s a malaria-free area. At the lodge, impala, warthogs, and vervet monkeys roam on the grass. And the watering hole provides for lots of animal action while enjoying breakfast lunch or dinner.

We stayed at Marataba from the 3rd to 5th August 2024, the staff was very friendly , welcoming and going an extra mile , the lodge serve delicious meals , the rooms were always clean and fresh.. And lastly big up to Tim to the best game drives

We were returning guests having visited in 2023 and were wary as to it meeting our expectations but we needn’t have been because it went above and beyond. We were welcomed back by the Marataba staff with open arms with many that we remembered from our previous visit and new members . It’s clear to see that the staff are happy and enjoy being at Marataba Our lodge was amazing with all needs covered from a drinks cabinet to a heater for the chilly nights The stand out member of the staff would have to be our Field guide Nienke who looked after our every need. She asked us what we wanted to get out of the stay. For us it wasn’t about seeing the Big 5 it was about being amongst the animals and the environment especially the waterberg mountains. There’s nothing better than having a coffee break taking in the Mountain View. Yes there were lots of amazing animals to see but for us it’s the whole experience of being amongst the family of Marataba This is an outstanding place to visit the environment , the venue and above all else the staff will meet your every expectation. The visible passion and compassion for the animals and the environment is nothing less than extraordinary. You will come away completely fulfilled and a tear in your eye just as we did

Fantastic place really stands out for the ambiance; we were so well looked after. Thanks to Douglas our butler and Manus our guide, who were both very professional and personable as well as great at their jobs. We went to 3 safari lodges and Marataba also stands out for its respect for the animals and its premium wine list. We had heard we would see fewer animals, but we saw the big five on the first two drives. It may be true that some of the animals, like the leopards, are more elusive and less habituated to the Land Cruisers, and it was nice to be an environment where there were fewer people. The lions on the other hand approached us and walked alongside the vehicle at times, and we had several long encounters with the same pride and could see different kinds of behaviours, such as a female reuniting with the pride after a separation, really special, as we weren’t limited to just a few minutes. We also had an elephant approach so closely it could have touched have touched me in the truck with its trunk. It was obvious that Manus was able to read the elephant’s behaviour and knew that it was safe. Very highly recommend!

We absolutely loved Marataba. Incredible location, very good food, impeccable service and excellent safari. Nienke was our guide and we had a very good time with her. Saw most of the animals and learnt many new info. Probably our best safari so far. Those mountains in the back of the game reserve make it incredibly beautiful. Highly recommended.

My wife and I spent 3 nights here. We had high expectations since the lodge is steeply priced. This brings me to the next point- Tourist trap!! Local don’t stay here often- perhaps of the price or they know better. The game drives are good. Marnus is a great ranger and has plenty knowledge. The morning drives should start 5:30 am and be back at 8:30 NOT 10am like most mornings when the sun is punishing you. The positives were staff is amazing! Thabang and Tumi are super heroes! Their service were great and cannot fault them! Rooms were comfortable- no views however. Nice beds! No pillow choice. This must be implemented!Coffee in rooms are shocking for a lodge of this standard/ surely Nespresso machines are now a days the new standard. Instant coffee is a slap in my face. Amenities are average - nothing special! The pool was never really available due to maintenance- there isn’t a lot to do besides game drives- The spa is operated by 1 person only so no couples messages are possible. The bar at the lodge is really only a coffee station with few bottles of alcohol. The worst was the food and possible the reason why we went. Breakfast was good but that is where it ended. Lunch menu was a disaster- pulled pork bagels? Really- no pork on the bagel. Salads are disappointing.. !! Why attempt French dinning in the bush?? Dinner was a no gone all the nights. Never had a nice beef fillet or beefy meal. No African cuisine like melktert, koeksisters, paptert. The chef should be fired. The venison was tough Most times. Unfortunately the boma night that rain out but all the food was cold . This was served inside the dining area but sides and meat was cold- No plan B was in place. Quality of meat again bad- wors, lamb chop, list goes on.. A lodge of this standard should up their game by 50%. I normally try to see the best in any place but unfortunately this is a bridge too for Marataba Safari. It has potential but start in the kitchen and bar first.

The most friendly and professional base for big game drives in a beautiful setting in wooded savannah with the Waterberg mountains as backdrop. Food and accomodation excellent, staff friendly and helpful and the bush rangers superb. Impala on the lodge lawn and elephants just down the track!

This was our first safari experience so my views are absolute and not relative. It was absolutely fantastic. Marataba firstly is very convenient to get it from Jo’burg. Easy drive on well maintained roads. The reserve is private, part of the Marakele National Park. On arrival we were massively impressed by how well the lodge blended into the environment whilst also being totally luxurious. The tents are basically luxury hotel rooms with a canvas roof- in theory this is a great blend though it was windy when we were there and I’d advise earplugs if you are a light sleeper as gets very flappy. But getting to the important bit. We had plenty of great interactions on our drives with elephants, rhinos (white and black), giraffe, water buffalo, wildebeasts and much more. Mbongeni our ranger/guide was charming and informative. He made every effort to make each drive fruitful and distinct and the ranger team were super-co-ordinated to ensure everyone got to see any animals that were found. In terms of big cats- we saw lions three of our four days- all up close, no cheetah and leopard and I would guess if that’s your priority there are better. The lodge staff were very professional and eager to help. A massive plus is the food- though the amount of it became slightly terrifying as I lurched from one snack, to high tea, to sundowners to dinner etc. I suspect this level of consumption was designed for people who were very active between meals but it was all too good to turn down. Highlight was the cakes but that’s a little like picking a favourite child- feels wrong and I loved it all. An observation as a now blooded safari goer - and one agreed by my 16 year old daughter and her friend- is that they would not have got as much out of it when younger and there is a lot of slow time looking for animals etc. great if you are looking to relax and enjoy view but younger folks may struggle unless they have developed a passion for nature and are chilled. Marataba has a kids club but that feels- whilst totally getting why and sure it’s awesome- to somewhat miss the point.

Having been to Matataba Mountain lodge the last two Decembers with family and having loved it, when faced with CT or the Bush at short notice for Christmas for just two of us, one quick call to Natalie at More secured us a three night stay at Marataba Safari Lodge. We were keen to try something different but still experience the absolute beauty of the Marataba property, its mountains, its staff and its abundant wildlife. Safari lodge is magic, the rooms as good as you can get, every member of team were superb, their efforts over Christmas were wonderful. We are More collection fans across their portfolio and we left Safari Lodge even "more" so : )