While staying in the Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa region, Kruger National Park makes for a fantastic day trip with the whole family. Or book a night at Letaba Rest Camp and spend a night in the wild!

Your point of entry will be Phalaborwa or Orpen Gate. The Phalaborwa Gate to Kruger is in the town of Phalaborwa, on the R71. It will take you just over an hour from Tzaneen to get here. Get your last snacks and water at the local Spar and within 500m you arrive at the gate.
The Orpen Gate to Kruger is about 45 minutes from the town of Hoedspruit, on the R531. Take the R40 south from Hoedspruit and at Klaserie turn left towards Orpen.

Both gates are fairly quiet, so after doing the paperwork and paying your fees you are ‘on safari’ in no-time! All the gates into Kruger have daily quotas and especially during Christmas and Easter, these quotas are reached early in the day. If you are planning a Kruger visit over these kind of days it is best to phone ahead and book your entry. There is a small fee payable for this service but it is worth it.

We hope you can handle early mornings, because it is best to arrive early while the air is still cool and animal activity is still at its peak. Get yourself a map of Kruger indicating all the tar and dirt roads, 2x4 tracks, waterholes, rivers, camps and picnic sites. Remember you are not allowed to get out of your car and even hanging out of the window is dangerous and not allowed.

At the gate you sign your indemnity form, pay your conservation fee (or simply swipe your Wild Card) and off you go! Spend your day in the bush enjoying the amazing vistas, the great variety of animals and birds and simply being in nature. Keep an eye on the clock as you have to be out before gates close. They range from 17h30 to 18h30 depending on the month you travel in.