Frequently Asked Questions

South Africa is worldwide known and famous for its unique and breathtaking nature, culture and landscapes.

– Over 3000 km of coastline from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean with fantastic swimming and diving spots
– 24 national parks (including the world-famous Kruger Park) and countless private game reserves and hunting farms with an unimaginable variety of animals and plants
– A fascinating mountain world with peaks up to 3450 m high
– Diverse other landscapes, including the famous coastal landscapes, pitoresque cultivated landscapes with the wine route, macadamia, pecan, citrus, avocado and other plantations, various grass, bush and tree savannahs, as well as the Kalahari Desert
– Fascinating pulsating cities characterized by the most diverse cultures from Africa, Asia and Europe
– An unparalleled infrastructure for Africa with a very well developed road network and many airports
– South Africa is pretty much south of Europe and therefore in the same time zone. You can get on the plane in the evening, be in South Africa the next morning and usually don’t even need to change the clock.
– Very well developed security and health infrastructure

For many people, a visit to Kruger Park is a lifelong dream. Some guests immediately feel a deep inner connection with the landscape and its animals. Countless award-winning reports and animal portraits have been and continue to be filmed here by the BBC and the world’s best wildlife filmmakers, among others. A drive through Kruger Park is also a journey into the past. As if from a time capsule, you look at a landscape and animals that our ancestors experienced many thousands of years ago.

Kruger Park is home to about 147 species of mammals, 492 species of birds, 118 species of reptiles, 34 species of amphibians and 50 species of freshwater fish. Of course, this also includes the Big 5 with elephant, rhino, leopard, buffalo and lion, which you can even see all in one day if you are lucky. There are 336 species of trees and a total of 1982 species of plants.

The actual core of the Kruger National Park is with approx. 20,000 km² already about as large as e.g. Israel. In the meantime, Kruger Park has also been connected with areas in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and is now part of the “Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park” with approx. 35,000 km². Added to this are many thousands of square kilometres of private game reserves that no longer have proper fences or no fences at all to the Kruger Park, thus forming the Greater Kruger Park. Altogether, this results in an area that is about as big as Switzerland!

Within its boundaries, Kruger Park offers a variety of freely accessible opportunities for recreation and relaxation, with accommodation, pools, cinemas, restaurants, shops and picnic areas.

The transport infrastructure is unique. The main routes are asphalted and therefore passable with any vehicle. In addition, there are gravel and mountain roads for which you may need a little more ground clearance.  You can also fly directly into the Kruger Park. There is a beautiful airport in Skukuza, which can also be approached by smaller jets.

A number of safety measures ensure that you can feel safe everywhere in the park:

– Extensive controls at the entrance
– No alcohol allowed in the park
– Strict, regularly monitored speed limit
– Camps are fenced
– Picnic areas are checked every morning
– Disembarkation is prohibited everywhere outside the camps and picnic areas with a few exceptions
– In case of danger like diseases or natural disasters the park or parts of it are closed.
– There are rescue services with vehicles and helicopters.

You have the option of either driving through the park in your own vehicle or a rental car, or being driven in an open safari vehicle by trained nature guides.

You can stay overnight in the park in various state or private camps and lodges. This makes tours of several days through the park and into different regions possible. However, it would take several months to cover all the routes.

In and around Kruger Park, you will find a whole range of accommodation options in many different categories. From shared rooms for backpackers from about 20 € (350 SAR) per person per night to hotels with up to 4.000 € (70,000 SAR) per person per night, you have a wide choice. However, it will be difficult to find a comparable good ratio of quality and price as with us. We are prepared for the demands and wishes of our guests and the special features of the Kruger Park on such a high level like hardly any other lodge.

