Info and accommodation - Kruger National Park

GREATER KRUGER PARK ACCOMMODATION
WILDLIFE GUIDED SAFARIS

South Africa's world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this natural park of nearly 2 million hectares, is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. Truly the flagship of South African national parks, Kruger Park is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman (San) cave rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park's natural assets. Tourist Facilities Accommodation is available in a variety of units in large restcamps, bushveld camps and bush lodges. Caravan and camp sites are available in most of the large restcamps. Most camps have well stocked shops where food, drinks, general necessities and curios may be purchased. Travel Daily flights from Johannesburg to the new Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport KMIA (MQP) and Hoedspruit Airport.  No aircraft may land at Skukuza or any other landing strip within the Kruger Park without prior permission from the Park Warden.  Car hire at Kruger Mpumalanga International (KMIA) and Hoedspruit airports. Private and Luxury coach tours. All tours and accommodation arranged for you by Far and Wild Safaris. Access roads to 8 entrance gates are tarred. Tourist roads in the park are either tarred, or good gravel roads: Speed limit: 50 km/h on tarred roads, 40km/h on gravel roads and 20km/h in restcamps. An average speed of 30km/h on tourist roads is recommended for maximum safety and enjoyment. Kruger gate is approximately 500 km from Johannesburg; Phalaborwa and Punda Maria gates both some 550 km. Since entrance gates and restcamp gates are closed at night, allow sufficient travelling time to ensure timeous arrival at your restcamp. Latecomers at entrance gates will be refused entry, whilst offenders at restcamps could be fined. Special permits for late arrivals at Skukuza Rest Camp. Open vehicles, motorcycles and vehicles with an axle load exceeding 8000 kg are not permitted. The times reflected in the table below are approximate minimum times via the shortest route travelling at legal speed limits. Allow additional time for stops along the way. ENQUIRIES AND RESERVATIONS Camping Caravan and camp sites are available at Balule, Berg-en-dal, Crocodile Bridge, Letaba, Malelane, Maroela, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Punda Maria, Satara, Shingwedzi and Skukuza. A maximum of six persons, one caravan with a side tent and one vehicle, or one tent and one vehicle, or one autovilla, or one motorised caravan will be permitted per site. In the case of camping with a small tent, more than one tent will be permitted on a site, provided that the maximum number of 6 persons is not exceeded. All camps except Balule, have power points at caravan sites. Communal kitchen and ablution facilities are available at all the camps. Cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are not provided. Safari Adventures Night drives: take part in the nocturnal activities of Kruger's secretive creatures. Groups are accompanied by experienced rangers. Book at the reservations office. Bush drives are an educational service offered from Skukuza, Berg-en-dal and Letaba. Wilderness Trails - the ultimate African Safari. Groups of up to 8, traverse the wilderness under the guidance of experienced, armed rangers, who protect, but more importantly unwrap the wonders of the Kruger National Park to the uninitiated. Accommodation is provided in exclusive trail base camps with rustic 2-bed huts. We recommend making your reservations well in advance. Conference Facilities Modern conference facilities are available at Berg-en-dal, Bateleur, Letaba,, Olifants, Skukuza and Mopani.

ENQUIRIES AND RESERVATIONS

Accommodation

Restcamp accommodation
AII the major restcamps have electricity, a first-aid centre, a shop, barbecue and communal kitchen facilities, a laundromat/laundry tubs, a restaurant and/or self-service cafeteria, public telephones and a petrol station. Information centres manned by staff are at Letaba, Skukuza and Berg-en-dal. Holiday programmes and evening film shows on wildlife and conservation are arranged in many of the restcamps. Please enquire at reception. Nature trails have been laid out in Punda Maria, Berg-en-dal (also accessible to blind/visually impaired tourists) and Pretoriuskop.
Berg-en Dal, Lower Sabie, Mopani, Pretoriuskop, Shingwedzi and Skukuza all have swimming pools.

