Visitors access the Park through nine South African gates all situated on the western border of the reserve. There are five southern gates that are in Mpumalanga, while the more remote central and northern gates are in Limpopo.

Kruger Gate Hotel is ideally situated right at the Paul Kruger Gate, one of the best access points to the game-rich southern region, and also the closest gate to Skukuza Camp and the Kruger International Airport.

What can you expect at Paul Kruger Gate?

Visitors to the Park are welcomed at the gate where they pay a conservation fee and receive a day permit, a code of conduct and a map. If you are on one of our guided safaris, this will all be taken care of by your driver, but if you are self-driving, then you will need to park your vehicle and go through the normal access process.

It’s important to note that there is a quota for self-driving day visitors to the Kruger to prevent overcrowding and limit the environmental impact of visitors. In peak seasons, it helps to get to the gate early.

Gate opening times are dependent on the season and based on daylight hours, as visitors to the Park are not permitted to self-drive after dark as a matter of safety.

Here are the 2025 Gate Opening and Closing times:

Spring/Summer:

October: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:00pm
November: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:30pm
December: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:30pm
January: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:30pm
February: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:30pm
March: Opening 5:30am and Closing 18:00pm

Autumn/Winter:

April – Opening 6:00am and Closing 17:30pm
May – Opening 6:00am and Closing 17:30pm
June – Opening 6:00am and Closing 17:30pm
July – Opening 6:00am and Closing 17:30pm
August – Opening 6:00am and Closing 18:00pm
September – Opening 6:00am and Closing 18:00pm

As part of the visitor code of conduct, gate times must be strictly adhered to and latecomers may face penalties. When planning your game drive, take the speed limits into account – maximum speeds are 50km per hour on tar roads and 40 km per hour on gravel roads. Give yourself plenty of time to reach the gate before closing to ensure you can travel safely and slowly enough to see the fantastic wildlife.