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Experience a Kruger Park Safari of a Lifetime

It doesn't get much better than a Kruger Park safari. Home to the widest diversity of wildlife in South Africa and delivering some of the finest game viewing in the world, Kruger offers award-winning accommodation, smooth-running logistics and some of Africa's best trackers and guides, ready to take you on Big 5 game drives and thrilling walking safaris.

Generally considered a year-round destination, the Kruger National Park has two distinct seasonsand choosing exactly when to go to the Kruger depends on what you want to experience.

Most visitors to the Kruger National Park come for the wildlife and there's no question that the dry winter season from May to October is considered the best time to go to Kruger for game viewing as well as walking safaris. Vegetation is low and sparse at this time of year, making animals easier to spot and follow, and permanent water sources provide rewarding game viewing.

Mid-winter - June to August - is a very comfortable time of year to visit the Kruger as there are few mosquitoes, little if any rain and temperatures are pleasantly warm during the day and refreshingly cool at night. The bone-dry, end-of-winter months of September and October often experience uncomfortably hot and humid conditions but concentrations of animals around water sources are at their highest - this period is often regarded as the best game-viewing time for a Kruger safari.

The summer rains arrive from November onwards, peak in January and February and end around April. The Kruger is transformed into a beautiful, thriving green landscape and it makes for superb photography. During the "Green Season", game viewing is still good - with many young summer-born animals around it's a predator's paradise - and it's the also best time to visit the Kruger for bird watching as well as safari-and-beach holiday combinations.

We would however recommend consulting a medical practitioner for advice about malaria if you plan to visit the Kruger during or just after summer. The risk of malaria is low but the region does lie within the malarial belt. And if you want to stay away from the crowds, we would further advise avoiding the southern/central Kruger during the long December/January school holidays - go to the far north of the park or the Kruger's private reserves or concessions instead.

For general information on travelling to South Africa and the Kruger National Park, visit our South Africa travel advice page.

Top Travel Tips for the Kruger National Park

Keep it Safe: not only will you encounter large and potentially dangerous animals either when you are in a 4X4 vehicle or when on a walking safari, but accommodation in the Kruger National Park and its private reserves tends to be unfenced and it's not unusual for wild animals to wander through camp. Listen carefully to the safety briefings given by your ranger and lodge manager, and feel free to request an escort to and from your tent at night.

Mind the Mosquitoes: the Kruger National Park lies within the malaria belt but the chances of contracting the disease are low, even during the rainy summer months (December to April) when mosquito numbers are at their highest. Nevertheless, you're strongly advised to consult a medical practitioner before you visit the Kruger (especially if you are taking children) and to take necessary precautions to avoid being bitten while you're there.

Wrap Up in Winter: with early morning temperatures barely above freezing in June and July, it'll be colder than you think during Kruger's mid-winter season. Bring a warm top and hat for morning and evening game drives - many lodges will also supply blankets your personal use during these activities.

Avoid School Holidays: the main public-access park can get very busy during South Africa's long December and January summer holidays. We'd advise staying at one of Kruger's private reserves or concessions to ensure a private and more intimate safari experience.

Do a Self-drive Safari: a mix of easy accessibility, excellent infrastructure and do-it-yourself game viewing makes self-drive safaris to the Kruger National Park and Panorama Route both a simple and rewarding option. Choose your itinerary from our suggestions or tailor-make your own - either way it'll be a safari at your pace and set to your requirements.

Flights & Getting Around

Did you know you can book your flights through Africa Safari Booking? For more information and frequently asked questions, please see our Flights section.

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: located in Nelspruit, Kruger's major airport is served by flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban while a flight from Vilanculos on the Mozambique coast means easy safari and beach holidays.

Hoedspruit Airport: fly into the Kruger's second airport from Johannesburg or Cape Town for easy access to the park's private reserves like the Sabi Sands, Timbavati and Thornybush.

Phalaborwa Airport: serving the wilder northern Kruger destinations, this small airport is accessed from Johannesburg only.

Private airstrips: it's also possible to take charter flights straight from Johannesburg to bush airstrips in the Sabi Sands and several of the Kruger's other private reserves.

Game drives and transfers to and from Kruger's airports and airstrips are conducted in open-sided 4X4s. Guided walking safaris - ranging from a few hours with your guide to multi-day camping hikes - are permitted in the private reserves and certain sections of the Kruger National Park.

Best Kruger Tours & Safaris

Apart from its breathtaking scenery and amazing wildlife, the beauty of the Kruger National Park is that it's so accessible. Just a few hours drive from Johannesburg and boasting its own international airport for easy connections to Cape Town and Mozambique's Indian Ocean coast, Kruger offers exceptional Big 5 game viewing and luxurious accommodation without being too far off the beaten track.

Moreover, a safari in the Kruger can be whatever you want it to be. Enjoy a romantic and decadent escape in one of Kruger's legendary private reserves while enjoying a Kruger National Park honeymoon or revel in the thrills of a guided walking safari and track big game on foot.

Our selection of Kruger Park tours and safaris also includes fly-in safaris for those who have less time to spare, affordable self-drive vacations for the independently-minded, and Kruger Park family holidays complete with tailored kids activities.

Why not combine your Kruger safari with a few days in Cape Town, a beach break in Mozambique or an adventure at Victoria Falls? If you can't find the combination itinerary you want in our range of Kruger holidays, simply contact us and one of our African Safari Experts will tailor-make a trip to your interests, budget and specifications.

Best Kruger Lodges & Camps

The best way to experience the magic of the Kruger is to stay in one of the many safari lodges located within the park's internal private concessions or in the private reserves that hug the Kruger's western, unfenced border. Distinguished by excellent service and fine cuisine, our selection of private Kruger Park lodges and camps are the gold standard in Kruger National Park accommodation. Many have been the accommodation of choice for celebrities and royalty, and several lodges rank among the finest in Africa.

But these lodges don't just offer luxurious accommodation. Besides superb general game viewing, visitors are virtually guaranteed sightings of the Big 5 and enjoy safari activities not normally permitted in the park itself such as night drives, guided nature walks and off-road driving.

Accommodation in Kruger also includes affordable tented camps, self-catering rest camps, family-friendly lodges and even rustic bush camps that focus on guided walking safaris. But if you're looking for the ultimate in luxury, then one of our exclusive Kruger safari villas, hidden deep in the heart of the Big 5 country, will give you the wildlife experience of a lifetime.

Kruger Travel articles