Some sections of the Kruger National Park will reopen to visitors from Sunday, 25 January 2026, following an improvement in weather conditions across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced.
SANParks on Friday said the decision follows ongoing safety assessments after recent adverse weather affected access to parts of the park.
Limited access restored
“Considering the improved weather conditions in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, including areas in the Kruger National Park and following ongoing safety assessments, day and overnight visitors are now permitted access to Punda Maria Gate, Babalala picnic site and Punda Maria rest camp as of Sunday, 25 January 2026,” SANParks said.
The partial reopening will allow both day and overnight visitors into the far northern section of the park, which had previously been restricted due to safety concerns.
Camps and gates still closed
However, several key facilities and access points remain closed.
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SANParks confirmed that “Letaba and Pafuri rest camps, including Pafuri border post, remain inaccessible,” while “Phalaborwa Gate also remains closed for day visitors”.
Orpen Gate also remains under restricted access. According to the park authority, “Orpen Gate is still inaccessible and may only be used by overnight guests, emergency services and essential deliveries.”
In addition, SANParks said all gravel roads across the park remain closed until further notice as infrastructure assessments and recovery work continue.
Safety warning to visitors
SANParks warned visitors not to attempt to access closed areas.
“SANParks strongly urges visitors not to remove barricades or attempt to access closed roads, as these measures are in place to ensure visitor safety and to allow for continued infrastructure assessments and recovery work,” it said.
The park authority stressed that access restrictions are necessary to protect both visitors and staff while damage assessments and repairs are underway.
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Ongoing monitoring
SANParks said conditions across the park are being closely monitored and that access restrictions will be reviewed as circumstances improve.
“The situation across the park continues to be monitored, and access restrictions will be reviewed as conditions improve and repairs progress,” the statement said.
Further updates will be communicated through SANParks’ official channels as the recovery process continues.
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