Marloth Park’s website describes it as a wildlife paradise. This idyllic spot is situated on the banks of the Crocodile River, directly opposite the Kruger National Park.  A short 14 km drive from Marloth Park will take you to the Crocodile Bridge entrance of Kruger.  We were fortunate enough to stay there with friends on two occasions and were delighted to agree with the website’s description of this place as being a wildlife paradise.  They boast four out of five of the Big Five, but these dangerous animals are confined to a fenced game park called Lions Spruit.  At the right time of the year, their birdlife is incredible.

Covering an area of 1500 hectares, there is ample space for animals to roam freely amongst the houses and feeding them is encouraged.  Part of the charm of this place is how one can interact with the animals when they come to eat.  A local store sells animal feed and hay, and many visitors bring bags of sweet potatoes and other treats to entice the hungry hordes to visit them.  It is very hot at Marloth Park for most of the year making the bushveld dry and barren.  I should imagine that the animals appreciate the regular supply of food from the residents.

Regular visitors to our garden were zebras, kudu, warthogs and mongooses, but the ones that stole the show for us were the adorable night apes or bushbabies that arrived every evening for their share of fruit.  Shy and timid by nature, these little animals showed remarkable jumping abilities that could swiftly remove them from danger.  They could cover many meters with one long jump, so as you watched them, they would vanish with a single leap.

Rob found a wonderful spot where the riverbank had eroded during a flood, and bee-eaters were breeding.  He spent many hours watching the birdlife in the trees around this area.

From the deck of the house, we saw lions and leopard on the banks of the Crocodile River.  Elephants and buck wandered down in the evenings to drink and one night, we watched wild dogs on a hunt.

There is an adequate shopping centre at Marloth Park and various places to eat out.  A fuel station is also available, and if you can’t find what you are looking for, both Komatipoort and Malelane towns are close enough to drive to for provisions.

This truly is a wonderful to place to stay at if you can’t get into accommodation in Kruger, or if you want to get away from Kruger during the peak season and just do day visits.

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