When to go to the Kruger Park

The Kruger National Park area is a year-round destination, depending upon your interests and preferences. Obviously, wildlife is the main attraction of a visit to the Kruger National Park, so it's important to understand how seasonal variations affect your chances of game-viewing.

The seasons in the Kruger Park area are more usefully defined by rainfall. When planning your trip, don't forget about weather variations! It is quite possible to go for days without rain during the wet season, and to experience wet weather in the dry season.

Dry Season (Winter)

This is usually between May and August, although rainfall starts declining in April and is still fairly low in September and October. This is possibly the best game-viewing period as permanent waterholes attract animals, the vegetation becomes thinned out, and trees don't have so many leaves to obstruct the view.

The climate is comfortable in the dry winter months with warm days and chilly nights. The average maximum temperatures is around 24 degrees in winter, and the average minimum is about 8 or 9 degrees, although it can drop as far as 5 degrees. Take a warm jacket for early morning and evening game drives!

Wet Season (Summer)

From November to March, the Kruger Park area receives most of its rainfall, usually in dramatic afternoon thundershowers. The weather is hot and balmy. Average maximum temperatures are about 30 degrees Celcius, with an average minimum of 20 degrees.

With the arrival of the rain, the grass and folliage becomes lush and green, and while this makes for beautiful scenery, it can also make game viewing difficult. Animals also tend to move away from waterholes because there are now other sources of water.

If you are a keen birder, the wet season is the ideal time to visit the Kruger National Park, as this is when the visiting migrants arrive, and when all the local birds are at their most active. It's also when you'll get to see baby animals, as most animals calve at the beginning of the rainy season to take advantage of the new shoots.

Peak Season (Holidays)

In the Kruger Park, the so-called 'peak season' is just that. Accommodation during these times needs to be booked well in advance. Space is at a premium, as the Kruger Park has started to implement a daily limit on the number of visitors allowed into the park. If you have prebooked accommodation at one of the safari lodges in the park or in one of the private game reserves, you don't need to worry about this.

The Kruger Park is always a popular destination for South Africans. During the school holidays, particularly Christmas, Easter, and in July, it can become rather crowded. There are sometimes even traffic jams on some of the major routes! If you want to visit during these times it would be a good idea to stay at a private lodge in a concession, or to visit one of the private game reserves instead.

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