last update 27 January 2026
Due to repair work taking longer than anticipated:
- Letaba shop will open Tuesday 03 February 2026, not 30 January 2026 as per previous update.
- Skukuza Day Visitors area remains closed.
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last update 26 January 2026
As from tomorrow, 27 January 2026, Phabeni Gate will be fully operational.
last update 26 January 2026
South African National Parks (SANParks) has released the latest update on the status of accommodation, gates, picnic sites, and shops across Kruger National Park following recent heavy rains and flooding. Visitors are advised to check specific opening dates and access points before planning their trips.
Main Camps
- Punda Maria – Open 25 Jan
- Pafuri Border Camp – Closed
- Shingwedzi – Closed to overnight guests; day visitor site opens 25 Jan
- Mopani – Open 30 Jan (restaurant & swimming pool remain closed)
- Letaba – Closed
- Olifants – Closed
- Satara – Open; overnight guests advised to use Phalaborwa Gate
- Orpen – Open 25 Jan
- Skukuza – Open
- Lower Sabie – Open
- Pretoriuskop – Open
- Crocodile Bridge – Open
- Berg-en-Dal – Open
- Sirheni – Closed
- Bataleur – Open 28 Jan
- Shimuweni – Closed
- Talamati – Closed
- Mbiyamiti – Closed
- Satellite Camps
- Balule – Closed
- Tsendze – Closed
- Tamboti – Open for overnight guests
- Maroela – Open for overnight guests
- Malelane – Open
Private Camps
- Boulders – Closed
- Roodewal – Closed
Gate Status
- Pafuri – Closed
- Punda Maria – Open 25 Jan
- Phalaborwa – Open (community protest blockade at Dwarsloop on R40)
- Orpen – Open only for overnight guests to Orpen, Maroela, and Tamboti, as well as emergency services and essential deliveries
- Paul Kruger – Open
- Phabeni – Open 27 Jan (guests to use S3 & S4 to connect to Pretoriuskop and Skukuza)
- Numbi – Open
- Malelane – Open
- Crocodile Bridge – Open
Picnic Sites
- Babalala – Closed
- Tshokwane – Open
- Afsaal – Open
- Nwanetsi – Open
Shops
- Punda Maria – Open 26 Jan
- Shingwedzi – Open 28 Jan
- Mopani – Open 28 Jan
- Letaba – Open 30 Jan
Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and confirm bookings, as some facilities remain closed or partially operational due to ongoing recovery efforts. Kruger National Park remains a premier destination for safaris and wildlife experiences, with most main camps and key gates now reopening.
last update 26 January 2026
- SANParks has released an updated "Road Closure Register".
last update 26 January 2026
- S42, the gravel road to Lake Panic bird hide and Skukuza Golf Club, opened today. Lake Panic is alive with bird life!
- S3 from Kruger Gate to S4 junction and S4 connecting to S1 to Phabeni Gate has opened to light vehicles. No buses and trucks are currently allowed as the road has not completely dried out. Heavy vehicles may cause damage to the road or may even get stuck.
- S36 from tar road to S125 and including S125 from Hamiltons Tented Camp to the tar road at the Baobab Tree is badly damaged in numerous places and not traversal. (25 January 2026)
- Following further assessment of Satara Rest Camp, the camp is to remain closed to overnight guests and day visitors until further notice. There is a major electrical issue that needs to be attended to before the camp can be reopened. (24 January 2026 15:30)
South African National Parks (SANParks) has released an updated operational status report for Kruger National Park, outlining which rest camps, bush camps, gates and picnic sites are open or closed following severe rainfall and flooding experienced over recent weeks.
While the majority of facilities remain temporarily closed due to infrastructure damage and ongoing safety assessments, SANParks has confirmed that several key camps and access points will reopen from 25 January 2026, allowing limited visitor access to resume in specific areas of Kruger National Park.
Below is the latest confirmed status update, accurate as of 24 January 2026.
Main Rest Camps – Kruger National Park
- Punda Maria – Open from 25 January 2026
- Pafuri Border Camp – Closed
- Shingwedzi – Closed to overnight guests
- Open as a day visitor site only from 25 January 2026
- Shop, restaurant and fuel station closed
- Day visitors must bring their own food, drinking water and ensure sufficient fuel
- Mopani – Closed
- Letaba – Closed
- Olifants – Closed
- Satara – Closed to overnight guests
- Open for day visits
- Restaurant and shop operational
- Orpen Rest Camp – Open from 25 January 2026
- Skukuza – Open
- Lower Sabie – Open
- Pretoriuskop – Open
- Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp – Open
- Berg-en-Dal – Open
Bush Camps
All bush camps remain closed until further notice:
- Sirheni
- Bataleur
- Shimuweni
- Talamati
- Biyamiti
Satellite Camps
- Balule – Closed
- Tsendze – Closed
- Tamboti – Open for overnight guests
- Maroela – Open for overnight guests
- Malelane Satellite Camp – Open
Private Concession Camps
- Boulders – Closed
- Roodewal – Closed
Gate Access Status
- Pafuri Gate – Closed
- Punda Maria Gate – Open from 25 January 2026
- Phalaborwa Gate – Closed
- SANParks-guided drives to resume from 25 January
- Orpen Gate – Restricted access
- Open only to overnight guests for Orpen, Maroela and Tamboti
- Emergency services and essential deliveries permitted
- Paul Kruger Gate – Open
- Phabeni Gate – Closed
- Numbi Gate – Open
- Malelane Gate – Open
- Crocodile Bridge Gate – Open
Picnic Sites
- Babalala Picnic Site – Closed
- Tshokwane Picnic Site – Open
- Accessible only to guests travelling from Lower Sabie and Crocodile Bridge
- Mundzandzeni Picnic Site (S36) – Open
- Accessible from the Orpen side
Road Conditions Advisory
- H14 and H9 roads are open for limited travel only
- Visitors should treat these routes as dead ends and plan itineraries accordingly
Important Visitor Advisory
SANParks strongly urges all visitors to:
- Monitor official updates regularly
- Adhere strictly to gate and road restrictions
- Avoid closed areas and barricaded roads
- Plan fuel, food and water supplies carefully, especially in northern Kruger National Park
Further updates will be issued as repairs, safety assessments and weather conditions improve.
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