Our rates are inclusive of Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.

Travelling in South Africa: The Ultimate Bucket List Destinations

The Kruger National Park welcomes visitors. There are plenty of picnic places, rest stations, and day visitor areas. At the entry gates, a map shows all of these stops. Before your vacation, plan how much you can travel and see in a day.

South Africa Bucket List

South Africa is a spectacular vacation spot, but there’s so much to do that it’s almost impossible to choose which destinations to add to your bucket list. Its rich culture, fascinating history, thrilling wildlife, and breathtaking scenery makes it a desirable holiday destination for tourists across the globe. Several trips to this nation would merely provide a taste of the many wild and beautiful experiences the country has to offer. We’ve selected our top 3 South African  bucket list locations.

Kruger National Park

During any journey to South Africa, seeing the Big Five should be at the top of your bucket list. But did you know that in a single visit to Kruger National Park, you have a legitimate opportunity to see all five of Africa’s most famous animals?

The Kruger National Park is home to hundreds of different kinds of animals, including rhinos, leopards, elephants, lions, buffalo, and many more. At the Kruger Gate Hotel join a once-in-a-lifetime Kruger Big 5 Safari to get the best chance of seeing the Big Five. Morning, all-day, afternoon, and night safaris, as well as private or group safaris are available. Guests can even pre-order a packed breakfast to pick up the following morning to snack on during their safari.

Click here for more information on Kruger Gate Hotel’s game drive packages, and book your accommodation here.

Drakensberg

The province of KwaZulu-Natal is home to the magnificent mountain range known as the Drakensberg. The mountains span around 1000 kilometres and end at the Lesotho border. In this region, you may plan a stay at one of the picturesque hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, farm stays, campgrounds, or RV parks and experience a variety of excursions. When visiting the Drakensberg, you have the option to hike at several scenic locations.

For those who are feeling particularly adventurous, staying overnight in a cave is an even more unique experience. The Drakensberg World Heritage Tour and guided horseback rides are two other fantastic local activities. We strongly advise you to visit the Drakensberg to see the landscape for yourself since it speaks for itself.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is an experience that should be on everyone’s South African bucket list because of its iconic flat summit, amazing vistas, and exhilarating cableway. Ride the aerial cableway up to the rocky plateau, which is covered in lush Cape fynbos. Once there, you will be able to take in the breathtaking views of Cape Town’s beaches and beyond.

While you’re at it, why not add the famous hiking trail, Lion’s Head, to the list? You’ll probably work up a sweat, but when you reach the top, you’ll be treated with one of the most breathtaking views the city has to offer. We’d say it’s 100% worth the exertion.

Guest Reviews

Thanks to the management at Kruger Gate Hotel for assisting us when our plans went completely wrong! Thanks for taking care of us.

Posted on 06/10/2026 by Google

We had the most incredible and unforgettable stay at Kruger Gate Hotel.

The hotel is ideally positioned close to the Kruger Park gate. We did two full day shared safaris and managed to see the big five which was amazing. Both our guides were fantastic and so knowledgeable. They communicated with others from the hotel to track down lions on our second day which we really appreciated as that was the last of the big five we wanted to see. We were really lucky to see a leopard and a rhino on our very first safari day. We also saw a whole host of other animals and it’s truly an experience that completely exceeded our expectations and we’ll never forget it. We recommend the full day option!

The hotel was also lovely. We used the gym a few times and it was clean and fully equipped. The room was clean and comfortable and had everything we needed. We loved the pool bar and viewing deck and managed to spot elephants, monkeys and hippos whilst enjoying a drink here. Dinner was also fantastic, with plenty of options and provided opportunity to try traditional South African cuisine which we loved. The staff were super friendly and helpful and we would recommend a stay here to anyone visiting Kruger.

Posted on 25/09/2026 by Google

Amazing hotel. Highly recommend staying here. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Breakfast and dinner are amazing, with a mixture of South African, European and American food. You won’t be disappointed. The biggest perk is watching animals in Kruger park right from the pool!

Posted on 24/09/2026 by Hotels.com

Fantastic location and the boma was great

Posted on 05/10/2026 by Expedia.com

An experience of a lifetime from the moment we were greeted at reception.
Our chalet was perfect for our 5 night\'s stay. Staff couldn\'t do enough to be pleasant and helpful. spending time each afternoon on the viewing deck overlooking the river with a drink in hand was an afternoon must before dinner.
Our accommodation was clean and well maintained with a short walk to all on offer.
Cannot recommend more highly for a safari visit

Posted on 03/10/2026 by TripAdvisor

We absolutely loved it, very good service for the price (with AMAZING food at dinner). Good location, good facilities. We recommend it!

Posted on 04/10/2026 by TripAdvisor

The staff with Themba and Prinsloo we’re exceptionally good and made sure we had the best experience. The safari also was amazing with Gibson.

Posted on 03/10/2026 by TripAdvisor

We had such a great time!
Great staff - so friendly and helpful.
Best massage we’ve had in a long time!
Herald Mgiba was our safari guide and he was awesome! Shared great information about birds, animals and plants while we were touring. We let him know what our hopes were as far as things to see and he went above and beyond to make our 2 days with him amazing!
Can’t recommend him highly enough!

