Heavy rains prompt safety shutdown at Kruger Park for day visitors

South Africa’s Kruger National Park has temporarily suspended access to day visitors as persistent heavy rainfall continues to affect the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.

The precautionary measure comes after rising river levels made parts of the park unsafe for non-essential travel.

SANParks confirmed that earlier this week, several day visitors were unable to exit the park when a bridge at Crocodile Bridge Gate was submerged due to flooding.

“While all affected visitors were safely managed, the incident highlighted the risks posed by the ongoing weather conditions,” the organisation said.

The park said it would focus available resources on real emergencies and ensuring the safety of guests, staff, and surrounding communities.

“The decision to restrict day visitor access is a preventative safety measure and will be reviewed continuously as weather and road conditions change,” SANParks added.

At present, Letaba Rest Camp is evacuating staff and guests as floodwaters from the Letaba River breach the camp. Phalaborwa Gate has also been closed for at least 24 hours while authorities monitor conditions, restricting access to the northern areas of the park.

Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille expressed her support for affected tourists and praised SANParks and emergency services for their swift response.

“The safety and well-being of our visitors and staff remain our highest priority. We recognise that this situation has been distressing for tourists whose travel plans have been disrupted, and we thank them for their cooperation, patience and understanding during the evacuation process,” she said.

Minister de Lille added that emergency protocols ensured “all necessary safety measures were implemented efficiently and without loss of life” and called on travellers to adhere to safety instructions issued by SANParks.

She reassured both domestic and international tourists that South Africa remains “a safe and welcoming destination.”

Hotel Group Confirms Closures

Meanwhile, aha Hotels and Lodges has confirmed that several of its safari properties have been affected by the recent severe weather conditions experienced in parts of South Africa. 

The affected lodges include Nkuhlu Tented Camp, located on the H4-1 road in the southern Kruger National Park; Buffalo Rock near the Numbi Gate; as well as Makalali Main Lodge and Makalali River Lodge, both situated within the Makalali Game Reserve. As a precautionary measure, all guests were safely checked out of the affected properties. No injuries were reported, and all guests departed without incident, the company said in a statement on Thursday. 

Due to damage to lodge infrastructure and surrounding access routes, the affected properties will remain closed to all arrivals until further notice. During this time, aha Hotels and Lodges, together with relevant technical and operational teams, will conduct comprehensive assessments, inspections, and necessary remedial work to ensure the safe reopening of each lodge, the group said. 

“Further updates regarding the operational status of all affected properties will be communicated as soon as additional information becomes available. aha Hotels and Lodges continue to work closely with park authorities and relevant stakeholders to monitor conditions and manage the impact of the severe weather.

“The safety and well-being of guests, staff, and the natural environment remain the group’s highest priority,” the company said.

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