Best time to visit Marloth Park
Marloth Park has a dry, mild winter and a hot, wet summer. Each suits a different kind of trip, and the school holidays matter as much as the weather.
Last checked 26 October 2026
For game viewing, go between May and September. It's dry and mild, the bush is thin and animals gather at the water, and from June to August you're outside the months when antimalarials are recommended. For green bush, young animals and birds, go from late November to March, and be ready for heat and thunderstorms. Whatever the season, avoid the December school holidays unless you book early: by late October, 92% of Marloth's places to stay were already taken for Christmas week.
Marloth Park has hot summers and mild winters. The rain falls mostly in summer. Monthly temperatures and rainfall are on our Marloth Park weather page.
Dry winter: May to September
Winter days are mild and nights are cool, so pack a warm top for early starts in an open game drive vehicle. The bush dries out and thins, and Kruger's animals move towards the rivers and waterholes, which makes them easier to find. The dry winter is the best time for game viewing. Late winter and early spring are especially good, because the rivers and dams are at their lowest and the animals stay close to what water is left.
Gates open later and close earlier in winter. From April to September Kruger's gates open at 06:00, and from May to July they close at 17:30, so a day in the park is shorter. See Kruger gate times.
The June-July school holidays are the busy part of winter. In 2025 SANParks ran day-visitor quotas at the Kruger gates from 28 June to 21 July. Marloth's house prices don't jump in July, though: the middle price for a couple's unit for 2-9 July 2027 was R1,530 a night when we checked, close to November's.
Spring heat: October and November
The heat builds through October. By November it is hot and humid, and the summer rain and afternoon thundershowers begin. The bush is still thin and dry until the rain arrives, so game viewing stays good. This is also a quieter time in Marloth: 359 of the 552 places we checked were still free for a mid-week stay from 16 to 20 November 2026, and hosts run off-season specials. From November the rest-camp gates inside Kruger open at 04:30, an hour before the entrance gates.
Towards the end of November and into December, Kruger fills with newborn animals, and the summer migrant birds arrive.
Wet summer: December to March
Summer is hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms. The bush turns green and thick, which looks lovely but hides the animals, so sightings take more patience. Birding is at its best. Plan your Kruger drives for the early morning and late afternoon, and pick a house with aircon in the bedrooms, because heat is one of the things guests complain about most in summer reviews.
Heavy rain can close roads and gates. Floods closed Crocodile Bridge gate to day visitors from 14 to 21 January 2026, and Marloth guests had to use Malelane gate instead. Check the SANParks news page before a summer Kruger day.
February, after the schools go back, is quiet. On 26 October 2026, 461 of the 552 Marloth places we checked were free for a mid-week stay from 8 to 12 February 2027.
Malaria
Marloth Park and Kruger are in a malaria area. The national malaria map gives the Malelane to Komatipoort area a rating of moderate risk. It recommends antimalarials for travellers from September to May, so June to August falls outside that period. Speak to a doctor or travel clinic before you go. Whatever the season, cover your arms and legs from sunset and use repellent. More on our malaria page.
School holidays and long weekends
South African school holidays decide how busy Marloth and the Kruger gates are. These are the next ones:
| Holiday | Dates |
|---|---|
| December holidaysSchools close 9 Dec and reopen 13 Jan | 10 December 2026 to 12 January 2027 |
| March and Easter holidaysGood Friday is 26 March 2027 | 20 March to 5 April 2027 |
| Winter holidays | 26 June to 19 July 2027 |
Last checked 26 October 2026
In the festive season and other busy periods, SANParks limits day visitors at each Kruger gate and asks them to pre-book a time slot for a fee. Overnight guests inside Kruger aren't affected. If you're staying in Marloth over a school holiday, pre-book your Kruger days as soon as SANParks opens bookings. Our quotas and pre-booking page has the details for each season.
Prices and places free through the year
We checked the same Marloth Park stays across the year on 26 October 2026:
| Dates | Places free of 552 | Couple's unit, middle price | Sleeps 4-6, middle price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-week, 16-20 Nov 2026 | 359 | R1,500 | R1,700 |
| 19-21 Dec 2026, 2 nights | 83 | R1,920 | R2,550 |
| Christmas week, 19-26 Dec 2026 | 42 | R1,920 | R2,266 |
| New Year, 28 Dec 2026-2 Jan 2027 | 42 | R1,895 | R2,391 |
| Mid-week, 8-12 Feb 2027 | 461 | R1,700 | R1,950 |
| Easter, 25-29 Mar 2027 | 357 | R1,825 | R2,000 |
| Winter holidays, 2-9 Jul 2027 | 396 | R1,530 | R2,000 |
Last checked 26 October 2026
December is when prices rise, but finding a place is the bigger problem: only 42 places were left for Christmas week. Easter and the July holidays still had plenty of choice at close to normal prices. For what a whole trip costs, see what a Marloth Park trip costs.
Which season suits you
Go in winter, from May to September, if seeing animals in Kruger is the main reason for your trip. Avoid the July school holidays if you can, or pre-book your Kruger days.
Go in October, November, February or March if you want a quiet Marloth, a wide choice of houses and off-season specials, and don't mind the heat.
Go in December if it's the only time your family can get away. Book the house months ahead, choose one with aircon and a pool, and pre-book your Kruger days.