Before you book a house in Marloth Park

Listing photos show the pool and the stoep. They rarely show the geyser, the inverter or the road. Use this list to fill the gaps.

Backup power

A hot house with a dead fridge spoils a holiday quickly. One December guest arrived to a switched-off fridge, and with the heat and a power cut the house was "too warm and too dark". Some hosts put "solar" or "no load-shedding" in the listing name because guests look for it.

Ask whether the house has solar panels, an inverter and batteries, and what runs on them when the power is off. Lights, the fridge and the Wi-Fi router are the basics. Ask specifically about the aircon and the geyser.

Aircon in the bedrooms

Summer in Marloth is hot, and heat is one of the most common complaints in reviews. Guests have found that the only aircon was in the lounge, or that an upstairs unit cooled just one room. Ask which rooms have aircon, and if you're travelling between November and March, look for aircon in every bedroom.

Mosquito screens

Marloth Park is in a malaria area, and mosquitoes come out at dusk. One guest found no screens on the windows and mosquitoes coming in freely. Ask whether the windows and doors have screens, or whether there are nets over the beds. Cover your arms and legs from sunset as well. Read our malaria page before you go.

Hot water

A small geyser runs out fast when a family showers after a day in Kruger. One group reported no hot water after the first shower, and cold showers on three of their four days. Ask how big the geyser is, whether it's solar or electric, and whether it's on the backup power.

The road to the house

Gravel roads are the complaint that comes up most often in Marloth reviews. Some guests found streets that weren't fit for an ordinary car, and floods have damaged some streets in the past. The tar roads are fine for any car; the gravel stretches are where the trouble is.

Ask the host which entrance gate to use, whether the route from the gate to the house is tar or gravel, and whether a sedan gets there without trouble. Inside Marloth the speed limit is 50 km/h on tar and 30 km/h on gravel, and animals have right of way. Our getting here page has the route from the N4.

Wi-Fi and phone signal

Connections vary a lot from house to house. One guest who tried to work remotely in 2024 found the internet too slow for it. If you need to work, ask what kind of connection the house has and its speed, and bring mobile data as a backup.

River view, pool and braai

A view over the Crocodile River into Kruger can add a lot to the price. One six-sleeper river-view house we saw was asking R4,500 a night, more than double the middle price of R1,988 for a house that size. If the view matters to you, ask whether it's from the house itself or a short walk away.

Ask whether the pool will be filled and clean when you arrive. One guest found the plunge pool empty on arrival, kept that way so mosquitoes couldn't breed in it. For the braai, ask whether wood or charcoal is supplied. Put the fire out properly afterwards, and never set off fireworks.

Pets

Several Marloth listings say no pets at all, and the animals that walk through the gardens are the reason people come. Unless a listing clearly says pets are welcome, leave yours at home, and check with the host before you book if you're unsure.

Check-in and arriving late

On the listings we checked, check-in started at 14:00, with arrivals taken until 22:00 at some and until midnight at others. Some houses use a key safe, and at others you collect the keys from a security company or the host. You may be asked for the stand number at the Marloth gate.

Ask how you'll get in, until what time, and who to call if you're delayed. Try to arrive in daylight: animals walk on the roads at dusk, and a house is much easier to find before dark.

Distance to Crocodile Bridge gate

Marloth Park is spread out, and the drive to Kruger's Crocodile Bridge gate depends on where your house is. It's about 14-17 km, a drive of about 20 min. If you plan to be at the gate when it opens, ask the host how long the drive takes from the house.

The price for the whole stay

Look at the total, not the nightly rate. Some listings add a cleaning or admin fee, and we've seen cleaning fees of R260-R1,200. Some ask for a refundable breakage deposit. Cancellation terms differ from host to host, and some hosts may set a minimum stay over the holidays. Ask for the full price for your dates and read the cancellation terms before you pay.

A message you can send the host

Copy this, change what you need, and send it before you book:

Hi, we're thinking of booking your house from (date) to (date) for (number) people. Before we do, could you tell us:

1. Is there backup power (solar or inverter), and what runs on it?
2. Which rooms have aircon?
3. Are there mosquito screens or nets?
4. How big is the geyser, and is it on the backup power?
5. Is the road from the gate to the house tar or gravel, and is it fine for a sedan?
6. What Wi-Fi do you have?
7. How does check-in work, and until what time can we arrive?
8. What's the total price including any cleaning fee or deposit?

Thank you!

Once you've booked, read the Marloth Park rules that every guest has to follow, and see where to stay in Marloth Park for prices and specials.