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What You Need to Pack for Kruger National Park Game Drives

Preparing for Kruger National Park Game Drives.

One of the greatest nature reserves in Africa is, without a doubt, the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Home to the legendary Big Five and many other species of animals and plant life, the Kruger is a world-class safari destination. Kruger National Park game drives are an experience not to be missed.

Essential Items to Pack for Kruger National Park Game Drives

To get ready for Kruger National Park game drives, there are a few essentials to pack to make the most of your safari experience.

First Aid Kit

When you go on safari, it’s exciting to get up close to the natural world. However, since you are in a remote area, basic medical supplies may not always be on hand. In order to be ready for anything that may arise, we advise that you bring a small first aid kit with you that contains necessities like painkillers, plasters, nausea and stomach relief tablets, as well as an anti-histamine cream.

Insect Repellant

As you will be immersing yourself in nature, expect to see insects. Apply a bug repellent before heading out on safari. Pack additional insect repellent if any portion of your safari takes place before or after dawn, since mosquitoes prefer to emerge during these times.

Because the Kruger National Park is a malaria risk area, mosquito repellent alone won’t be sufficient. Be sure to also start taking the appropriate malaria tablets before leaving for your trip.

Map Book

A map book is essential for navigating your way through the park during self-drives. But it is also highly recommended for guided tours to give you a better sense of your environment and any special stops to look out for. A map book can be purchased at the curio shop at the Kruger Gate Hotel.

Comfortable Clothing

There are a few useful considerations when you put together your ideal game drive attire. First, stay away from bold colours. The ideal colours to wear are neutral earth tones like brown, tan, or green, since they will help you blend in with the environment. In dry, dusty environments, white clothing will quickly show dirt, so it’s best to avoid wearing white. Clothing that is comfy and free flowing is recommended.

Dress appropriately for the season and environment as well. For instance, if you’re embarking on an early morning game drive, you should dress in layers. A thick jacket is a must since the weather is often warm during the day and chilly at night. We advise you to bring some lightweight rain clothes to keep you dry during the rainy season.

Sunglasses and Sunscreen

International visitors to Kruger may not be accustomed to the African sun. Even in the winter, there are many sunny days in South Africa, so be sure to protect your skin since the sun may be quite severe. If you don’t use sunscreen before a multi day safari, you’ll become sunburned. Bring a wide-brimmed hat, high-SPF sunscreen, and sunglasses. If you don’t bring them, you’ll regret it.

Comfortable Shoes

A good pair of sneakers or hiking boots can help you make the most of your safari experience, whether you’re on a wildlife drive or a walking safari. However, for the most part, you won’t need hiking boots on a game drive, as you’ll spend most of your time in the vehicle. But, you will still need to wear comfortable shoes that can handle the terrain. Pack comfy shoes and breathable socks. As the days become hotter, your feet need to breathe.

Camera and Binoculars

You definitely need to bring a camera in order to record those breath-taking moments during Kruger National Park game drives at the Kruger Gate Hotel. A camera with a wide angle is best, but you can also use your smartphone. You may also want to pack binoculars. But travelling light provides a better experience. It is advisable to bring a lightweight pair of binoculars since larger ones might be inconvenient to carry.

How to Book a Game Drive

With these items packed, you’re ready for the trip of a lifetime! Game drives can be booked at the Safari Desk at the Kruger Gate Hotel, or visit the website to see our price list and book a game drive online. For a truly immersive game drive experience, we recommend booking a full day safari, while the three hour game drive is a perfect introduction for newcomers.

If you’re wondering what animals you may be able to spot during your game drive besides the Big Five, read our blog article “5 Rare Animals You Can See in the Kruger National Park”

Guest Reviews

Nice

Posted on 11/06/2025 by Google

I highly recommend this hotel. It is one of a kind. Feels like you are surrounded by bushes and wild animals but in actual fact its one of the safest places to go relax and revive.

Posted on 11/06/2025 by Google

I had an incredible three-night stay at Kruger Gate Hotel, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed, ensuring a restful retreat after days of exploration. The food was exceptional, offering a variety of delicious options that truly enhanced the experience.

The Viewing Deck was an absolute highlight—especially at night, where I had the surreal experience of seeing hyenas, hippos, impalas and elephant roaming nearby. It felt like an intimate connection with the wild, something you don’t often get in a hotel setting. To top it all off, we were treated to a private dining experience on our final night, set at the same breathtaking deck area.

This stay was nothing short of unforgettable, and I sincerely hope to return in the future. If you’re looking for a luxurious yet immersive safari experience, Kruger Gate Hotel is the perfect choice!

Posted on 10/06/2025 by Google

We stayed here for 4 nights a couple of days ago and can highly recommend it. It’s right on the edge of the park with a great view of the river and surrounding area inside the park. So you can basically watch elephants play in the water while relaxing at the pool with a drink. We even heard a lion roar at night, so you are just in the middle of nature. All the rooms are split over the premises, so it never feels crowded. The rooms were nice, spacious and clean.
We did one full-day guided safari, which was super helpful with lots of information on the animals (we nearly saw everything we wanted to see in just one day), just beware of the monkeys when you stop for a picnic break. Never leave anything in an open car, they will be all over it and raid your stuff :)
The other days we did self drives, which was also great, we saw so many animals (all of the big 5, but so much more as well) and landscapes, which was impressive. The entrance to the park is literally 2 minutes away, so all very close.

