Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is not to be missed when visiting the Lowveld. You’ll find here all the information to make the most of your Kruger National Park visit.

How far is ilanda Guest House from Kruger National Park?

The closest Kruger Park Gates are Numbi Gate (38km, 45min), Phabeni Gate (62km, 51min) and Malelane Gate (78km, 1h03m). Crocodile Bridge (124km, 1h45mn) and Orpen (138km, 2h00min) are further afield. 

For a quick Kruger visit choose Numbi or Phabeni. Of the two Phabeni is recommended as the road passes through farmland and is quieter (and is less subject to closure due to protests).

Do you organise private game drives or walks to Kruger National Park?

We do not run our own Kruger Park private drives, but many operators run guided Safari / Game Drives with White River pick-up. Either half day or full day.

Do you recommend self-guided drives or guided drives to the Kruger?

We enjoy & recommend doing full day self-guided drives. If you have 2 or 3 days dedicated to the Kruger doing both guided and self-guided tours gives you the best of both.

For short trips entering at Phabeni or Numbi and driving to Skukuza and along the Sabie river is rewarding. Skukuza makes a good stop for refreshments. Exit at Phabeni, Numbi, or Paul Kruger Gate (91km, 1h25min) if short of time.

For a fuller Kruger immersion you can enter at one gate and exit at another gate, seeing more of the park. To get the most of these, we recommend arriving at the gate for opening and leaving at closing time, a long but rewarding stay! Some good full day loops:

Phabeni (or Numbi) Gate to Crocodile Bridge (or the opposite). Crocodile Bridge has good general game, more open landscape, best place to search for Cheetah and has high lion density. Evening guided drives are available and recommended as they increase your chances of seeing the Big 5 in one day. Please note the drive from Crocodile Bridge back to ilanda Guest House is about quite long at 1h30 minutes and includes toll roads.

Phabeni (or Numbi) Gate to Malelane (via Skukuza) is a good alternative to the above, passing more mountainous landscapes around Berg-en-dal camp. The bridge just outside the Malelane gate is a great vantage point to see animals in the river bed including crocodiles, hippos, catfish and tilapia, otters and many birds. You can park your car at the gate and walk onto the bridge. The best times are early morning and late afternoon.

Is it possible to do guided walking tour with a ranger or in a jeep / safari vehicle in Kruger National Park?

Guided walks and guided drives (2-3 hours) with a ranger are organised from some gates and are accessible to day visitors. We highly recommend a sunset or night drive in addition to your self-guided drive. You will be able to spend more time in the park and see crepuscular or nocturnal animals. Here are examples of combining 

Please note these are very full days but increases your chances of seeing many animals (Crocodile Bridge Area has high Lion density and is the best area for Cheetah as well).

These activities must be booked in advance by contacting the gates telephonically or booked online: https://www.sanparks.org/reservations/independent-activities

Tips to spotting many animals

• When you see a stopped car, don’t hesitate to stop and ask them if they’ve had good sightings nearby, where they’ve been and what the say. Also share your sightings. Even Open Safari Vehicles will share good tips with you. 

• Latest Sightings mobile app (Free) - You’ll find a map of the latest sightings, works well for popular areas of the park only. Only seek out recent sightings close to you, especially of the animals were stationary. 

• Drive more slowly during peak game viewing times - early in the morning and late afternoon.