Kruger National Park
Description
The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s flagship Big 5 game reserve, covering 2 million hectares of the Lowveld region in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The world famous park is a popular choice for romantic getaways, weddings, and family holidays. It offers an unrivalled wildlife experience with excellent game viewing opportunities, from guided open vehicle drives to mountain biking, hiking, and walking trails. Book your Kruger accommodation for the ultimate African safari!
The Kruger National Park was established in 1898 to protect the indigenous wildlife and is now home to the widest variety of wildlife species in Africa: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds, and 147 mammals. There are a number of private reserves within the Kruger, and while the main focus is the conservation of wildlife, the Kruger National Park also plays a prominent role in preserving cultural and historical treasures, such as San rock art and archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela. The Kruger National Park, Moçambique’s Parque Nacional do Limpopo, and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park together form the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, covering a total of 3.3 million hectares - one of the largest wilderness conservation areas in the world.
Visitors can enjoy self-drive and guided game viewing, as well as a number of guided nature experiences. If you enjoy roughing it, the 4-day Wilderness Trails and Backpacking Trails offer a unique hiking adventure through Big 5 territory. Professional and armed guides act as trail leaders, interpreting and teaching you about the natural surroundings. The Kruger National Park also has mountain biking trails, 4x4 adventure trails, and eco trails with exclusive access to remote areas.
For something a little more sedate, the Mopani Sunset Drive is a beautiful trail along the banks of Pioneer Dam. The park has a number of bush braai facilities available, whether for an evening fireside dinner or long lazy lunch. And if you’ve ever wanted to share a golf course with wild animals, make sure you book a round at Skukuza Golf Club.
Summer is the most popular time of year to visit the Kruger as many people take leave over the December holidays. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, the dry winter season is an excellent time for game viewing as the vegetation thins out. There are also fewer watering holes, which means that animals are more concentrated in fewer spots. And while summer temperatures reach an average high of 32°C, the winter highs average a warm 26°C.
Winter is also advisable for families travelling with young children as the Kruger National Park falls within the high risk malaria area. Malaria is distinctly seasonal in South Africa, with the highest risk being during the wet summer months (September to May). The park makes use of mosquito nets and periodically fumigates the accommodation units, but visitors are advised to take precautions against mosquito bites.
A limited number of day visitors are permitted to enter the Kruger National Park each day. If the daily limit is reached, only visitors with pre-booked overnight accommodation will be permitted access. Day visitors are advised to make use of the Advanced Booking system over long weekends and public holidays.
Tariffs per day from 1 November 2013 – 31 October 2014
• South African Citizens and Residents (with ID): R62 per adult, R27 per child • SADC Nationals (with passport): R124 per adult, R62 per child • Standard Conservation Fee (foreign visitors) : R248 per adult, R124 per child
