SeasonMapKruger National Park (Kruger) weather by month
South Africa
The best time to visit Kruger National Park (Kruger) is May to July — 89/100 in July, 25°C and 1 rainy day. The best season is the dry season, April to October (83/100 on average).
The worst month is December at 65/100 — hot, rainy, clean air. See December →
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Planning the wider trip? Best time to visit South Africa →
Kruger National Park, month by month
Comfort score out of 100 for the kind of trip Kruger National Park is best for, the average high, rainy days and hours of sun a day from the climate normals, and how busy it tends to be.
| Month | Score | Tier | High | Rain | Sun | Crowds | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanJanuary | 67 | C | 31°C | 11 d | 10 h | Peak | 5 |
| FebFebruary | 65 | C | 30°C | 12 d | 9 h | Quiet | 4 |
| MarMarch | 74 | B | 30°C | 9 d | 10 h | Peak | 5 |
| AprApril | 79 | B | 29°C | 6 d | 9 h | Peak | 3 |
| MayMay | 85 | A | 27°C | 3 d | 9 h | Busy | 3 |
| JunJune | 88 | A | 25°C | 1 d | 9 h | Peak | 2 |
| JulJuly | 89 | A | 25°C | 1 d | 9 h | Peak | 2 |
| AugAugust | 84 | A | 28°C | 1 d | 9 h | Busy | 2 |
| SepSeptember | 80 | A | 30°C | 3 d | 9 h | Peak | 2 |
| OctOctober | 78 | B | 30°C | 6 d | 9 h | Busy | 1 |
| NovNovember | 73 | B | 30°C | 9 d | 9 h | Shoulder | 4 |
| DecDecember | 65 | C | 31°C | 12 d | 9 h | Peak | 5 |
What's on in Kruger National Park through the year
Festivals, natural spectacles, holidays and the seasons to watch out for — curated and sourced. The month pages carry the detail.
- January
- Gates open at dawn, shut at dusk1 Jan – 31 Dec (usually)Rule
- March
- Easter self-drive rush25 Mar – 20 Apr (usually)Holiday
- May
- Dry season game viewing1 May – 30 Sep (usually)Season
- November
- Summer migrants arrive1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)Nature
- Malaria season1 Nov – 31 May (usually)Hazard
- Green season1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)Season
- December
- December school holidays10 Dec – 10 Jan (usually)Holiday
Crowds in Kruger National Park in July
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsDry season game viewing, Term 2–3 (winter) break in South Africa, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet