Where to stay inside the national park
STAYING inside the Kruger is an experience in itself. There are rest camps offering accommodation and spots to grab food or supplies throughout the park. Some are like small towns, others just a collection of huts or campsites.
The camps are secured at night and offer family-friendly accommodation at the larger sites. Most families stay in selfcontained rondavel-style huts with bathrooms, braiis (barbecues) and cooking facilities. You can also camp.
Accommodation is run by SanParks, and the popular rest camps can book out many months in advance. Without a car, it can be difficult to reach the camps (other than flying into the main camp, Skukuza, which has an airport).
The camps are great bases for day drives, and most offer guided morning and evening drives when the gates would usually be closed.
The bigger camps have shops that sell the basic foodstuffs, and some such as Skukuza and Lower Sabie have cafes and restaurants. The bush camps, such as Talamati, are more basic but can offer a much closer view of the wildlife.
There are more fancy lodges on the edge of the park than you can poke a stick at, most offering game drives into the Kruger and much more upmarket digs than inside the rest camps. Many are all-inclusive and could be a good option if you’re willing to spend a bit more and aren’t confident about driving in the park.
A family-friendly option for staying outside the park with a hire car is an AirBnB or other short-term rental.