Practical questions
Kruger National Park: frequently asked questions
The questions first-time Kruger visitors ask, answered plainly with the SANParks figures in force in October 2026.
How much does it cost to enter Kruger National Park?
An international adult pays a daily conservation fee of R602, about $36, under SANParks' tariff for 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, and children aged 2 to 11 pay R300. From 1 November 2026 the fee rises to R692 for adults and R345 for children. SADC nationals pay R275 and South Africans R134 per adult per day until 31 October 2026. There is no vehicle fee for a private car, and the fee is counted per night spent in the park, so three nights cost three fees.
Can you drive yourself through Kruger?
Yes, and most visitors do. National access roads to all nine gates are tarred, and the tourist roads inside are tar or good gravel, fine for an ordinary saloon car. Speed limits are 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel and 20 km/h in camps, and SANParks recommends an average of 30 km/h. You must stay in the car except at designated spots, you may not drive off-road, and motorcycles are banned.
Which gate should I use?
It depends on where you sleep. From Johannesburg, Malelane (428 km, on the N4) and Crocodile Bridge (475 km) serve the south-east, Phabeni and Paul Kruger (430 and 460 km, via Hazyview) serve Skukuza, Orpen (490 km) serves Satara, and Phalaborwa (490 km) serves Letaba and Olifants. Numbi is the closest gate to Mbombela at 52 km, but the UK Foreign Office cites SANParks advice against using it after a fatal attack, so default to Malelane or Phabeni.
What are Kruger's gate times?
Entrance gates open at 05:30 from October to March and at 06:00 from April to September. All gates close at 17:30 from May to July, 18:00 in March, April and August to October, and 18:30 from November to February. You must be inside a camp or out of the park by closing time; late entry is for emergencies only, until 21:00, and never at Phabeni, Phalaborwa or Pafuri.
What is the best month to visit Kruger?
For game viewing, late May to mid-October, with August and September strongest: the bush thins out and animals gather at rivers and dams. May and early October give the best balance of game, heat and crowds. November to February is green, hot and best for birds and newborn impala, but the bush is dense and January 2026 showed that floods can close camps and roads for weeks.
Is there malaria in Kruger?
Yes. NaTHNaC recommends antimalarial tablets (atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine) for Kruger from September to May, and calls the risk very low in June, July and August, when bite avoidance is enough. SANParks names November to April as the highest-risk months and has advised all visitors to take tablets since 2017. There are no tsetse flies in Kruger; they disappeared from South Africa's north after the rinderpest of 1896 to 1897.
How many days do you need in Kruger?
Three nights is the minimum that makes the long drive worthwhile, and it lets you cover the Sabie and Crocodile river roads in the south. The park covers 19,485 km², and at SANParks' recommended average of 30 km/h even a gate-to-camp drive can take two hours (Phalaborwa Gate to Olifants is 83 km, about 2 hours). A week lets you travel from the south through Satara and Letaba to the far north without spending every day in transit.
Can children visit Kruger?
Yes, and SANParks camps take children of any age; under-2s enter free and children aged 2 to 11 pay half the adult fee. Guided walks are for 12 and older, and some guided drives and private lodges set their own limits: Kruger Shalati's train takes no under-12s and both Kruger Untamed camps take guests from 12. Check the malaria advice for young children with a travel-health clinic before you book.
How do I book a SANParks camp or campsite?
Online through SANParks Online Bookings, through Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111, or at the head office in Pretoria. Bookings open up to 11 months ahead, the next month opening on the first working day of each month, and South African school holidays sell out first. Campsites start at about R390 a night for two, plus the conservation fee per person.
Do I need cash in Kruger?
Not at the gates, which are run cashless: pay by card. Camp shops and fuel stations take cards, and SANParks says its fuel stations also accept cash. The only bank is at Skukuza (weekdays and Saturday morning) and the only ATMs are at Skukuza and Letaba, so carry a little cash for tips but do not plan on withdrawing it inside.
Can I combine Kruger with Mozambique or the private reserves?
Kruger is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park with Mozambique's Limpopo National Park, and you can cross at Giriyondo (08:00 to 15:00 from April to September, 08:00 to 16:00 from October to March) or Pafuri; the Mozambique side needs high clearance or a 4x4. To the west, the Sabi Sand, Timbavati, Klaserie and other private reserves have been unfenced from Kruger since 1993; they are outside the national park and allow off-road tracking and night drives.
Is Kruger a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
No. Kruger is part of two UNESCO biosphere reserves, Kruger to Canyons and Vhembe, which is a different designation. It was founded as the Sabi Game Reserve in 1898 and became South Africa's first national park in 1926; the official centenary was held at Skukuza on 31 May 2026.