Safari to the Waterberg Mountains

interesting alternative to the Kruger

The Waterberg Mountains are located in the north of South Africa.

Rising above the surrounding plains, these mountains create an elevated plateau which, thanks to its unsuitability for agriculture, has managed to withstand the demand of agriculture and remain relatively wild.

In recent years a great deal of the land has been returned to wildlife, with smaller private areas coming together to create significant reserves.

Although the area does have significantly lower wildlife densities than prime safari locations such as Kruger, it does have the significant advantage of being non-malarial, which makes it particularly attractive to families with very small children, older travellers and anyone else keen to avoid taking the pills.

Although it’s much lesser known than Kruger National Park, the Waterberg Mountains area can be much more comfortable during the Nov-Mar green season, experiencing much less rain and generally with lower humidities during this otherwise potentially uncomfortable time.

The area is also more intimate than Kruger, being a lot less commercial and generally more keenly priced. In fact some of the lodges here represent some of the lowest cost safari in Africa.

However you may have to work a little harder to find the wildlife here compared with Kruger, although you will ultimately find plenty of animals over the course of a few days.

Marakele National Park

The Marakele National Park anchors the southwest corner of the Waterberg Mountains area, but does not contain any high quality accommodation. For that we need to look to the neighbouring reserves.

Marataba Reserve

The Marataba Reserve is a substantial private wildlife area of around 200 square kilometres which adjoins the north side of national park and contains a couple of very high quality lodge options, probably the best in the greater area.

Welgevonden Reserve

The Welgevonden Reserve is an even more substantial private wildlife area of 340 square kilometres which adjoins the northeast side of national park and contains more than a dozen small lodges, a few of which are to a very high standard.

Ant Conservancy

The Ant Conservancy is a much smaller private reserve of around 50 square kilometres situated to the northeast and adjoining the Grootwater and Mokolo Dam Nature Reserves. Unlike the previous reserves it does not contain elephants or lions, but instead concentrates on a more immersive and family-oriented safari, with plenty of horse-back safari and walking safari.

Entabeni Reserve

The Entabeni Reserve straddles the southeastern corner of the mountains and covers around 200 square kilometres of upland and lowland landscapes, with an impressive escarpment in between. This is a much more overtly commercial area, centred on a major golfing resort, which is famous for a par 3 hole which tees off from the top of the cliff.

The Waterberg Mountains area tends to feature in trips relatively rarely, mainly because it is so much lesser-known than Kruger. For this reason, most of the lodges offer much better value for money and often try a lot harder to please.

The usual stay duration is 3-5 nights.

Seasonality

Waterberg has a similar climate to other safari areas in this region but, importantly, it gets a great deal less rain than Kruger, so can be much more attractive during the key rainy season months of November to March …

Apr-Oct is the long dry season in the reserve, the best time for wildlife viewing.

Although it can get very cold at night in May-Jul and very hot and humid in October.

Nov-Mar is the green season in Waterberg, when relatively light and sporadic rains freshen the landscapes, but can occasionally become prolonged. As the season progresses, the increase in grass and foliage cover can make wildlife viewing more of a challenge.

Getting there

The Waterberg Mountains area is almost always accessed from Johannesburg, usually by light aircraft, which is a simple and easy hop.

It is also possible to travel up from Johannesburg by road, a journey of around four hours, which is not particularly interesting (since it passes mainly along main sealed roads through farmlands and towns), but is not unpleasant.

Once in the reserve of your choice you get around with a guide and vehicle from the camp at which you are staying. The various reserves can be connected by means of road transfers, also usually provided by the lodges.

Self-drive vehicles are not generally permitted to enter the reserves, although in some areas you are allowed to drive as far as your camp, but are not allowed to undertake safari.

Where to stay

The Waterberg area contains around twenty lodges, which range greatly in terms of size, style, activities and price.

particularly good value for money