Kruger National Park Information

General Overview

Kruger National Park stands as the flagship of South African National Parks. It is globally recognized for its advanced environmental management and impressive biodiversity. Visitors will discover an incredible mix of flora and fauna unmatched elsewhere in Africa.

• 🐦 477 bird species
• 🌳 336 tree species
• 🦁 147 varieties of mammal
• 🐍 114 different reptiles
• 🐠 49 fish species
• 🐸 34 types of amphibian

The park stretches along South Africa’s eastern border. It straddles both Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, with Mozambique forming its eastern boundary and Zimbabwe to the north. The newly developed Limpopo Transfrontier Park extends Kruger’s footprint even further, though much of it remains pristine and undeveloped.

Access & Gates

Kruger has eight entrance gates. The closest gate to Johannesburg is approximately 450km away. All gates are well-signposted and offer visitor information, maps, and basic facilities.

Climate

Kruger experiences a subtropical climate with hot summers and mild, dry winters. Summer rains typically fall between October and March. Winter mornings can be extremely cold, so warm clothing is essential for early game drives.

Accommodation

The park offers various types of accommodation:

• Bushveld Camps – small, private sites with 7–15 units.
• Restcamps – larger facilities with shops, restaurants, and petrol stations.

All major camps provide electricity, first-aid centres, telephones, and shops. Smaller bushcamps are more secluded but still have electricity.

Roads & Self-Drive Tips

Kruger has excellent road infrastructure with around 2000km of accessible routes:

• Speed limit on gravel roads: 40km/h
• Speed limit on tar roads: 50km/h

For self-drive visitors, plan your route at an average travel speed of 30km/h to allow for game viewing and stops. Maps are available at all gates and restcamp shops, and intersections are clearly marked with directions to camps, picnic spots, and gates.

Restaurants & Dining

Not all camps have restaurants, but most large ones offer both restaurant and cafeteria facilities. Typical dining hours:

• Breakfast: 07:00 – 09:00
• Lunch: 12:00 – 14:00
• Dinner: 18:00 – 21:00

Shops & Facilities

Most main restcamps have well-stocked shops with essentials, snacks, souvenirs, and maps. Smaller bush camps may not have any shopping facilities, so plan ahead.