The best picnic sites in Kruger

There are about 15 picnic sites in Kruger National Park (excluding those at rest camps) and I’m here to tell you the best ones! Once you’re done you may also enjoy some more Kruger wisdom I have imparted on this very website: Best roads in Kruger, where to stay in Kruger and 40 Kruger trips to get the most from your safari. But that’s for later – for now, check out the deets on the best picnic sites in the park.

Here are my top five favourite Kruger picnic sites:

1. Pafuri 

Pafuri picnic site is the most northern picnic site in Kruger National Park. But it’s well worth the drive, because it is absolutely beautiful and in a stunning area of the park. If you are only visiting Kruger once you may not make it up here as the South tends to be the most popular area, but if you’re a semi-regular to Kruger and you haven’t ventured up this far it’s high time you do. Looking out over a river, this picnic spot is quiet, well-run and absolutely beautiful. And not far away you can visit Crook’s Corner, where South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe meet. Enjoy the baobabs, fever trees, hippos and crocs up in this neck of the woods.

This is a total BYO picnic site but as with all, you can hire a gas cooker to cook your breakfast or lunch (as with all picnic sites).

2. Makhadzi

Another Kruger picnic site that is off the beaten track! It took us many, many trips to Kruger before we managed to visit this little gem. Once again it is super quiet (there was no one else there when we arrived, but some people did show up as we were leaving). It’s on a road north of Letaba, heading across the border to Limpopo National Park (via Giriyondo Border Gate), so the downside is if you are staying in Kruger you will need to drive the same road (H15) you came in on, but it’s a relatively nice drive and only about 10km. There were lions nearby when we visited but unfortunately we didn’t manage to find them – still, a very nice picnic site with great toilets and lots of places to eat and enjoy the serenity. BYO.

3.  Mlondozi

Mlondozi picnic site, which is located quite close to Lower Sabie is the only one on my list in the south and by far the busiest of my top five. To get here you head north of Lower Sabie on the H10 and turn off on the S29. The area around this picnic site is quite good for lions but the last time we visited it was inundated with elephants. The picnic site is elevated with a birds-eye view of Mlondozi dam, and we enjoyed a constant stream of elephant herds as we ate our breakfast. It is a smaller picnic site so you will be cooking/eating alongside others but the good news is that it has shelter – great to get out of the weather (sun or rain). BYO.

4. Babalala

Babalala picnic site holds a special place in our hearts because we have had some of our favourite ever cat sightings nearby this gorgeous spot. Cheetahs to the south and lions (twice) to the north.  But the picnic spot itself isn’t too shabby either! Located north of Shingwedzi and very close to Sirheni, it’s popular enough that there’s likely to be 1-2 other groups sharing it with you (depending on the time) but big enough that you have your own space. A gorgeous mahogany tree forms the centre and there is a waterhole nearby but it depends on the length of the grass as to how well you can see it. We’ve seen the elusive Reedbuck here too. Toilets are well kept but don’t spend too long here lest you miss out on some truly amazing sightings on the H1-7 or S56! BYO.

5. Mooiplaas

Another northern gem just south of Mopani – this picnic site is not very busy. The last time we visited we were there by ourselves, looking at over the river. Pretty with good shelter and a good view. I just wish I could find the photos I took of it! BYO.

So you probably have noticed a theme here – I like the picnic sites in the north the best because they are so much quieter and more natural (ie. less man-made chairs/picnic tables).  I also find because they are less busy sometimes the service can be more personal as the attendants in the north have much fewer people to chat to each day! But just in case you are staying in the south of the park and don’t have the time to get to all of these, here are the five most popular picnic sites.

Here’s the (general) top 5 most popular picnic sites in Kruger park:

• Tshokwane:

Tshokwane and Afsaal (next one) are the two most popular picnic sites in the park. Tshokwane recently undertook some renovations and there is now a slightly fancier café/kitchen set up to eat lunch at. On the road up towards Satara from the south it is in prime game viewing territory, particularly for leopards (but great for lions too along with virtually everything else). With two large toilet blocks there usually isn’t a wait to go to the bathroom even with the crowds that congregate here virtually throughout the whole day.  The view here is a bit marred by ranger quarters and also the sheer amount of people around. Monkeys and baboons can also be a huge pest, so you must watch your food or it may get stolen off your plate (it’s happened even to Van). A good place to stock up on supplies and grab lunch if you don’t want to BYO.

• Afsaal:

Also crazy busy throughout the day and less toilets than Tshokwane so you may have to wait for a little while during peak periods. There’s a great café here so you can purchase your lunch if you didn’t bring anything – or you can also cook your own by hiring a gas cooker. The food is pretty good. Given the crowds the monkeys are also a problem here so watch your food at all times. Afsaal is off the H3 north of Malelane gate – excellent game viewing territory and one of the best places in the park to spot cheetah.

• Nkuhlu:

Another very busy picnic site on probably the busiest road in the park (or at least one of) – the H4-1 between Skukuza and Lower Sabie. There is a shop here where you can purchase snacks and supplies, but not a kitchen like at Afsaal and Tshokwane. This area is great for big cats, particularly lions. A nice picnic spot to cook your own food while looking over the Sabie river.

• Timbavati:

Another one of our favourites that would have made it into our top five if it wasn’t for the fact it’s so popular! Around lunch time during busy periods in the park it can be difficult to get a proper park here – though it is a smaller picnic site compared to the previous three. Always well-run this one is not the best during inclement weather as there isn’t much shelter. You have to BYO your own food here, though they do offer drinks for sale. Timbavati is north-west of Satara between the S39, S127 and S40 and there is great game viewing in the area, particularly for lions and leopards – but cheetahs are not infrequent around the parts either. The picnic site has a beautiful view over the Timbavati river. Great place to cook your breakfast after a drive from Orpen, Satara, Olifants or Letaba.

• N’wanetsi:

N’wanetsi is a nice place to stop in if you’ve been on the hunt for the white lion on the S100/S41 or cheetahs on the H6. It’s east of Satara and close to Sweni hide. A pretty small picnic site with a beautiful birds-eye view of the N’wanetsi dam, you have to get in early if you want a table under cover during busy periods. Once again this one is BYO food, but drinks can be purchased.

And the other Kruger picnic sites?

Orpen Dam is really pretty but super small and unattended. I don’t believe you can even access gas cookers here, so it’s truly BYO and from memory the bathroom is a long-drop! So it’s more a view point than picnic site, although there are some seats here where you could enjoy a pre-packed lunch. It’s only a few kms from Tshokwane, so you could always buy some lunch there and come and eat it in more peace and quiet with a stunning view at Orpen Dam.

Albasini Ruins is a bit of a con – I don’t believe this ‘picnic site’ even has toilets. Not attended by staff, but it is right by Phabeni gate which has toilets, staff and a shop.

Nghlanguleni and Muzandzeni are both on the S36 – a very long dirt road that connects the Skukuza area with the Orpen/Satara area. It’s a great road to drive for a bit of a quieter trip and some decent luck with all manner of wildlife – including leopards and wild dogs. These picnic sites are attended and you can hire a gas cooker, but the ‘toilets’ are long-drop and there’s very little shade. They both have interesting views with waterholes nearby.

Masorini – Masorini archaeological site is the only picnic site we haven’t visited as it’s on a 4×4 track close to Phalaborwa gate. If anyone has been there please let me know what it’s like in the comments below!

So that’s pretty much it – a quick overview of all the Kruger picnic sites and what makes each special and worth visiting.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, it is to visit every last Kruger picnic site, return to this article and let us know what your favourites are! ENJOY.