Campsite Review: Maroela Satellite Camp, Kruger National Park (Kruger Park Self Drive)

Camping in Kruger National Park
Our review of camping at Maroela Satellite Campsite in the Kruger National Park, located right near the Orpen Gate entrance. A campsite dedicated exclusively to camping and caravans.
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - Location
0:38 - Getting there & roads
1:39 - Amenities & Facilities
6:04 - Purchaseables
7:04 - Info
8:47 - Notable
10:44 - Summary
#LiveYourWild
We booked our stay directly via the SANParks website: www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger...
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[@4WheelingSA]

Good review. Have never been at Maroela. Definitely putting it on the list!

[@TravelGigolo]

Very nice campsite! For me this is the ideal type of campsite in the KNP. Thanks for feedback Always appreciated!

[@user-yx2qy7wv1z]

Nice video and good comments. Camp at Maroela in April and booked for April 2024. We prefer rhe smaler camps. Enjoy you camping in Kruger

[@TravelGigolo]

We had a great time at Maroela. Also enjoyed Tsendze although we saw less large wildlife around Tsendze.

[@kelvinreynolds9989]

Great Video. Going there next year.

[@TravelGigolo]

One of our favourite Kruger campsites so far. I like that it's a bit away from the gate too.

[@shanesadventures4433]

Excellent Review! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Going December, cant wait!

[@TravelGigolo]

Loved this campsite 👌🏾 I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Thanks for the feedback!

[@langutaninwamba9668]

Great review of Maroela csmp. I have csmped there in August 2021, the Honey badgers were a problem

[@TravelGigolo]

Nice campsite, and quite isolated as well. Thanks for the positive feedback 🙏🏽

[@billoldreive3628]

Great video 👌 thanks

[@TravelGigolo]

This is a particularly good site! Thanks for the feedback 👍🏾

[@mohsinkhan8368]

Great videos. Just stumbled upon your page and loving it.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad you're enjoying the channel. Thanks for the feedback 👍🏾

[@tigershoot]

Fabulous video about the place. We stayed in nearby Tamboti which shares the same access road. The Orpen shop amazed me. I didn't get much there but the prices seemed the same as the supermarkets. I expected them to be way over the top. One thing you didn't mention, that is visible in your video, is the free wall-mounted water boiler. These are also found at the picnic sites as well. Just flick the lever and you have instant boiling water.

[@TravelGigolo]

Good point, I'm so used to making my own hot water that wall mounted heater didn't even occur to me. Thanks, will make a mental note for future reviews.

[@michaelflinn7784]

Love Maroela. One of my best

[@TravelGigolo]

We also really enjoy Maroela. Hoping to do Tsendze soon.

[@michaelflinn7784]

@@TravelGigolo because it's so popular I've only spent 1 night there. I could easily spend an entire week there

[@TravelGigolo]

Good to hear that, I'm looking forward to it.

[@chrisg1234fly]

Cool vid!! Just done our dry run of loading up our 4x4, hope we have everything, thanks for the inspiration!!

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! My significant other has made a packing checklist for different types of trip. Hope you'll be out there soon 👍🏾

[@felixifloresrodriquez3306]

thanks so much for an excellent video lot of great information

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks, glad it's helpful. Hope you'll get to camp there!

[@josephmdaka9097]

Thanks for the insight, must visit restcamp

[@TravelGigolo]

Very nice campsite, we enjoyed the campsite and the surrounds 👍🏾

[@whereismymind6696]

I've watched about 10 of your videos today. They are great, thank you. We are planning to get into camping. Perhaps we will run into each other one day.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! We are hooked on camping. Glad you're enjoying the channel. Maybe see you out there one day 👍🏾

[@chrisg1234fly]

Bob here again!!! Never thought buying a 30m cable could be so hard!! Which one and where did you buy yours?? Thx

[@TravelGigolo]

Ours was a gift from an emigrating musician. I've seen 30m cable reels on takealot.com though.

[@tristanhall5971]

Thank you for another great video. My wife and I have been inspired by the videos for so long now that this evening we spotted a classified ad for a tent and took the plunge. We will revist your camping videos again. By the way, how do you deal with bugs at night and mozzies in particular.

[@TravelGigolo]

That's fantastic! Glad you're taking the plunge. We always have insect repellant spray. That's generally enough, however in malaria areas we also wear long sleeves at night. Also keep the tent closed with the light off. If you have a bright camping light/torch then a good trick to keep the bugs away is to shine your light against a tree trunk or car rim. That way the insects go to the bright light and leave you alone in the dimmer area. The light needs to be close to the wheel/trunk, maybe 20 or 30cm or so Happy camping, feel free to pop a question or comment in on any of the videos.

[@fyreOwlTrue]

Insect repellant body cream works great as well and it's more enviromentally friendly

[@GnTTimeZA]

We were thinking of visiting Maroela and this has given some good insights - we are still planning to go. You said this is one of two dedicated camping sites in the KNP - what is the other one?

[@TravelGigolo]

The other dedicated camping site is Tsendze. Also a very nice campsite. Famous for its Scops Owls.

[@GnTTimeZA]

Thanks

[@gerhardmeyer5083]

Thanks for the video, much appreciated! Are the badgers also a problem as they are at Tamboti? Thanks

[@TravelGigolo]

Unfortunately we didn't see any, so I'm assuming they're not 😄

[@TravelGigolo]

There was no indication that badgers are a problem there.

[@gerhardmeyer5083]

@@TravelGigolo Thanks, much appreciated! We have 2 small kids and when we last stayed at Tamboti, there were a couple of times when they got too close for comfort. Enjoyed the video, Cheers!

[@TravelGigolo]

An important note though is that the hyenas come right up to the fence. So I think one should be careful and ensure the kids understand the danger of touching or reaching through the fence when a hyena approachs.

[@gerhardmeyer5083]

@@TravelGigolo Thanks, appreciated!

[@Mallo_Nair]

Your videos are inspiring and have convinced me to invest in camping gear. I do the Kruger at least once a year, but have never tried camping in my 20 years of yearly trips. Do you perhaps have any idea if there is decent internet signal to work remotely at Maroela camp?

[@TravelGigolo]

Signal at Maroela was pretty good. I needed to stay in touch with family and had no difficulty with WhatsApp calls and downloads. There was one person I spoke to in the campsite who was working there remotely. He didn't indicate that he was having any issues. Glad the channel has inspired you! It's really great to hear that.

[@Mallo_Nair]

@@TravelGigolo thank you for the indight. I just got back from 3 nights at Balule and 7 nights at Maroela - was able to work remotely at Maroela perfectly! I did come across that black mamba you spoke of but you were right, it slithered away when it saw me.

[@TravelGigolo]

Seems like the mamba may be a resident then 😄. Glad you enjoyed the site. we haven't stayed at Balule yet. Hopefully we'll get to stay there soon.

[@Mallo_Nair]

Balule is stunning. Campsite number 5 is the best spot, grab it as soon as you see it. Excellent shade throughout, and against the fence. You also hear the soothing riverflow at night, which you can't hear from the further campsites. Birding in the camp itself is spectacular. And the zero electricity presents a beauty at night second to none. I haven't experienced that level of stargazing in the park before! Take your nylon tent here so you can see the stars through your roof

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks, will remember that advice!

[@TravelGigolo]

Have you stayed at Maroela?