The Marakele National Park is a new game reserve under the management of South Africa's Nature Conservation and National Parks Board. The reserve lies about 250 km north of Johannesberg in the heart of the Waterberg, a pristine mountain range rich in game. The parks starts north of the town Thabazimbi and ends south of the Lalapala river.

The vegetation in the valleys of the Marakele Park comprises innumerable species. Even the rare yellowwood trees can be found here, huge cedars and up to 5 metre high cycads.

The game stock comprises all big predators, elephants, black and white rhinos, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, kudus, waterbuck and eland antelopes. And there are numerous bird species. Spectacular are the Cape vultures which are threatened by extinction. More than 800 breeding pairs live in the park, the biggest population of this vulture species in South Africa.