– The Kruger Eden Lodge is located in Marloth Park and is therefore part of the Greater Kruger.
– We are located in the southern region, which is known for its particularly high biodiversity and number of individuals as well as excellent observation sites.
– Marloth Park is a private nature reserve covering approximately 4,000 hectares.
– Many animals and plants can already be observed from our terraces and the exclusive guest room patios.
– In our beautiful garden there are roaming wild zebras, blue wildebeests, bushbucks, impalas, kudus, baboons, vervet monkeys, mongooses, warthogs and other species of mammals, as well as countless butterflies and birds, including some spectacular species such as the paradise flycatcher and various hornbills. In the evening the bushbabies come to visit our lodge.
– Many other species can also be observed in Marloth Park, such as giraffes and ostriches. There are no Big 5, so (during the day) you can also walk, jog and cycle.
– Marloth Park encloses Lionspruit, a separately fenced nature reserve that is even home to rhinos and lions.
– We have the shortest route to the Kruger Park gate of any of the lodges in Marloth Park.
– We offer the ultimate in privacy and tranquility:
 — Only 8 exclusive guest rooms plus 2 luxury bungalows are spread over a very large area of approx. 2 hectares.
 — All rooms have their own terrace, have different lighting scenarios and are screened from other rooms
 — We have a “quiet hotel philosophy”
– All rooms are of a very high standard and have excellent and comprehensive facilities (see the room overview for a complete list of our services and benefits)
– We offer different room categories from double rooms to suites and apartments to luxury tents and bungalows.
– We offer a 24-hour arrival
– We offer unbeatable value for money
– Breakfast is included (not for the bungalows), half board and full board are possible
– Safaris/game drives are organized by us
– We have organized a variety of protective and security measures so that you can enjoy your time with us safely and carefree.
– We live sustainability and keep the ecological footprint of our guests small

Although every now and then someone from overseas comes to South Africa by boat or car, most will probably arrive by plane. Almost all major airlines fly directly or via their hubs to Johannesburg. From there you have various options:

– Rental vehicle (approx. 425 km to the lodge, left-hand traffic) – Ideal if you are planning a self-drive tour through the east and south-east of South Africa or to Swaziland and/or Mozambique.
– Flight to Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport) – Approximately 1 hour from Kruger Eden Lodge. Continue by rental car or request shuttle.
– Flight to Skukuza – A Fantastic Experience! You land directly in the Kruger Park and have the first safari on the way to the Kruger Eden Lodge.
– Shuttle bus: Sit back, relax and let the landscape glide by. (We can organize transfers to and from all airports listed above.)

For tourists arriving from Germany, Eurowings Discover offers flights directly from Frankfurt to Kruger Park from November to March.

Each season has its advantages and disadvantages. There can be warm days all year round, but it is particularly hot in summer. In winter, on the other hand, it can sometimes be cool even at daytime.

Spring: September till December
– Start of the rainy season
– Pleasant temperatures
– Everything turns green
– Still good views on the animals in the bush
– High animal activity
– Migratory birds arrive
– Peak season

Summer: December till March
– Rainy season
– Significantly warmer, partly very hot
– Everything dense and green
– Many young animals
– Particularly many species
– Loud nature concert in the evening
– Less cooling in the evening
– Many birds and insects

Autumn: March till June
– Beginning of the dry season
– Milder temperatures
– Less rain
– Still a lot of green
– Deteriorating visibility of the animals

Winter: June till September
– Dry period
– Much less green
– Good visibility because little grass and leaves
– Animals often at the water holes
– Partly quite cool in the evening and at night
– Fewer insects and birds
– Little or no mosquitoes
– Controlled fires for natural regeneration

Those who wish can be exclusively pampered by us with culinary delights

– An extensive breakfast buffet is always included in the room rate (not included for the bungalows)
– In addition, we offer daily dinner and/or lunch
– You can also experience a traditional braai in our enclosed boma
– The bungalows are exclusively equipped with a kitchen
– For on the way we offer packed lunches
– For those who wish to dine out, there are a number of restaurants in Marloth Park and the surrounding area.
– Self-catering can be found in various stores in our vicinity as well as in and around Kruger Park

You can book directly on our website and save money.

You can also find us on the relevant booking portals.

The Wildcard is valid for 365 days and for all national parks in South Africa, which are united under the umbrella of the “Sanparks” (abbreviation for South African National Parks).  From the 6th day’s visit to any of the national parks, the annual pass becomes cheaper. It can then be renewed on subsequent visits from that date. 

Clearly No 1 of all activities in our area are safaris to the Kruger Park (half day, full day, several days with overnight stay in the park, night safari).

Furthermore we recommend:

– Gamedrive in Marloth Park (along the fence to Kruger Park)
– Walking in Marloth Park with lots of exciting animal observations, even over short distances
– Safe hikes in the nearby mountains with waterfalls
– The “Elephant Whisperer” with close contact to elephants
– Various small zoos and terrariums
– Nelspruit Botanical Gardens, in a great location between waterfalls and rapids
– Events with African culture
– Sightseeing flights with helicopters, ultralight aircraft or small airplanes
– Sports:
–> Sports in the in-house gym (only from 2023)
–> Golfing (See ‘Golfing in and around Kruger Park’ for details)
–> Jogging
–> Hiking
–> Cycling
–> Quad tours
–> Fishing (Tigerfish etc.)
–> If you want to see ball sports without whining actors: Rugby in the stadium of Nelspruit!

