Kruger gate times in May
May 2027 gate times, with sunset in Marloth Park and the time to leave Lower Sabie so you're out before the gates close.
In May, Kruger's entrance gates open at 06:00 and every gate closes at 17:30, Crocodile Bridge included. The camp gates open at the same time. From May to July the gates close half an hour earlier than in April.
May gate times
| Gate | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance gatesCrocodile Bridge, Malelane and every other gate | 06:00 | 17:30 |
| Camp gatesFor guests staying inside Kruger | 06:00 | 17:30 |
Last checked 26 October 2026
Sunrise and sunset in Marloth Park
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2027 | 06:15 | 17:25 |
| 31 May 2027 | 06:30 | 17:11 |
Last checked 26 October 2026
The gate opens in the half-light before sunrise, 15 minutes early on 1 May and 30 minutes early by the end of the month. The sun sets before the gates close, so you'll drive back to Marloth Park in the dark. Take it slowly on the Marloth roads, because the animals are out on them at night.
Holidays in May 2027
Workers' Day, 1 May, is a Saturday in 2027, so there's no long weekend. There are no school holidays either. Schools are in term from 6 April to 25 June 2027.
What May is like in the park
The rain drops off sharply in May. At Skukuza in Kruger the average high is 28 °C and the average low 10 °C, with about 16 mm of rain. Mornings are cool, so take a jacket for the drive to the gate. Impala are still rutting and wild dogs are breeding, and the white-backed vultures are on their nests.
When to leave Marloth
Allow about 20-30 min from Marloth Park to Crocodile Bridge, and leave by 05:30 to be there when the gate opens at 06:00.
On the way back, Lower Sabie is 34 km from the gate, a little over an hour at the 30 km/h average to plan on. With the early closing, leave Lower Sabie by 16:15 to be through Crocodile Bridge before 17:30.
The day fee is R140 for a South African adult until 31 October 2027; Kruger fees has the other rates.
Other months: April, June or the whole year.