Bushveld Camp accommodation
Bushveld camps provide luxurious accommodation in smaller, more remote restcamps. One or more accommodation units may be reserved. Bushveld camps do not have shops or restaurants. Access to all bushveld camps is restricted to overnight visitors with reserved accommodation. Electrical equipment, such as hair dryers, cannot be used except at Biyamiti and Bateleur. Open verandas often serve as kitchen/dining room. All units have a refrigerator, cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery and a stove, either a two-plate stove without an oven or a four-plate stove with an oven in the larger units. All units have private ablution facilities. Communal freezing facilities are offered at Biyamiti, Shimuwini, Talamati and Sirheni. Night drives and/or day excursions are organised in most of the bushveld camps. Please enquire at reception.

Bateleur consists of seven guest cottages, each housing either six or four persons. The camp has electricity and plugs are available in the units. The main bedroom in each unit has air-conditioning.
Biyamiti has ten guest cottages (5 beds) and five cottages (4 beds). The camp has electricity and plugs are available in the units. All units have ceiling fans.
Shimuwini has ten guest cottages (one with 6 beds, nine with 5 beds) and five cottages (4 beds). Solar panels provide power for lights and fans only.
Sirheni has ten guest cottages (6 beds) and five cottages (4 beds). Solar panels provide power for lights and fans only.
Talamati has ten guest cottages (one with 6 beds, nine with 5 beds) and five cottages (4 beds). Solar panels provide power for lights and fans only.

Bush Lodge accommodation

A bush lodge is an exclusive, private lodge with a unique style and atmosphere, providing the opportunity for tourists to enjoy complete privacy, as only residents are allowed entrance to the camp. Payment can be made at any gate or restcamp, as the bush lodges do not have reception offices. There are no shops or restaurant facilities, but the kitchen has a gas stove with oven, refrigerator, freezer, cutlery and crockery. Gas braais and barbecue facilities are provided and wood may be purchased. A bush lodge must be reserved en bloc.

Roodewal 12 pax and Boulders 19 pax are exclusive private Lodges. 
Boulders - Solar panels provide power for lights and fans only. In addition to the main sleeping unit which has two bedrooms and en suite bathrooms (one with a bath, the other with a shower), there are also four separate bedrooms with bathrooms (bath and shower).
Roodewal - There is one family cottage with two bedrooms and two bathrooms (one with a bath, the other with a shower). Three bungalows have three beds each and a loft with two mattresses, a bathroom (shower) and a small refrigerator. Solar panels provide power for lights and fans.

Concessions

Seven Luxury private Safari Lodges have been established recently in areas within the Kruger National Park.

Climate
The climate is subtropical with hot summers and warm, dry winters. Summer rains fall between October and March.

Nelspruit	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ave Temp F	75	74	73	69	63	59	59	63	66	70	72	73
Ave Temp C	24	24	23	21	18	15	15	18	20	21	22	23
Rain inch	5	5	4	2	1	0,5	0,5	0,5	1,1	2,5	4,5	5
Rain mm	125	125	98	47	24	11	11	11	28	63	114	125

For distances between camps open: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format - From © SANParks 2004.

Travel Tables:

Gate	Route	Distance from Johannesburg
Crocodile Bridge	N4 via Witbank & Nelspruit to Komatipoort	475 km
Malelane	N4 via Witbank & Nelspruit to Malelane	428 km
Numbi	N4 to Nelspruit, R40 to White River, R538/R539 to Numbi	411 km
Phabeni	N4 to Nelspruit, R40 to Hazyview, turn right to gate, or	430 km
	N4 to Belfast, R540 to Lydenburg via Dullstroom, R37 to Sabie, R536 to Hazyview, on to gate	440 km
Paul Kruger	N4 to Nelspruit, R40 to Hazyview, turn right to gate, or	460 km
	N4 to Belfast, R540 to Lydenburg via Dullstroom, R37 to Sabie, R536 to Hazyview, on to gate	470 km
Orpen	N4 to Belfast, R540 to Lydenburg via Dullstroom, R36 and R531 to Orpen via Ohrigstad, JG Strijdom Tunnel and Klaserie.	490 km
Phalaborwa	N1 to Pietersburg (Polokwane), R71 to Phalaborwa via Tzaneen	490 km
Punda Maria	N1 to Louis Trichardt, R524 to Punda Maria	550 km
Pafuri	N1 to Louis Trichardt, on to Musina (Messina), but turn right at R525	600 km

From © SANParks 2004.

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