Many tourists who come to South Africa want a round trip. Here are some recommendations:

– Cape Town
– Garden Route
– Indian Ocean
– Wine Route
– National Parks Tour
– Mountains
– Mozambique/Lesotho/Swaziland

This depends mainly on what plans you have. If you want to tick off Kruger Park on your “Places To Go” list, you can get by with 2 nights. Those who are on a round trip and/or want to see the Big 5 should plan on about 3-4 nights. Of course, for anyone who wants to see special or very rare species, the chances increase with each additional day. Even after 1 month, you will make new fascinating observations every day that you may have only seen in documentaries. There are enthusiastic Kruger Park fans who have been visiting the park almost daily for years.

Since Marloth Park is a nature reserve, pets are not allowed.

Suitable clothing depends mainly on the time of travel. Please read the tips on the best time to travel.

There are no general prescribed medications or vaccinations for visiting South Africa or Kruger Park. (Please see Covid updates.)

Any individual requirements depends mainly on what other destinations you coming from or going to, the time of year and individual conditions and behavior. Please seek medical advice before traveling if necessary.

South Africa does not exactly have the best image in terms of security and actually ranks rather unfavorably in the global crime statistics. However, it is worth taking a closer look at the numbers and the background. Before the Corona Year 2020, about 15 million tourists came annually, making South Africa one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa. This is a sign that most visitors see a rather low security risk for themselves. This is mainly due to the fact that you can actually do a lot for your own safety. If you follow a few simple rules, such as not driving at night or avoiding precarious areas in cities, etc., the risk decreases considerably. Kruger Park and Marloth Park are certainly among the safest regions due to the reasons mentioned under “Why Kruger Park?” Of course it is important to follow the rules of the parks, e.g. not to get out of the car, keeping distance to animals, not to feed or touch animals and certainly not to injure or provoke them. However, it must be clear to everyone that there is no such thing as one hundred percent safety when traveling, but you don’t have that at home either.

Overview of interesting golf courses in the southern Kruger Region. We can organize shuttles if necessary.

Kambaku Golf Club in Komatipoort
– 20 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– very nice location on the Komati River

Leopard Creek Country Club at Malelane Gate
– 30 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– arrival through the Kruger possible (120 min)
– very nice location on the Crocodile River

Malelane Country Club at Malelane Gate
– 30 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– arrival through the Kruger Park possible (120 min)

Mbombela Golf Club in Nelspruit (= Mbombela)
– 80 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge

White River Country Club between Nelspruit und Hazyview
– 90 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge

Skukuza Golf Club in Skukuza
– 120 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– directly in the Kruger Park at the lake panic reservoir

Sabie River Sun Resort in Hazyview
– 120 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge

Kruger Park Lodge in Hazyview
– 120 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– beautiful facility with hippos in the pond

Pilgrims Rest Golf Club in Graskop
– 120 min travel time from Kruger Eden Lodge
– beautiful mountain views

All bookings must be prepaid except for special arrangements.
Payments can be made via credit card on our website or to our south african or european accounts. (Pleae ask for banking details.)

Cancelation policy
– until 2 weeks before arrival: full refund will be granted (minus card, handling, transfer and bank fees of about 5%) or 100% voucher
– within 2 weeks before arrival: 50% refund will be granted (minus card, handling, transfer and bank fees of about 5%) or 100% voucher
– no show without cancelation: no refund, no voucher

Our lodge is not fenced and pools are very dangerous for animals. They can drown or getharmed by the chlorine when drinking it.

We have many trees on our property and their roots stretch into every inch of soil. We can´t cut them for obvious reasons as Marloth Park is a game reserve and trees are indispensible for nesting, as sleeping trees for apes, monkeys and bush babies, fruit bats, owls etc. especially as big trees are very rare in our region. We even built our houses around and inbetween the trees. These big treess also produce enormous amounts of leaves that would spoil the water.

Pools attract rats, snakes and mosquitoes.

Pools are very often a source of hygienic problems. Monkeys, apes and other animals use it as a toilet, not even mentioning people.

It can only be used a couple of monthes every year as temperatures around winter time are to low in this area and heating the pool would be an irresponsible waste of energy. In summertime on the other hand there is lots of rain.

That is why we offer a better solution that many people even prefer:
A big jucuzzi for private use only. It is cleaned after every use and covered. Just let us know when you want to use it and it will be ready at the time and temperature of your choice.