Marakele National Park

Marakele National Park is situated in Limpopo Province, about three to four hours' drive from Pretoria, within the UNESCO-designated Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. Meaning "place of sanctuary" in Tswana, the park lives up to its name. Set amid the Waterberg Mountains, it occupies a transitional zone where South Africa's drier western interior meets the wetter eastern regions. Rugged mountains, rolling grasslands, deep valleys and indigenous forests provide habitat for elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and a rich variety of birdlife. The park also protects one of the world's largest breeding colonies of endangered Cape vultures. A winding tar road climbs to the top of the Waterberg massif, where a vulture viewpoint offers close-up sightings of these impressive birds alongside sweeping views across the surrounding landscape.