the kruger park

A guide for first time visitors

For many people visiting South Africa, the Kruger National Park is at the very top of their bucket list. And rightfully so! The Kruger Park is one of Africa’s largest national parks and is home to diverse animal and plant species. It is here, where tourists can experience untouched African nature and come up close with the Big 5. Whether driving on your own or with a tour group, staying in one of the restcamps or only entering the Park for a day, a visit is always worthwhile!

Enjoying an afternoon break at Orpen Dam.

A brief history

The foundation of the Kruger National Park as we know it today, was laid in 1898. To curb extensive hunting by trappers, traders and trophy hunters and to protect the diminishing wildlife in the area, Paul Kruger, the president of the Transvaal Republic, declared a vast area of land as the Sabie Nature Reserve. Taking up about a third of the current area, the Sabie Nature Reserve reached from the Sabie river in the North, to the Crocodile river in the South. In 1902, James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as the first warden and set up his headquarters in the area that today is known as Skukuza. During the years that followed, generous farmers donated land to the reserve and after the integration of the Singwitsi Reserve in the North in 1926, it became South Africa’s first national park. It was renamed, receiving the name of the orignal founder, President Paul Kruger. The park opened its gates for tourist in 1926.

Today, the Kruger Park is one of South Africas most beloved tourist destinations and records a number of around 1.4 million visitors annually.

Location and geography

The Kruger Park is situated in the North East of South Africa. It shares its borders with Zimbabwe in the North, Mozambique in the East and the South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the West and South. The Limpopo river marks the Northern border, the Crocodile river the Southern border and the Lebombo mountain range the Eastern border.

The Kruger Park is the largest National Park in South Africa and one of the largest in the world. It covers a massive area of approximately 2 millions hectares! From North to South, the park measures 360 km and has an average width of 60 km. At its widest point, in the south, the park measures 90 km from East to West.

The Kruger Park is located in the North East of South Africa

climate, temperatures and rainfall

Because of its size, climate may vary throughout the park. The North has a hot, semi-arid climate, while the South has a subtropical/tropical climate. Summer days throughout the park are humid and hot, with temperatures often reaching over 40°C. Winters, on the other hand, are mild, with average temperatures around 17°C in July. Rainfall mainly occurs during the summer months with the South generally receiving more rain than in the North.

How to get to the Kruger Park

For most visitors, travelling to Kruger by car and taking a self-drive safari is the most popular option. Not only is it the cheapest but also the most flexible way to explore the park. With Johannesburg as your starting point, there are 3 main routes to get to Kruger, depending where you want to enter the park.

ROUTE 1: SOUTHERN KRUGER
Starting in Johannesburg, take the N1 North towards Pretoria/Tswane. From there, take the N4 East until you reach Nelspruit/Mbombela. Once you’ve reached Nelspruit/Mbombela, you’ll have the choice to enter any of the 6 gates to the southern part of Kruger. Travel time = approximately 4 hours

ROUTE 2: CENTRAL KRUGER
Starting in Johannesburg, take the N1 North towards Pretoria/Tswane and Polokwane. Shortly before you reach Polokwane, take the R71 towards Tzaneen and continue until you reach Phalaborwa. From there, you’ll be able to enter Kruger at Phalaborwa Gate and explore the central part of Kruger. Travel time = approximately 5 hours

ROUTE 3: NORTHERN KRUGER
Starting in Johannesburg, take the N1 North towards Pretoria and then continue North, past Polokwane, until you reach Louis Trichardt. From there, take the R524 towards Thohoyandou and continue towards Punda Maria. At Punda Maria Gate, you’ll be able to enter Kruger and explore the secluded North. Travel time = approximately 6 hours

Depending on where you enter the Kruger Park, there are 3 main routes you can follow.

Entering Kruger Park

The Kruger Park can be entered through 9 entry gates: Crocodile Bridge, Malelane, Numbi, Phabeni, Paul Kruger, Orpen, Phalaborwa, Punda Maria, and Pafuri. Due to unrests and crimes in the area, visitors are advised to avoid entering at Numbi Gate and use Phabeni Gate instead.

