Choosing where to stay in Kruger National Park can be a tad overwhelming. There are a wide variety of options on offer, from basic chalets in the park’s main rest camps to luxury alternatives on small private concessions within the reserve’s borders. Camp’s are dotted throughout the park’s vast wilderness, and each offers easy access to various wildlife hotspots within the park.

Kruger is considered to be the rough diamond of South African safari destinations. Located in the southeastern corner of the country, the almost 20 million hectare national park is bigger than Israel and boasts a vast road network which stretches in excess of 3,000 kilometres.

Whether you’re looking to self-drive and self-cater, or experience a more relaxing, luxury offering – Kruger National Park has something for you.

Here’s our recommendation on where to stay in Kruger National Park:

Main camps

Kruger’s Rest Camps are the park’s primary ‘in-house’ accommodation and safari centres. All of which are easily accessible along main roads. All major camps are well-equipped with; a first-aid centre, a grocery store, communal braai (barbeque) and kitchen facilities, a laundromat, a restaurant/cafeteria, public swimming pools, picnic areas and a petrol station.

Skukuza

Situated along the southern banks of the Sabie River, Skukuza Rest Camp is one of Kruger’s primary safari hubs, with a full grocery and curio shop, world-class steak house, petrol station and even a golf course!

The view from the outdoor seating area of Skukuza Rest Camp’s restaurant | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

Skukuza hosts a variety of accommodation types, from camp sites and basic chalets to family guest houses.

The Greater Skukuza area is one of the most wildlife-rich areas in the national park and one of the best areas for spotting the Big Five. Spotted hyena and cheetah are also frequently spotted and if you’re lucky – crocodile and hippo can be observed from the restaurant viewing deck.

Skukuza Rest Camp is best accessed from the Paul Kruger gate, which is just 12 kilometres away.

Crocodile Bridge

Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp lies in the southeastern corner of the Kruger National Park, along the northern banks of the Crocodile River – from where it’s name is derived.

Accommodation is best suited for guests looking for a self-catering bushveld experience with a campsites, safari tents and basic bungalows.

Tented accommodation at Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

The surrounding area, known as the ‘Southern Circle,’ is renowned for its different prides of lion, that display different hunting techniques and behavioural habits. While offering some of the best cheetah viewing in Kruger, the area is also home to a great density of the park’s total rhino population.

Giraffe, zebra and several species of antelope species are usually seen within a couple hundred meters of the camp’s borders, and hyena are known to patrol the camp fence every night.

Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp is found right at the Crocodile Bridge gate.

Lower Sabie

Overlooking the banks of the Sabie River – Lower Sabie Rest Camp is a popular stop over for self-drive safari goers due to its variety of useful amenities, popular restaurant and wildlife-rich surrounds.

The restaurant at Lower Sabie Rest Camp offers incredible views over the Sabie River | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

Accommodation comes in the form of campsites, huts, safari tents, family bungalows and a guest house. Some of which offer river views.

Along with Skukuza, Lower Sabie is arguably the most game-dense region in Kruger National Park, with large numbers of lion, cheetah, elephant, hippo, rhino and huge herds of buffalo. The H4-1 main road between the two camps is also one of the best routes for spotting leopards in the whole of the Kruger.

Lower Sabie Rest Camp is most easily accessed from the Crocodile Bridge gate, which is 34 kilometres or a 2 hour drive away.

Satara

Satara rest camp lies in the heart of Kruger’s “Predator Country” and is always buzzing with guests and visitors hoping to spot one of these majestic cats. The camp has a rustic charm, and offers all basic amenities along with takeaway restaurants and a grocery store.

The bulk of the accommodation is set out in a series of circles, and ranges from camping facilities to guest cottages. Bird life within the camp is prolific, thanks to its wooded layout.

where to stay in kruger national park
Male lion feeding near Satara Rest Camp | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

The Satara region is regarded as one of the best game viewing areas in the Kruger and is particularly popular for it’s big cats. Sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah are very common.

The typography is vast, open and relatively flat, which makes game-spotting a lot easier than in some other parts of the park. Other general game includes blue wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, giraffe and impala. Rhino, buffalo and elephant are also frequently seen.

