Arriving

By Plane -- There are three main airports in the Kruger vicinity. The busiest by far is Kruger-Mpumalanga International Airport (still often referred to as Nelspruit Airport), near White River and Hazyview (the gates to southern Kruger). The other options are Eastgate Airport (Hoedspruit, southern/central Kruger) and Kruger Park Gateway Airport (Phalaborwa, central Kruger). Your best bet is SA Airlink (www.flyairlink.com), which operates daily flights to all three from Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. Alternatively, SA Express (www.flysax.co.za) also flies in daily from Johannesburg, and Expressions of Africa (tel. 011/978-3552), a division of SA Express, puts together promotional flight and accommodations packages to safari destinations throughout southern Africa. Skukuza Airport, situated within Kruger Park near Skukuza Rest Camp, is no longer licensed for commercial flights, but this may change in the future, and it is used by charter flights such as those operated by Federal Air (www.fedair.com).

By Car -- The park has 10 entrance gates, most a comfortable 5- to 6-hour drive from Johannesburg or Pretoria. The closest gate, Malelane, is 428km (265 miles) from Johannesburg, while Pafuri (the farthest) lies around 580km (360 miles) northeast. The southern gates are Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Numbi, Phabeni, and Paul Kruger. The central gates: Orpen and Phalaborwa. The northern gates: Punda Maria, Giriyondo (from Mozambique), and Pafuri. Allow enough time to reach the park; entrance-gate hours are strictly enforced. For safety and easy access, officials recommend the newest gate, Phabeni.

Visitor Information

All inquiries and applications should be made to South African National Parks (SANParks), P.O. Box 787, 643 Leyds St., Muckleneuk, Tshwane (Pretoria; tel. 012/426-5000; fax 012/426-5500; www.sanparks.org; Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm, Sat 9am-noon). You can also phone the park directly at tel. 013/735-4000 or 013/735-4246. Accommodation and campsites at all public rest camps within the park can also be booked by e-mail or telephone, but it's far easier and more efficient to use the very user-friendly and almost instantaneous online booking service on the SANParks website listed above. The park's headquarters is situated at Skukuza Rest Camp, located in the southern section, on the banks of the Sabie River.

Getting Around

By Car -- Avis (www.avis.co.za) has a desk at the Eastgate Airport (tel. 015/793-2014), at the Kruger-Mpumalanga International airport (tel. 013/750-1015), at Phalaborwa's Kruger airport (tel. 015/781-3169), as well as at Skukuza, main camp in the Kruger (tel. 013/735-5651). Budget (www.budget.co.za) operates from the Kruger-Mpumalanga airport (tel. 013/751-1774) and Phalaborwa's Kruger airport (tel. 015/781-5404). It's exciting to explore the park at your own pace in a rental car, but at least one guided game drive in an open-topped vehicle is recommended. Note also that the park has opened 4- to 5-hour 4x4 Adventure Trails that take you right off the beaten track into areas previously off-limits, but you will have to hire a 4WD vehicle to complete these. Sign up for these from Pretoriuskop, Satara, Phalaborwa Gate, Punda Maria, and Shingwedzi. The Planning trails are weather-sensitive, so they must be booked on the same day.

When to Go

Each season has advantages. Between October and March, when summer rains (often in the form of dramatic thunderstorms) have transformed the dry landscape into a flowering paradise, the park is alive with young buck and migratory birds, but at the same time, temperatures can soar above 105°F (40°C), dropping to 68°F (20°C) in the balmy evenings. The dense, junglelike foliage hides game, and the malaria risk is at its highest. In the winter, when water is scarce and the plant life recedes, animals are easier to spot, especially at water holes and riverbeds. Because this is the most popular season, however, be prepared to share your sightings with other motorists. The days are warm, but temperatures can drop close to freezing at night, and units are not heated. Try to avoid going during the school holidays, particularly in winter, when the park is packed to capacity.

Fast Facts

Admission Hours -- For the Park -- Entrance gates open from January to February from 5:30am to 6:30pm, March from 5:30am to 6pm, April from 6am to 6pm, May to July 6am to 5:30pm, August to September 6am to 6pm, October from 5:30am to 6pm, and November to December from 5:30am to 6:30pm.

