The Ultimate Guide on How To Get To Kruger National Park

You may reach Kruger National Park in a number of different ways. It is common practice to start and finish journeys in Johannesburg or Cape Town. You can avoid spending the night in Johannesburg by taking a direct flight to your safari lodge or one of the nearby airports; this is the most convenient choice, though.

There are daily flights from Johannesburg to a number of the private lodges in the Kruger National Park area. Going to the park in this manner is the most hassle-free and practical option. The flight will take approximately 90 minutes and drop you off at the closest airport to the lodge you’re visiting. You will be escorted to your resort in a game drive vehicle by a lodge representative or ranger who will be waiting for you at the airstrip.

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Fractionally less expensive:

From Johannesburg, you can take one of many daily flights to HDS, KMIA/MQP, or SZK. From Cape Town, you can also take a direct flight to Kruger National Park. You have two options for transportation from these airports: a two- or three-hour escorted road transfer, or a twenty-five-minute charter flight. The most appropriate airport for your stay in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is KMIA/MQP, however HDS is the ideal choice if you are staying farther north, like in the Timbavati Game Reserve. Additional guidance can be provided by your consultant.

Least expensive but most time consuming

Those on a tighter budget can consider driving themselves to Kruger Park. From Johannesburg, the Kruger is around six hours away by car. There are hygienic rest stops scattered along the tarmac road that has been well-maintained. In South Africa, gas is always readily available, and every rental car comes with a map that is easy to follow.

Seeing the Kruger and its surrounds and the Panorama Route can be a great way to divide your vacation. The God’s Window, the Blyde River Canyon, and Bourkes Luck Potholes are well-known landmarks in the Kruger region. Waterfalls and mountain passes, among other breathtaking natural features, may be found in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Lodge Hopping:

We usually suggest alternating stays at different lodges if your safari is going to be longer than two or three nights. Small charter flights make it easy to go between the lodges, so that you can make the most of your safari experience; however, if money is tight, road transfers are a good alternative. The Sabi Sand Region and the Kruger Private Concessions or the Timbavati Game Reserve are two places that we recommend visiting often.

Getting To Kruger National Park, South Africa

The majority of tourists that visit Kruger National Park land at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP), located 40km/25mi from the Numbi Gate in southern Kruger, is also accessible by direct flights from Germany.

Many people choose to drive themselves to Kruger. The park is easily accessible by rental car from O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). The airport is located 375 kilometers (235 miles) from the nearest of Kruger National Park’s nine entrance gates, Numbi Gate. It takes around four or five hours to drive to Numbi Gate.

*The estimated travel time is just that—an estimate. Big delays are always a possibility, so plan accordingly.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

For information on airlines that fly to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) and the prices of their tickets, use Skyscanner.

Domestic Flights

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) is a possible connection from Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Another option is to fly to either Phalaborwa (for northern Kruger) or Hoedspruit (for central and northern Kruger).

Federal Airlines provides scheduled flights to certain lodge airstrips, and there are also flights to Skukuza Airport (SZK) within the park. You can also arrange for charter flights to land at Skukuza or one of the lodges’ airstrips.

More than one airline offers scheduled domestic flights:

• SA Airlink (Flies to Skukuza, Mbombela, Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa)
• CemAir (Flies to Hoedspruit)
• FlySafair (Flies to Hoedspruit)
• Federal Airlines (Flies to some lodges within Kruger)

Getting to Kruger National Park

By Air

The Kruger National Park can be reached by daily flights departing from Johannesburg to Skukuza, Phalaborwa, Hoedspruit, and the Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), which is situated between Nelspruit and White River. Skukuza is also accessible by daily aircraft from Cape Town. There is a flight from Cape Town to Hoedspruit, and KMIA also receives regular flights from Durban and Cape Town.

Airlink’s scheduled services to/from Skukuza Airport:

No private aircraft may land at Skukuza Airport without prior permission from the Skukuza Airport Management Company acting on behalf of the Park Director. To obtain this, a Skukuza landing permission and indemnification form must be sent via email to skukuza@flyairlink.com.

Bus Shuttle

The shuttle service from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) to Kruger National Park is run by Private Connections, a private firm. About one hour and twenty minutes is the travel time. Car Rental Drives Africa can be contacted for reservations at:

Telephone: +254 (0)736 913 631
Mobile: +254 (0)736 913 631
Email: carrentaldrives@gmail.com

Car Hire

You can rent a car at Skukuza Camp, at the airports in Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, and KMIA, or from any of South Africa’s main cities. Car Rental Drives Africa has the support of South African National Parks. The alternative is to send an email to carrentaldrives@gmail.com.

Internal Road Network

Both paved and good gravel roads serve as park tourist routes; the speed limits are 50 kph on the former, 40 kph on the latter, and 20 kph in restcamps. For your safety and the best game viewing experience, it is recommended to keep to a speed limit of 30 km/h on tourist roads.

Coaches

Transport firms, frequently in partnership with tour operators/travel brokers, organize a variety of luxury coach tours.

Vehicle Restrictions

We do not authorize motorcycles or cars with an axle load over 8,000 kg. All vehicles, including caravans, trailers, coaches, and buses, must adhere to the tarmac roadways. Only drivers with current permits may operate open cars, and such vehicles must have a canopy to protect passengers’ heads from the elements. You can get these permits by calling 013 735 4000 and asking for them after the open vehicle permits are available at Skukuza.