The easiest way to access Satara Rest Camp is via the Orpen gate. The camp is 48 kilometres from the gate so be sure to allow an extra 2 hours to your trip.

Punda Maria

Tucked away in the northern fringes of the park, Punda Maria stands as the edgiest outpost in the wilderness, nestled in what’s essentially the Kruger’s secret garden. This spot is a botanical rebel, flaunting flora that refuses to grow anywhere else in the reserve. It’s like the camp decided to host an exclusive party for plant species you can’t mingle with elsewhere.

Safari tent at Punda Maria Rest Camp | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

Don’t let the ‘basic amenities’ tag fool you. Yeah, it’s got the usual suspects: a restaurant for when you can’t be bothered to cook, a shop that sells more than just postcards, a laundromat because safari chic doesn’t include dirt stains, and a petrol station to fuel your next adventure. Accommodation? It’s a pick-your-own-adventure kind of deal with campsites, safari tents, and bungalows.

Game sightings here are like an exclusive gig; you might not see everyone on the guest list, but those you do are unforgettable. Think impala strutting their stuff, zebra crossing in style, and the elusive eland making rare appearances. Sable antelopes play it cool, while buffalo and elephant herds bring the party. It’s a birdwatcher’s nirvana, too, with a chance of spotting the elusive wild dog and the king of the jungle himself making cameo appearances.

Punda Maria is a stone’s throw away from the Punda Maria Gate, just about 8 kilometers or so.

Berg-en-Dal

Situated on the banks of the Matjulu Spruit, Berg-en-Dal is the only rest camp set in a rugged mountainous environment. The camp is bordered by a dam as well as dry riverbeds on the northern and southern sides – with large trees lining them on either side. Special care has been taken to preserve the natural flora within the camp.

Family bungalo accommodation at Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

The surrounding area of Malelane, is known to host healthy populations of white rhino, kudu, giraffe, elephant, reedbuck, klipspringer and warthog.

Leopards are seen regularly in the area and some lucky visitors have even spotted them drinking at the camps bordering dam. Wild Dog’s are also found in the region, although sightings are not very common.

Berg-en-Dal is approximately 12 kilometres away from the Malelane Gate.

Letaba

The Letaba Rest Camp is situated along a sweeping bend on the Letaba River, halfway between the southern and northern borders of the Kruger National Park.

‘Letaba’ means “river of sand”, and is characterised by sandy riverbeds which make for excellent game viewing, primarily elephant, which are abundant in the area. The camp is a lush, green oasis within the surrounding mopane veld, and is a popular location for visitors.

An elephant walking through Letaba Rest Camp:

Accommodation ranges from campsites and huts to guest cottages, and the night hours play host to a symphony of sounds with – owls, nightjars, frogs, fruit bats, crickets and cicadas all adding to the chorus, but when the lions roar, all fall silent.

Most of the park’s large mammals can be seen in the greater Letaba area, however rhino sightings are few and far between. Along with the elephant, waterbuck and buffalo are also plentiful along the riverbed.

Letaba Rest Camp is 51 kilometres, or a 2 hour drive, from the Phalaborwa Gate.

Olifants

Situated atop a hill overlooking hundreds of metres of river – the Olifants Rest Camp offers visitors and breathtaking and unique window of Africa.

The camp’s lookout platform provides views over the river, similar to those a soaring eagle would experience as it surveys the water for its next meal. Accommodation on offer comes in the form of bungalows and guest houses.

Bungalows at Olifants Rest Camp with hundreds of metres view over the Olifants River. | Where To Stay In Kruger National Park

The area surrounding the camp hosts most of the Kruger National Park’s iconic species and elephant are common as its name suggests. Lion and leopard are common sightings on game drives.

Baboons and vervet monkeys are popular inhabitants of the camp’s grounds along with fruit bats and thick-tailed bush babies. Cape clawless otters have also been seen from the Olifants lookout point.

Olifants Rest Camp is 83 kilometres, or a 3 hour drive, from the Phalaborwa Gate.

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