Marataba Residence
Marataba Founders’ Camp is part of Marataba Conservation Camps, located in the privately managed Marataba section of the Marakele National Park in the malaria-free northwest of South Africa. Marataba extends to 52,000 acres of prime wildlife habitat with a backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery. Children of all ages are welcome.
Accommodation & Facilities
With a beautiful position beside the Matlabas River, Founders’ Camp has four luxurious air-conditioned tented suites with glass windows. The suites have plenty of space for two extra beds for children under 15, and the camp has a maximum capacity of eight adults and two children.. The suites have en-suite bathrooms with inside and outside showers and a bath. Outside, each suite has a large deck overlooking the river, partly shaded by the mature trees under which the camp is positioned. The main lodge is a stone and thatch structure which has an interactive open kitchen, inside and outside eating areas, a lounge and a bar. There is a pool on the deck outside with steps in for access and a long martini seat, providing a shallow area for children to splash in.
Eating & Sleeping
The camp chefs are happy to cater for children with meals such as pasta dishes, burgers, steak and chicken at times to suit. Specific dietary requirements can be accommodated with prior notice. Babysitting is not available so parents need to be responsible for their children at all times.
Wildlife & Activities
While Marataba has excellent wildlife including lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino, the focus of any guests’ stay is assisting with and learning about conservation. The specialised activities on offer include assisting the rangers with rhino ear notching, elephant monitoring, predator tracking, patrolling the reserve to check for snares and look for broken fencing, analysing images captured by camera traps, and wildlife interventions such as relocations. In addition to this, guests can visit the local communities who grow produce for the camps, and enjoy day and night safari drives with a private guide and vehicle, long or short walking safaris and boat cruises.
Specifically for children …
Each itinerary is tailor made and based on the interests and ages of the guests. Most of the activities outlined above can be adapted for children to take part in. Additional child friendly activities include:
• Wild swimming in rivers (water level dependent).
• Shorter nature walks (‘Wild Walking’ with big game is available for children aged 15 years and older).
• Track identifications.
• Education on anti-poaching activities.
Child sized life jackets are available for water based activities.
