Kruger gate times
When Kruger's gates open and close in every month of the year, why camp gates open earlier in summer, and what happens if you're late.
Last checked 26 October 2026
Kruger's entrance gates open at 05:30 from October to March and at 06:00 from April to September. They close at 18:30 from November to February, 17:30 from May to July and 18:00 in the other months. Crocodile Bridge and Malelane keep the same hours as every other gate.
Gate times by month
| Month | Entrance gates open | Camp gates open | All gates close |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 05:30 | 04:30 | 18:30 |
| February | 05:30 | 05:30 | 18:30 |
| March | 05:30 | 05:30 | 18:00 |
| April | 06:00 | 06:00 | 18:00 |
| May | 06:00 | 06:00 | 17:30 |
| June | 06:00 | 06:00 | 17:30 |
| July | 06:00 | 06:00 | 17:30 |
| August | 06:00 | 06:00 | 18:00 |
| September | 06:00 | 06:00 | 18:00 |
| October | 05:30 | 05:30 | 18:00 |
| November | 05:30 | 04:30 | 18:30 |
| December | 05:30 | 04:30 | 18:30 |
Last checked 26 October 2026
Times can change without notice, so check with the park if your plans depend on a few minutes.
Camp gates and entrance gates
Entrance gates are the gates on the park boundary, such as Crocodile Bridge and Malelane, where day visitors come in. Camp gates are the gates of the rest camps inside the park, which let overnight guests out onto the roads.
For most of the year they open together. In November, December and January the camp gates open at 04:30, an hour before the entrance gates. Someone staying at Lower Sabie can be out on the road while you're still driving to Crocodile Bridge.
Closing time is the same for both. When the gates close, you need to be out of the park or inside your camp.
Be out before the gates close
Leave yourself plenty of time to get back. SANParks suggests planning on an average of 30 km/h, well under the 50 km/h limit on tar, because you'll stop for animals. At that speed the 34 km from Lower Sabie to Crocodile Bridge takes a little over an hour, before the drive home of about 20 min.
- Latecomers at entrance gates are turned away. Late arrivals are only let in for an emergency, and only for guests with booked accommodation at a camp within 10 km of the gate.
- In those cases there's an escort, every half hour until 21:00, from Crocodile Bridge gate to Crocodile Bridge camp and from Malelane gate to Berg-en-Dal and Malelane camps. The fee is R500 per vehicle.
- Visitors who arrive at a rest camp after closing are warned, and fined if they do it again.
If you're staying in Marloth Park, none of the late-entry options apply to you. Plan to be through the gate before closing.
Gate phone numbers
Crocodile Bridge gate is on +27 13 735 6012 and Malelane gate on +27 13 735 6152.
Last checked 26 October 2026
One page for each month
Each month's page has the sunrise and sunset times, that month's holidays and when to leave Lower Sabie.
- JanuaryGates 05:30-18:30, camp gates 04:30. Wettest month, school holidays until 12 January.
- FebruaryGates 05:30-18:30, camp gates open with them. Hot and wet, with no school holidays.
- MarchGates 05:30-18:00. Closing moves half an hour earlier, and Easter and school holidays fill the last fortnight.
- AprilGates 06:00-18:00, half an hour later in the morning. Easter school holidays end on 5 April.
- MayGates 06:00-17:30, the earliest closing time. Dry, mild and no school holidays.
- JuneGates 06:00-17:30, opening half an hour before sunrise. Cold mornings, thin bush, holidays from 26 June.
- JulyGates 06:00-17:30. Clear, dry days and good game viewing; school holidays until 19 July.
- AugustGates 06:00-18:00, half an hour later closing than July. Driest month, game at the waterholes.
- SeptemberGates 06:00-18:00. Dry and warming up; Heritage Day weekend and school holidays from 23 September.
- OctoberGates 05:30-18:00, back to the early summer opening. Hot, with the first rains.
- NovemberGates 05:30-18:30, camp gates 04:30. New fees from 1 November, no school holidays.
- DecemberGates 05:30-18:30, camp gates 04:30. School holidays from 10 December, and day-visitor quotas at the gates.