For the Rest Camps -- Camps are fenced off to protect residents from predators. The gates to these follow the same hours, except in the summer months (Nov-Jan), when they open an hour earlier (4:30am). If you're changing rest camps, try not to travel more than 200km (124 miles), to ensure you get to your new camp before gates close. Operating hours for camp receptions are 7am until half an hour after gate closing time; shops are typically from 8am to a half-hour after camp gates close, though they are shorter at some smaller camps; restaurants 7 to 10am, noon to 2:30pm, and 6 to 10pm.

Bank & ATM Networks -- There is a bank and ATM at Skukuza; it's a good idea to get cash here if you haven't already done so outside the park. (While you can pay by card for most anything, cash for a drink at a picnic site shop is useful, and all fuel must be paid for in cash.) There is also a proper ATM at Letaba. Some of the shops in other camps have mini-ATMs, but these don't always have cash, so don't wait until your wallet is empty before trying one of them.

Driving Rules -- Unlike private game reserves, where rangers are free to drive off road, everyone at Kruger drives on roads; the public drives on approved roads only. The speed limit is 50kmph (31 mph) on paved roads, 40kmph (25 mph) on gravel roads, and 20kmph (12 mph) in rest camps. If photographs of fatally maimed animals don't help ensure that these speeds are adhered to, speed traps do. Stay in your vehicle unless you're at a designated picnic site.

Fees -- SANParks charges a daily conservation fee for each person entering the park; 2010 fees are R160 per adult and R80 per child per day. If you plan to spend more than 6 nights in Kruger or visit other national parks in South Africa, look into purchasing a Wild Card (valid for 1 year), which provides free access to all national parks. At press time, a Wild Card cost R940 for an individual, R1,640 for a couple, and R2,210 for a family.

Fuel -- Every main rest camp has a fuel/petrol station. You must pay in cash or with a local petrol card -- no credit or debit cards are accepted. (Note that bush camps don't have petrol.)

Internet & Phone -- The only camps with Internet cafes are Skukuza, Lower Sabie, and Berg-en-Dal, so there is no public Internet access north of Skukuza. Most of the main camps have cellphone reception, but the bushveld camps and roads don't.

Malaria -- While certain areas of Kruger are soon to be removed from the list of malarial areas, the risk of infection remains, and it is a disease you really want to avoid. The highest risk is between October and May, during which time a course of prescription antimalaria drugs is advised.

Medical Emergencies -- There is a doctor in Skukuza (tel. 013/735-5638 or 082/557-9210). If you need help during the night, drive to the camp gate and beep your horn. The closest hospitals are in Nelspruit, Hoedspruit, and Phalaborwa. Of these, I'd head for Nelspruit Medi-Clinic, a 260-bed multidisciplinary private hospital and part of one of the largest, most respected private hospitals groups in Africa (tel. 013/759-0500).

Money/Traveler's Checks/Credit Cards -- South African rands, traveler's checks, Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, and American Express are accepted. Foreign currency can be exchanged at all rest camps.

Reservations -- The easiest way to book rest camp accommodations is on the user-friendly website www.sanparks.org. However, preference for choice units is given to written applications (this includes e-mail) received 13 months in advance. Pay your deposit as soon as possible to ensure the booking -- this can be done over the telephone or Internet with a credit card.

Rules -- Park rules are printed on the entrance permit -- read it. Park officials do not have a sense of humor when it comes to breaking the rules.

Safety -- Don't let the tarred road fool you -- once you've left the safety of your fenced-off rest camp, you really are in the wild. Under no circumstances should you leave your vehicle unless you're at a designated site (get a map from a rest camp shop). One ranger who left his game drive to "relieve" himself didn't survive to do up his zipper, so make sure to take care of any bathroom business before leaving camp. When in camp, try not to be frightened by spiders and other small insects you may encounter; unlike mosquitoes, they can do you no harm. Snakes are a rare occurrence in camps; if you do spot one, alert reception.

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