Marataba conservation area

Marataba, a 21,000-hectare (52,000-acre), privately managed section of the Marakele National Park, is uniquely situated where lush bushveld gives way to the Kalahari sands, in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. A contractual National Park, Marataba is one of South Africa’s most innovative conservation models. From the vision of an iconic president to the unique public-private partnership that exists today, we protect the area’s diverse flora and fauna through modern and hands-on conservation practices.

The Rhino Conservation Experience

Marataba offers fully interactive rhino safaris for guests to get involved over three days in elective procedures like rhino notching, collaring and/or DNA collecting. This experience is only available from 1 February to 31 October.

Notching is an ongoing intervention at Marataba and the long-term objective is to identify every single rhino in the Reserve. This will ensure that annually they are only required to notch the younger animals that are dispersing from their mothers.

Animals are individually located and immobilised (a tranquilising dart is shot by a professional veterinary team) from a helicopter. Once immobilised, the animal is moved into a comfortable position. Then, notches are incised into the ears, under anaesthetic, and microchips are inserted into the horns and the body.

The tissue removed from excising the notches is collected and the DNA, now correlated to the microchips, is submitted to the RHoDIS database (Rhinoceros DNA indexing system). RHoDIS is a national DNA database maintained by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of Pretoria and is kept to provide forensic evidence related to the provenance of confiscated rhinoceros horns.

Get actively involved

You will not be a passive visitor during this! No, you will be part of the team and help hands-on with any work that needs doing. The Vet will direct you what to do. Your itinerary will generally look like this:

Day 1: After a briefing with the conservation team, embark on an afternoon drive to identify a specific rhino and learn about the social interaction and make up of rhino groups.

Day 2: Darting, notching & monitoring of the rhino. A follow up and post-notching monitoring will take place in the afternoon.

Day 3: Alternative day for notching, or to enjoy a selection of other conservation experiences.

Day 4: Departure.

Other Conservation Experiences

Marataba is one of South Africa’s biodiversity hotspots. The area is not only rich in its diversity of wildlife and flora, the magnificent landscapes provide an unforgettable and everchanging backdrop to all activities. Enjoy game drives by safari vehicle or boat and mix and match them with more interactive experiences for a full immersion into the Marataba way of life.

Every booking is allocated a private conservation guide and vehicle to allow for maximum flexibility. Experiences on day 3 can be chosen on a ‘mix and match’ basis for a fully tailor-made stay. Besides the normal safari activities like game drives and game walks, you can choose to participate in camera trap setup and analysis, game census logging and compiling of ID kits. Or a telemetry tracking walk of cheetahs, community outreach programs and further opportunities. Get involved in specialised experiences with the conservation team and get an unique look behind the scenes of a game reserve.

The Conservation Camps

Founders Camp and Explorers Camp are about enriching experiences in balance with nature and immersing yourself in the solitude of the vast, wild landscapes…

Founders Camp is a lodged camp and has 4 suites for up to 8 adults & 2 children and you book the whole camp. The base rate is for 4 adults (except during Rhino Conservation Week). You get your own vehicle and guide. Children of all ages are welcome.

Explorers Camp is a tented camp and has 5 tents & 1 family tent for up to 12 adults & 6 children. This is set up for a maximum of two groups of 6 adults plus children. The base rate is for 4 adults (except during Rhino Conservation Week). Each group gets its own vehicle and guide. Children of all ages are welcome.

A night on the wild side

Want to disconnect from the modern world completely and reconnect with nature? Change one night for a night in the Star Camp Out. The Star Camp Out experience is focused on stargazing and wild walking. There are beautiful mountains and gorges to explore around camp.

Four spacious tents are equipped with 2 stretchers and luxury bedding. The bucket-showered bathroom is at the back of the tent but is not accessible from inside. At the main camp area, there is a large stretch tent covering a comfortable chill out zone, as well as a small bar and an outdoor firepit. There are plenty of places to relax and put your feet up at the end of the day – and plenty of ice for a G&T!

Light is provided by paraffin lantern. There is no electricity and no mobile phone reception. The entire camp is extremely light impact, leaving no footprint behind on the landscape.

Food at the Star Camp Out is wholesome and hearty – and there is lots of it! Everything is cooked over the campfire, so expect honest South African flavours with a good dose of fun.

You can do this tour with your own transport, or we can arrange transfers for you. Choose between a road or fly-in transfer. The airstrip is ca. 45 minutes from the camps.

The beauty of the bay

Upon arrival at Tintswalo Atlantic you check into your room. Each room is a beautiful, individual design around the soul of some of the worlds’ most famous islands.  If you want, we can arrange for a transfer from the airport or town to Tintswalo Atlantic. 

Perched above a pebbled beach at the foot of Chapman’s Peak, and overlooking the Cape’s iconic Sentinel mountain, Tintswalo Atlantic sits sheltered by the Table Mountain National Park. As the only hotel permitted to operate within the boundaries of the word-renowned Heritage site, the lodge enjoys the very best of magnificent, panoramic ocean views, as well as access to the natural beauty found along the mountainside’s winding hiking trails.