The spa in the hotel was great, a huge selection of food for breakfast and dinner as well and the staff was very friendly and helpful. At dinner, they are often singing and dancing, celebrating people’s birthdays or engagements and you really feel that they are enjoy being there and having a wonderful time with the guests.

One staff member that stood out to us was our waiter at dinner. Zenda really made us look forward to every evening, he soon knew us by name, remembered our drink choices, was just such a happy spirit and even reserved a nice table by the fire on the last evening for us so we could watch a singing/dancing show we did not know would take place that evening. We would not have seen it from our usual spot.

For us, a dream holiday and we are already planning the next stay with friends and family.

Posted on 06/06/2025 by Google

Our stay at Kruger gate hotel was incredible, an entire experience that felt totally surreal. The staff were so hospitable and so welcoming, we couldn’t have asked for more. Everyone was so friendly and the atmosphere here was beautiful. I cannot recommend Kruger gate hotel enough to anyone visiting South Africa. A bucket list stop for sure.

Posted on 14/06/2025 by TripAdvisor

Seldom a return visit surpasses prior experiences. They keep on getting better. Will surely be back in the future.

Posted on 09/06/2025 by TripAdvisor

Kruger Gate Hotel each and every member of the team deserve Five stars, pick up from air port was very prompt, checking was very prompt, booking our safari’s where mostly pre booked just needed to confirm on arrival which was easy, as most where early starts the hotel offer a breakfast box which was simply to order the day before and you collect in the morning which a good selection to choose from. We did book an extra safari which we weren’t able to attend due to my wife having a migraine, we thought we lost the money but on checking out the hotel refunded our money which was surprising unexpected. Everything from our room, grounds of the hotel, bar, dining area, view deck, spa, golf course and play area were as we expected all well kept. Dining area Lapa is where we ate during the evening with very good choices to suit everyone’s dietary needs, the staff were hands on at all times, some freshly cooked as ordered. Breakfast dining again catered for everyone’s dietary needs including gluten free food, with plenty of options of hot and cold food and drinks. Bar serviced anything from soft drinks, cocktails, wine, beers, spirits, and even tea and coffee with a very relax setting. View deck one of our favourite places to unwind and relax watch the elephants, hippo’s, giraffes and lions roam freely while we had a drink, there is also a chance to use the infinite pool on the view deck if you wish too, there was also three smaller viewing deckings which where available for everyone to use. Our room was five star very high standard and modern too all house keeping staff worked hard and kept our room clean and turned our bed down every night which is nice touch. Safaris where excellent and the driver would go above and beyond to get you to see the Big Five, with plenty of stops to use the toilets, gave plenty of time for pictures to be taken. Gary & Sarah you have an excellent team who provide a five star service to all of your guest. What a beautiful place to stay

Posted on 09/06/2025 by TripAdvisor

Been going to this hotel for over 40 years. Such good value and the perfect location for the start of the Kruger

Posted on 10/06/2025 by Booking.com

café da manhã excelente ,staff super atencioso ,ambientes super agradáveis

Posted on 09/06/2025 by Booking.com

As instalações do hotel são lindas. O deck com vista para o parque é um espetáculo a parte. Tivemos sorte e em poucas horas pudemos avistar muitos animais. Comida e atendimento impecável. Muita variedade de opções. Os funcionários estão sempre felizes e dispostos a te ajudar. A localização é perfeita para quem está interessado em fazer self Safari, a menos de 5 minutos do portão do parque.

Posted on 06/06/2025 by Booking.com

Localização boa para quem não vai ficar dentro do parque, pois fica logo ao lado do portão Paul Kruger (é só cruzar a ponte). Por estar tão perto e de frente pro rio, é possível ver alguns animais passando perto da piscina, como elefantes (uma família passou por ali de manhã um dia), ou perto dos quartos (como macacos e impalas).
O café da manhã é muito bom, buffet bastante variado com opções feitas na hora (omelete, waffle, panquecas).
O jantar também é um buffet numa área com uma foqueira, bastante variado com opções de pratos africanos e de cozinha internacional. E alguns preparados na hora (wok, queijo quente, smores). Algumas noites tiveram apresentação de dança e música local, muito legal!
O quarto que ficamos era super confortável, cama enorme, banheiro com pia dupla, banheira e chuveiro. Todas as comodidades (frigobar, máquina de café, chaleira elétrica, cofre, secador de cabelo, ameninites) Muito bem decorado também.
Bastante seguro, todos os carros precisam se identificar para entrar, incluindo os carros de Safari.
A piscina fica na area mais próxima do parque, a vista é linda. Piscina para crianças fica num pedaço mais protegido da mesma área.
O spa é sensacional, fazer massagem num bangalô de frente para o rio, super privativo, foi muito relaxante.

Posted on 09/06/2025 by Booking.com

Amazing location. Great equipment. Super comfortable and clean.

Posted on 10/06/2025 by Booking.com

Es war einfach toll. Am Pool viele Tiere beobachtet. Frühstück und Abendessen Buffet. Es hat an nichts gefehlt. Zimmer sind groß und komfortabel eingerichtet. Sehr gute Betten.

Posted on 07/06/2025 by Booking.com