Posted on 24/09/2026 by TripAdvisor

This is an amazing hotel. The location is less than a minutes drive to Paul Kruger gate. The staff are all super friendly and efficient.
We didn\'t use the swimming pool because the weather wasn\'t very warm however the views from the pool deck are stunning. We saw hippos, elephants and buffalo amongst others.
The rooms are spacious and the beds are so comfy.
The food in the restaurant is good but quite repetitive after a few days.
There are a lot of people on safari every morning but the hotel manages the flow really well. Special mention to Birgit.
Thoroughly recommend staying here.

Posted on 25/09/2026 by TripAdvisor

The vibe to team to location everything

Posted on 03/10/2026 by Booking.com

Kruger Gate is a brilliant place to stay for visiting Kruger National Park given it is close to the Kruger Gate and so avoids the 45 minute trip from Hazyville. The hotel is extremely comfortable with spacious rooms and a delicious buffet breakfast. The dinner buffet had plenty of choice and it was nice to be able to eat outside with a wood fire. There is a viewing area which overlooks the park and we saw a herd of elephants, buffalo and hyena. We did an afternoon game drive and the drivers keep each other informed of where the best sightings are. The transfers to KMI took around 90-120 minutes.

Posted on 02/10/2026 by Booking.com

The hotel is beautiful. Rooms are decorated thoughtfully and are spotless. The territory is amazing and the views from deck are just mesmerizing. Staff is very kind and welcoming

Posted on 02/10/2026 by Booking.com

Loved the property and the perks that comes with the property viz the breakfast & dinner buffet which is included in the rate and their pool deck overviewing the Kruger National Park. They have a lavish buffet which will definitely spoil you while you are there and you’ll spot animals from their pool deck area. We spotted Hyena, Hippos and Elephants from the pool deck. Also, the Kruger National Park is literally 2-3 minutes away from the property. Loved everything property as they have almost everything from gym to tennis/ golf court etc. Last but not the least, their staff is really good and ensure your requests are taken care of while at the property and also while you are enquiring and understanding things related to the Safari. Special thanks to Bongcheka from Safari desk and Athenkosi for being such a sport and assisting in all my queries wrt game drives and reservations. Also, Nomadic was really kind to us during our breakfast time and ensured we are well taken care.

Posted on 26/09/2026 by Booking.com

Les chalets sont top pour une famille ! Piscine commune aux chalet casiment privative juste en face ! L’hôtel est grands, très bien décorée et de ultimes activités pour les enfants et adolescents Nous devions y rester deux nuits nous avons prolonger de deux nuits de plus !

Posted on 26/09/2026 by Booking.com

Everything!
Staff are so friendly all around.

Posted on 24/09/2026 by Booking.com

The cleanliness, very kind staff especially Pearl by the reception. She was so helpful when we had to change rooms. The dinner buffet - delicious food with variety on each day.
The infinity pool is breathtaking, chilling there with binoculars, viewing animals by the bush was outstanding for my family.

Posted on 24/09/2026 by Booking.com

Wir hatten einen wunderschönen Aufenthalt im Kruger Gate Hotel. Das Zimmer war toll und es hat wirklich an nichts gefehlt. Auch das Buffet war hervorragend – eine große Auswahl und für jeden Geschmack etwas dabei. Besonders beeindruckend war der traumhafte Ausblick von der Terrasse und vom Pool direkt in die Natur. Mit etwas Glück konnten wir sogar Hippos, Elefanten und Büffel beobachten. Ein ganz besonderes Erlebnis – wir kommen sehr gerne wieder!

Posted on 06/10/2026 by Booking.com

O local é um sonho!

Posted on 01/10/2026 by Booking.com

Best location for Kruger national park.
Safaris they offered were great, guide knew his animals and were keen to show the best of the park.
Breakfast and evening meals were varied and delicious.
We will definitely come back to stay again

Posted on 27/09/2026 by Booking.com

O hotel é muito bom. A localização não tem como estar mais próxima do Kruger, só ficando lá dentro. O staff é muito simpático e prestativo. O quarto que ficamos era grande e bem decorado, limpo e confortavel. A qualidade e variedade das refeições é boa.

Posted on 26/09/2026 by Booking.com

This is such a beautiful hotel with the friendliest staff. We loved the location and them organising safaris for us. The inclusive breakfast and dinners were top quality aswell. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to stay in Skukuza.

Posted on 06/10/2026 by Booking.com

Das Hotel ist super, der Pool hat Blick über den nahen Fluss, wo wir Nilpferde und Elefanten gesehen haben. Die Lage direkt am Gate ist sehr gut. Unsere Ganztages-Safari war sehr gut organisiert mit lecker Frühstücks Paket.
Das Essen allgemein war sehr lecker und mit großer Auswahl.

Posted on 27/09/2026 by Booking.com

We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel, although the price was a little steep. The design blends beautifully with the surrounding nature - monkeys and antelopes roam around the property, and you can even watch elephants from the pool.
Breakfast and dinner were simply excellent, with a great variety of food and everything tasting delicious. The service was also very good.

Posted on 26/09/2026 by Booking.com

Die Lage, Personal,Game war super. Viele verschiedene Tiere und Vögel gesehen.

Posted on 25/09/2026 by Booking.com