Tintswalo is built in such a way that the impact on the environment is minimized. The whole lodge is built on stilts above the original rocks of the Hout Bay beach, so that if ever it is broken down, the original beach still exists. The use of water, energy and how the whole lodge is run is also done in a sustainable way. 

Along the water: a table at Chef’s Warehouse

Your first Marine Experience is dinner at the edge of the Ocean. The restaurant is situated on a deck along the shore of the Hout Bay, with awesome sunsets and views over the bay to the village. 

Here you are guaranteed a table in a favourite foodies’ delight: Chef’s Warehouse. Chef’s Warehouse is about experiencing food like you’ve never experienced it before. In short, it’s about the sheer pleasure of taste. By pairing flavors in unexpected and exciting ways, an infinite number of fresh taste sensations is created for you to enjoy. 

Waiting lists for a table can be weeks, if not months in advance. However, when you book this exclusive City Break with us, you will have a table reserved for you in Chef’s Warehouse in Tintswalo Atlantic. Or you can even order meals from Chef’s Warehouse as room service. 

Riding a side car over stunning Chapman’s Peak?

After a leisurely breakfast you go to your next destination: a wonderful hotel on top of Boulders Beach, the famous beach where the penguins nest. 

The journey takes you along Chapman’s Peak, voted one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives. A whopping 114 curves take you along steep cliffs and along cut-outs in the rocks, with plenty of viewpoints to take in the stunning views over the ocean. If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot whales coming close to the shore.

You can do this drive with your own car or we can arrange a transfer for you. One of the most fun ways to do this transfer is by side car. This will pick you up at your hotel and take you on a scenic ride over Chapman’s Peak and past some other sights before you reach your hotel in Simonstown. Helmets and coats are provided, you only need to bring good cheer! 

A true gem on False Bay

Tintswalo at Boulders Manor is located in Cape Town’s charming suburbs of Simonstown. Surrounded by fynbos and with unobstructed views over False Bay and across Boulders Beach and its internationally famous colony of endangered African penguins, it’s truly a gem.

Upon arrival you are served a light lunch.  These days are filled with your other Marine Experiences inspired by ‘My Octopus Teacher’. First you go over the water by kayak, later you go under water to snorkel in the kelp forests where ‘My Octopus Teacher’ was shot. The last Experience takes place on the edge of land and water when visiting the penguins.

When and at what time these experiences take place will depend on how the weather and the tides are. Upon arrival, you will be informed on what day and at what time each activity will take place.  

On the water: Sea Kayaking with penguins

Usually, your first experience is today in the afternoon. You will visit the penguins in a unique way: by kayak. This guided tour is with very stable double kayaks. Paddle the waters of False Bay along the shore to the penguins at Boulders Beach. No experience is required and reasonably fit, able-bodied people can do it. You start in the harbour and will paddle out past the civilian and Naval Harbours, where you get a bonus close up view of the naval vessels and then to the penguins. On the way you often encounter a number of seals.  

You will be given a thorough safety briefing before heading out into the beautiful False Bay to view our endangered African Penguins swimming out to their fishing grounds. Shark Warrior Adventure Centre is a responsible Tourism initiative and funds generated through their guided sea kayak, stand up paddling, snorkeling and penguin walks are used to fund conservation projects.

Under water Marine Experiences inspired by ‘My Octopus Teacher’

The next Marine Experience is snorkelling in the kelp forests of False Bay. You too can adventure into the ocean where Craig Foster spent thousands of hours filming his personal encounters with an octopus. Entering this mysterious underwater world is an exhilarating experience that will leave you in sheer awe of our beautifully tranquil marine ecosystem. Snorkel in unexplored areas where fish dance in the flow of the currents in painted reefs, and swaying kelp and marine life all move at a snail’s pace. After your return you can enjoy an extensive Brunch. 

Where land and water meet

The last of the Marine Experiences inspired by ‘My Octopus Teacher’ takes place where land and water meet. You can plan this whenever you want. Walk along the beach between the penguins that have made this place home. Boulders and it’s surrounding beaches form part of the Table Mountain Marina protected area, thus ensuring the beaches are safe and clean and the penguins are protected. Summer is prime time to visit Boulders and that is when you see the most Penguin action. However, you can see Penguins throughout the year. Between September and October, they spend much time feeding out at sea so there are fewer Penguins on the beach. The birds are most active early in the morning or late afternoon. Incredible conservation eff orts have grown the colony to over 2,200 birds in recent years.

Quaint wonderful Simonstown

All Marine Experiences take about 2 hours long, so there is plenty of time left to explore the quaint and colourful centre of Simonstown. This is within walking distance. Learn about Just Nuisance, the only dog ever to have a rank in the South African Navy. As the story goes, he always accompanied the sailors to town and took care that however drunk they were, they boarded the train back safely. However, the railways did not allow stray dogs on the trains and threatened to ban him. The solution? Make him an official sailor, who were allowed to ride the trains for free. 

Other places to take in are the Naval Museum and looking out over the Naval Base. For the grown-up kids-at-heart, the Toy Museum is a must.

You can do this tour with your own transport, or we can arrange transfers for you. Choose regular or bespoke luxury transfers, or go for adventure and go by side car.