Kruger Park Self-Drive Safari

Kruger Park Self-Drive Safari

For an official Kruger National Park Map click here

My Kruger Park self-drive safari starts at Orpen Gate at 6 am, which means waking up at 04h45 (check the Gates times below for seasonal changes)—packing the car with cameras, binoculars, and snacks for the road by 05h00. The 50- minutes drive from Hoedspruit to Orpen Gate goes fast, with no potholes, and no traffic. After filling in the necessary forms at the gate and paying the Kruger National Park entrance fee, the adventure begins. The road soon meets up with the Timbavati River where pools of water attract plenty of game including elephants. A short while later a family of hyenas living in a culvert, are lying next to the road basking in the sun. We turn onto the R36 and 3 km down the road we hit a roadblock.

Orpen Gate Kruger Park is

65 km from Hoedspruit

Two male cheetahs were lazing in the road, without a care in the world. After watching them for an hour, they decided to get up and walk away into the long grass. Our journey took us along the Timbavati River to the Timbavati picnic site. From there we went to Satara Rest Camp where you can buy refreshments or lunch. The trip back took us past the Nsemani Dam where we saw 20+ hippos, crocodiles, and many other plains game next to the dam. Turning off the H7 onto the S106 towards Orpen Gate we saw a large herd of elephants. Then, a herd of buffalos was heading towards the Timbavati River a little further on.

After the good rains earlier this year, the veld is green. The bird life (click here for a Kruger National Park Bird List) is excellent and an abundance of game grazing on the plains near the Orpen Gate. We leave the park at 16h00, and with so many other roads to explore in the area. We will return for another African safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest safari park.

Kruger National Park Entrance Fee 2022

These fees are effective from 1 November 2022 till 31 October 2023

South African Residents

Adult:    R115.00 per person per day

Child:     R57.000 per child per day

SADC Residents

Adult:    R230.00 per person per day

Child:     R115.000 per child per day

Foreign National

Adult:    R460.00 per person per day

Child:     R230.00 per child per day

If you are a Day Visitor, you pay the entrance fee at the Reception Gate. If you are staying over night in the park, you pay the entrance fee at the Lodge or Rest Camp.

Kruger National Park Gate Times

The gate opening times differ during the year depending on the summer and winter seasons. The Entrance gates for Day Visitors sometimes differ from the Gate Times for the Rest Camps. Click Here to get an official SANParks Gate Time Schedule.

For more information on Kruger National Park click here

For more activities in the Hoedspruit area click here

For lodge options in the Hoedspruit and Kruger National Park accommodation, area click here

 

Enjoy your Kruger Park self-drive safari