Marataba’s elusive location in a hidden section of Marakele National Park makes it one of the most wanted safari destinations in Africa. Go totally off track to find nirvana in Mountain Lodge and Thabametsi Treehouse.

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We have ringside seats, a fleet of Marataba safari vehicles lined up against the towering backdrop of the 500 metre high Waterberg. Half a dozen guides volunteer to offload two metal crates from a white pickup. When the humans are safely back in the vehicles, the felines’ release is imminent, the tension tangible. Growls and moans from the crates intensify. Some unhappy cats in there!

Two years ago, I was in almost the same spot, witness to another wildlife event that few visitors experience. Dusk was upon us and Dr André Uys, wildlife veterinarian and general manager of the 23 000 ha Marataba section of Marakele National Park, had to move quickly. He had just arrived at the sighting of two male lions, one of which sported a magnificent dark mane.

Within minutes both lions were darted, their reactions to the vaccination procedure similar: standing up when the pickup got close, charging half-heartedly, then yelping as they felt the sting of the dart, and finally running off, nothing but their egos wounded. Their inoculation was proactive, following an outbreak of canine distemper at neighbouring Welgevonden.

Today, mid-afternoon, once again Dr Uys’ white pickup – which looks nothing like the safari vehicle the animals have come to know and tolerate – pulled up, this time with a precious cargo of two cheetahs, about to be released on the plains in front of the main camp, Marataba Safari Lodge. Earlier I was revelling in the sanctuary of my eco-suite, one of only five at remote Mountain Lodge, following a guided morning walk along the Matlabas River, when the unexpected invitation came via our guide Roxanne Baker.

“Two cheetahs that have been kept in a boma on the property are being released at 15:00. Do you want to watch?” The pair had been rescued from a farm in the area following a phone call that they had been trapped and were not welcome. By now they were sufficiently accustomed to their new environs to fend for themselves. The territory of the reserve’s other cheetahs was some distance away in the far northern section, so hopefully these two would establish themselves without incident. All the cheetahs are GPS-collared and monitored for their own safety; a precaution in the event of breakouts.

And then it’s showtime! Both grids are lifted simultaneously and within a flash the first spotted pelt emerges. Seconds later it is joined by another graceful outline. Two metres out, stealth in their every move, they stop dead in their tracks, scanning the surroundings. Barely a minute expires before they have summed up the state of affairs. With stray impala ahead, the stalk starts. A lightning charge, a missed opportunity, a separation, heart-rending wails and whimpers from a cheetah that’s lost its mate. “I’ve never heard anything like it,” whispers Roxy, an alumnus of the Marataba-based NJ More Field Guide College, quick to record the keening on her cellphone.

With a sigh of relief we look on as they reunite, then lie down to rest. It’s time for us to resume our game drive, which turns out to be astonishingly productive: a breeding herd of elephant including the teeniest baby with hilarious attitude, white as well as black rhino, three lion cubs battling their hearts out to feast on a wildebeest carcass, grazing buffalo almost hidden in bleached grass, a lone lioness alongside the road, hoarding her meal, the remains to be handed down to a clan of hyenas, trying to hold their own against an entourage of black-backed jackals. And these were just the highlights!

“This weekend was a surprise for me,” says fellow guest Jacquie at Mountain Lodge that evening. Their retreat had been blessed with such amazing sightings that she and partner Itumeleng declined both the afternoon game drive and the morning walk, opting to simply chill and bask in serenity before reconnecting with the thousand details of worldly things in Jozi.

Over three days in the lee of the mountains,travellerssync to a different drumbeat. It is easy to lose oneself in the diversity of eco-systems, landscapes, activities and conservation experiences, in the powerful presence of life itself – to use George Eliot’s phrase from Middlemarch,the ‘roar which lies on the other side of silence’.

“A safari is not only about the animals,” enthused Yolandi Grobler, general manager. “It is also about simply being in a purely beautiful natural environment, and connecting to something far greater than yourself. You have to spend a night under the stars.”

Which was how I found myself checking into Thabametsi with nothing but an overnight bag. The treehouse is a space where one feels close to a universal power – with knockout accommodation. Visualise a six-metre long deck for the dining and lounge area, a king size canopy bed, plus a lower level with full shower-room facilities. Yummy dining comes courtesy of a gourmet picnic basket, a hot meal and a lavish drinks trolley. Attention to detail, here as throughout the two lodges, is flawless.

“This is probably the furthest we’ve been from another human being,” avowed prior guests, Cassandra and Nico from the United Kingdom. (Fear not: As a safety feature, there is radio contact with the lodge.) My mind flattened out, smoothed by stillness and privacy, the closest company a troupe of baboons cavorting against the sandstone cliffs. Chilled sundowners enhanced the 360 degree view, hues of green morphed leisurely into purple until finally the sunset flaunted a crimson cloak.

The next morning we heard that the cheetahs had been spotted at first light. Newcomers to these baked savanna and bushveld plains, they had successfully dodged the resident lions. Long may they play their role in the ecology of the park.

Trails Therapy

Walking Marataba offers the only malaria-free Big 5 walking trails in South Africa. Guests can choose from riverine, gorge, mountain and special interest trails. These are interpretive bush walks rather than challenging safaris for seasoned hikers.

Following animal-worn paths along the natural river course, we set out accompanied by armed rangers Matthew Roberts and Roxanne Baker. The prospect of bumping into adagha boy,a lone buffalo male, filled me with dread; mercifully Matt explained that at this time of year, the bovines tended to favour the gorges, which we would give a wide berth.

Whilst tapping into Matt’s impressive knowledge of the veld, we learnt about the dung of warthog, zebra, rhino; the tracks of civet; venom claws of centipede; bacteria in a decomposed kudu skull; the uses of tamboti and water berry. For a long time four giraffe checked us out from a dizzy height, so at ease we dared approach, until eventually they glided away and vanished into the bush.

At Marataba – meaning: where the plains touch the mountains – the disconnect with the world outside is complete. Being one-on-one with nature, the walk becomes a journey in itself, a wilderness experience leaving you with vivid memories of adrenalin-fuelled moments. When you slow down through walking, the therapy leaves you quite zoned out of your comfort zone.

Where is it?

Marakele National Park in Limpopo province is in the Waterberg Biosphere, one of 500 UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserves on the planet, and the only savannah biosphere reserve in the world. The park was established in 1994 to conserve a key transition zone between the dry western regions and the moister eastern regions of South Africa.

The consolidated Marakele National Park incorporates Marakele Contractual Park, known as Marataba.The two sections of the park are committed to sharing environmental management and collaborate by means of a joint operations committee and a science forum.

From Marataba’s entrance gate on the Rooiberg Road (R510 between Thabazimbi and Lephalale), guests are directed to the lodge, a half hour’s drive into the park in your own vehicle. Guests are not permitted to self-drive after check-in.

Read more on www.marataba.co.zaand www.waterbergbiosphere.org