How much does it cost to travel to Kruger National Park?
You should plan to spend around $79 (R1,513) per day on your vacation in Kruger National Park. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $15 (R293) on meals
- $24 (R459) on local transportation
- $94 (R1,786) on hotels
A one week trip to Kruger National Park for two people costs, on average, $1,111 (R21,186). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Kruger National Park has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Kruger National Park expensive to visit?
Kruger National Park is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in South Africa, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It is in the top 25% of cities in the country for its overall travel expenses. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.
Within Africa, Kruger National Park is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Moshi or Masai Mara.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Kruger National Park Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Kruger National Park?
The average Kruger National Park trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Kruger National Park travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
R1,786
($94)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
R459
($24)
|
Food 2
|
R293
($15)
|
Entertainment 1
|
R393
($21)
|
Alcohol 2
|
R39 -
116
($2 - 6)
|
Accommodation Budget in Kruger National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Kruger National Park is $47 (R893). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Kruger National Park is $94 (R1,786). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Kruger National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Kruger National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Kruger National Park is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $24 (R459) per person, per day, on local transportation in Kruger National Park.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$24
R459
How much does it cost to go to Kruger National Park? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Kruger National Park will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Kruger National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Kruger National Park can vary, the average cost of food in Kruger National Park is $15 (R293) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Kruger National Park should cost around $6.15 (R117) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Kruger National Park is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$15
R293
Entertainment Budget in Kruger National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Kruger National Park typically cost an average of $21 (R393) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$21
R393
Alcohol Budget in Kruger National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $4.05 (R77) on alcoholic beverages in Kruger National Park per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$4.05
R77
Kruger National Park On a Budget
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa hugs the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the Crocodile River to the south. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, it hosts a variety of habitats with a thriving population of wildlife and indigenous plant species, making it a safari destination like no other.
Sights
As one of Africa's largest game reserves, Kruger National Park is home to a dense population of wildlife, including the "big 5" - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. Hundreds of other mammals like zebra, giraffe, and hippo inhabit the area, as well as diverse bird species including vultures, eagles, and storks. Day or night, the reserve is humming with wildlife. The southern part of the park features some of the best flora and fauna, while the northern reaches offer more of a birding paradise.
Park Areas
Kruger National Park hosts a number of northern camps, central camps, and southern camps, depending on the part of the park one wishes to explore. Lower Sabie, Punda Maria, and the Crocodile Bridge rest camps are probably the most popular with visitors. Lower Sabie Rest Camp is situated on the banks of the Sabie River and surrounded by leafy riverine vegetation and set against the backdrop of the Lebombo-Mountain-skyline. Punda Maria in the northern reaches of the park is terraced with white bungalows and equipped with safari tents amidst a wealth of indigenous vegetable and opportunities for bird watching. Crocodile Bridge, at the park's most southern end, is noted for the population of lions that hunt in the area around the banks of the Crocodile River. There are many more camps scattered throughout the park as well as lodges both within and outside the borders. Some of the top luxury lodges include the Kapama River Lodge, Jock Safari Lodge, and Rhino Post Safari Lodge. No matter where you stay, there will be plenty of opportunities for spotting wildlife.
Activities
One way of experiencing the park's wildlife is to tour the park by car during daylight hours. Other activities are run by rangers, some of which include bush drives and night drives. Both offer a more guided experience and great opportunities to learn more about the native wildlife and how to spot it. The night drive is an especially unique experience to see nocturnal animals, as the roads are closed to visitors after hours.
There are also a number of trails, either ranger-led or check-in necessary, that are great for getting up close to the native species. One of the most immersive is the Wilderness Trail-a ranger-led hiking tour that lasts a total of three days in the park's wilderness, each night returning to the safety of a camp.
Food and Dining
There are a number of picnic areas within the park for those bringing in their own food, each with "braai" or barbeque facilities and tables. There are also camp shops which sell, food, drinks, and firewood for those staying in the park, and many of the camps have small restaurants, though the menus are generally limited. A staple meal of South Africa is mieliepap (a kind of porridge or polenta made from ground maize), though meats are also central to the diet. Some South African specialties include things like wart hog sausage, springbok tenderloin, ostrich steak, and biltong (dried and preserved meat) made mostly from game animals. Those staying in the camps will generally cook their own food, while lodges in and around the park will have restaurants.
Transportation
By plane, there are three commercial airports with flights near Kruger National Park. All three are served by South African Airlines and have car rental services available. Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport at Nelspruit receives flights from Johannesburg International Airport, Durban, Cape Town, Livingstone, and Vilanculos. Depending on the entrance gate you wish to pass, the drive from here to the park can be anywhere from 1 to 4 or more hours.
Eastgate Airport at Hoedspruit has a couple of flights a day to Johannesburg. Hoedspruit is fairly centrally located in relation to the north-south orientation of the park.
Phalaborwa Airport is located about 2 kilometers from the Phalaborwa gate of Kruger National Park and serves as an entry route to the northern camps, including Letaba, Olifants, Punda Maria, and Shingwedzi. Phalaborwa is well connected to Johannesburg International Airport with two flights per day during the week and a single flight on Saturday and Sunday.
By car from Johannesburg, take the N4 highway. Upon reaching Nelspruit, continue on to any one of 9 entrance gates. From here, the journey will be anywhere from 1 to 4 or more hours. The gates from the southern end to the north are Crocodile Bridge, Malelane, Numbi, Phabeni, Paul Kruger gate, Orpen, Phalaborwa, Punda Maria, and Parfuri.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.