OPENING HOURS
Summer (October – March): 05:30 - 18:00
Winter (April – September): 06:00 – 17:30

ENTRY FEES:
To enter the Kruger Park, visitors need to pay a daily conservation fee, which may differ depending on your nationality. If you’re planning on staying overnight, please note that the fee isn’t included in the overnight prices and will be added on top.

South African nationals: R128 p/day (around 7€)
Foreign nationals: R535 p/day (around 28€)

Accomodation

The Kruger Park offers accomodation for every taste and budget. In the Park, you’ll find 12 main rest camps, 5 bushveld camps, 4 satelite camps and 2 bush lodges.

Most guests choose to stay at the main camps since they contain all the amenities needed for daily life. Each main camp contains a fuel station, restaurant and a shop where you can stock up on food, snacks and alcohol, as well as a swimming pool and large camping area. Like the entry gates, camp gates have opening and closing times. Check the gate opening hours on the signs situated directly next to the gate.

Bushveld camps, satelite camps and bush lodges are more rustic and don’t contain amenities such as a shop or restaurant. Day visitors aren’t allowed in these camps and roads leading to them are only accesible to guests with a reservation.

Within the camps, visitors can choose from various forms of self-catering accomodation: from rustic huts, to family cottages, camping sites and as of late, even safari tents. Accomodation types vary from camp to camp. Prices, of course, depend on the type of accomodation you book. Generally, the accomodation is more on the rustic side with only basic furnishings. Not all huts have fully equipped kitchens, but all have a braai (grill/barbeque).

The easiest way to book your accomodation in the Kruger Park is through the SANPARK-online booking system .

Activities

The Kruger Park offers a wide range of activities for those who are bored of driving themselves, have some free time to fill or want to experience nature at an even closer level. Visitors can book activities such as game drives, guided bush walks, bush braais and breakfasts, 4x4 trails or mountain biking trails. If you’re staying in Skukuza, you can even book a spa visit or play a round of golf!

Activities vary from camp to camp. Those offered by a specific camp are usually listed on a white board at reception, where you can also make the booking. Game drives are the most popular activiy and are often booked out, so make sure to book a spot online well in advance.

Vital health information

It is important to know that the Kruger Park is situated in a malaria risk area. Malaria is a mosquito borne disease, transmitted exclusively through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. The mosquitos are most active during the summer rain season (November - April). If bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms my take between 12-35 days to appear and my include fever, chills, body aches, headaches, tiredness, vomiting and other stomache problems. If left untreated, symptoms can worsen into hallucinations, seizures, blood in the urine and even result in death. Although the chance of contracting malaria is slim, even during the rainy season, there has been an increase in cases diagnosed in the Kruger Park since 2017. Therefore it is strongly advised to talk to your family physician about preventative medication.

Of the many species of animals to be found in the Kruger Park, several are potentially deadly. And no, we aren’t talking about elphants, crocodiles, lions or the like. Venomous snakes, spiders and scorpions are to be found all over the Kruger Park and are quite common within restcamps. To avoid being bitten or stung, carry a torch when walking through camp at night and wear closed shoes (sneakers, boots, etc.) and long trousers. Shake out blankets and turn around pillows before going to bed, since spiders and scorpions like warm, dark spaces. If you do have an encounter with any of these venomous creatures, contact camp reception or the ranger on duty as soon as posible. Often, survival depends on how quick you react.

For any other medical emergencies, there is a doctor stationed in Skukuza, the largest camp in Kruger. All emergencies can be reported under the following telephone number 27/7:

24h Emergency Call Centre:
+27 13 735 4325

Kruger Park rules

To ensure that all visitors have an enjoyable and safe stay in the Kruger Park and to protect this precious environment, there is a set of rules visitors are expected to follow. To learn more about the park’s code of conduct and how to avoid hefty fines, please read the following blog entry:

KRUGER PARK: TIPPS FOR AN ENJOYABLE STAY