Your Kruger gateway
Kruger National Park from Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit sits on Kruger's western boundary. Orpen Gate is under an hour away, and four private reserves between the town and the park share an unfenced border with it.
- 50 min
- To Orpen Gate
- 19 485 km²
- Park size
- All present
- Big 5
Kruger gates from Hoedspruit
All distances from Hoedspruit town centre.
| Gate | Distance | Drive time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orpen GateOurs | 67 km | about 50 min | Central Kruger, Satara, the S100, big cats |
| Phalaborwa Gate | 75 km | about 55 min | Northern Kruger, Letaba, elephants |
| Numbi Gate | 280 km | about 3 h 30 | Southern Kruger, PretoriuskopToo far for a day trip from Hoedspruit. |
| Crocodile Bridge | 350 km | about 4 h | Southern Kruger, the Komatipoort sideToo far for a day trip from Hoedspruit. |
Kruger from Hoedspruit: common questions
- Can I do a Kruger day trip from Hoedspruit?
- Yes. Orpen Gate is 67 km from Hoedspruit, about 50 minutes by road, so a full day in the central Kruger is easy from town. Our guided Kruger day trip: Full Day Kruger Safari from R 1 560 per person (children R 1 080), leaving Hoedspruit at 05:00 for 10.5 hours. Pickup is from Hoedspruit.
- Which Kruger gate is closest to Hoedspruit?
- Orpen Gate, 67 km and about 50 minutes from town, best for central Kruger, Satara, the S100, big cats. Phalaborwa Gate is 75 km (about 55 minutes), best for northern Kruger, Letaba, elephants.
- Do I pay Kruger park fees on a day trip?
- Yes. SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person at the gate, and it is not included in the price of the Full Day Kruger Safari.
- Is the Kruger a malaria area?
- Hoedspruit and the Kruger are a seasonal, low-risk malaria area, with the risk highest in the wet summer months. Speak to a travel clinic about precautions before you travel.
- Can children go on a Kruger safari?
- Yes, children are welcome in the Kruger. The Full Day Kruger Safari has a child rate of R 1 080. Some private reserve lodges and open-vehicle drives set a minimum age, so give us the children's ages when you enquire.
- Should I stay in Kruger or in a private reserve?
- Most visitors do both from Hoedspruit: a few nights at a lodge in a private reserve on Kruger's unfenced border (Timbavati, Klaserie, Balule or Thornybush), with guided game drives there, and a day drive into the Kruger itself through Orpen Gate.
A day in the Kruger with us
Guided, from Hoedspruit, with the price and the start time
Didn't find what you're looking for?
Tell us what you'd like to do and when. We check with the operators and come back with times and prices.
The reserves on Kruger's border
No fences between these and the park, so the animals move across. A few nights in one of them and a day drive into Kruger is the combination most people end up with.
Game drives into Kruger
Operators in and around Hoedspruit who run into the park.
All things to do →
Planning a Kruger trip?
Tell the local team what you are after, or put the days together yourself and send them over.