Skukuza is the park’s largest rest camps and administrative headquarters. It is situated on the southern banks of the Sabie River. The camp is well foliaged and there are some lofty riverine trees along the river’s edge.

Activities and facilities are diverse, as are the animals and plants found both within the camp and in the surrounding areas.All of the Big 5 can readily be seen in the vicinity of Skukuza. Wild Dog are often seen in the area.In the camp itself there is a population of warthog. Vervet Monkey also inhabit the camp and can wreck havoc if visitors leave unguarded possessions. At night genet, thick-tailed bush baby and fruit bat are resident in camp. 

The riverfront of the camp is a great place to look for hippopotamus and buffalo, especially in early morning. Although Skukuza is a large and busy camp, the camp hosts an excellent avi-fauna. Scanning the Sabie River from in front of the restaurant can produce Finfoot and Halfcollared Kingfisher. In summer this venue is a hub of activity with a massive nesting colony of Lesser Masked and Spottedbacked Weavers. Green Pigeons are abundant in the Riverine fig trees. In taking a walk along the river’s bank there is a strong chance of encountering Redfaced Cisticola and Spectacled Weaver and, in early the morning, Little Sparrowhawk.

The river walk and a stroll around the rest of the camp could yield Collared Sunbird, Redbacked and Bronze Mannikin, Purplecrested Lourie and three bush shrikes (Orangebreasted, Greyheaded and Gorgeous) may well be heard or even seen. Watching the sky above the river at dusk may reveal Bat-hawk or European Hobby. While the camp itself is riverine, with wonderful large trees such as sycamore fig, jackalberry and Natal mahogany, the surrounding ecozone comprises of thorn thicket on granite/gneiss soils. Knob thorn and sickle bush are prominent.

Campsites: tent or caravan sites, with power point, communal ablutions and cooking facilities, maximum of 6 persons per site.

Safari tents: 2 or 4 bed permanent canvas tents, communal ablutions and cooking facilities, fridge.

Bungalows: round-walled single-roomed African style units with thatched roofs. 2 or 3 beds per unit, equipped with en-suite ablutions (most with showers, but some with baths). Most units have air-conditioning. Kitchenettes vary: some have hotplates and sinks, some have only sinks, while some have neither. All have a fridge. Cutlery and crockery may be provided or can be hired from reception. Visitors should confirm all of the above when booking.

Luxury Riverside Bungalows: bungalows along the river frontage have a more modern design. Still one bedroom, with en suite bathroom, these units have large glass sliding doors providing excellent views of the river and its wildlife. The units each have a double bed, quality decor, air-conditioning and have satellite television offering limited channels. All in all, these units portray a very warm and welcoming ambience.

Family Cottages and Guest Cottages: units with well equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms and usually more than one bathroom. Visitors should confirm bed numbers and interior contents when booking.

Guest Houses: large luxury units in prime positions. There are well equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. Limited channel satellite televisions are provided.

Rates Include:
Accommodation, bedding and 14% VAT.

Rates Exclude:
Conservation Levy, optional extras

Climate:  Skukuza is in a summer rainfall area. Such precipitation is usually convectional and can result in heavy downpours. The summer months (October to April) are hot and often balmy. Winters are warm and mild, although visitors going on night-drives will require warm clothing.

Handy Hints:  Plan your trip – do not try and cover too great a distance. Kruger is a massive tract of land and frequently visitors try to cover too much ground. Slow travel and regular stopping produces much more action than covering a lot of ground.  Early mornings and evening time are usually the most productive game viewing periods.  Remember to bring a camera, binoculars, bird and wildlife reference books, a hat and sunscreen lotion. Also remember to take along medicines such as anti-histamine and lotion for insect stings and bites.   Do not leave any food unattended, as thieving monkeys and baboons are a constant threat.

Take Note:  The speed limit is 50 km/h on tar and 40 km/h on gravel.  Visitors are not permitted to leave their vehicle other than at designated get out points and rest camps.   Pets are not permitted in a national park.  Firearms must be declared at the entrance gate and sealed. The seal will be broken upon departure.   Open vehicles must obtain the necessary permit.   Feeding of the animals is strictly prohibited for your own as well as the animal’s safety and well-being.  Kruger is a malaria zone.

Wheelchair access:  Skukuza Rest Camp:  The reception area is easily accessed. There are curio stalls in the immediate vicinity. Skukuza is the park’s largest camp. It also has the most infrastructure. The camp’s reception area is accessible with drop curves providing access from the parking area to the buildings, which include the reception office, a bank, a post office and public toilets (including a barrier free toilet) amongst others. The auto-bank is up a step and is thus inaccessible for wheelchair users. The camp’s shop, restaurant and cafeteria are all easily accessed in a wheelchair, as is movement along the camp’s perimeter fence adjacent to and overlooking the Sabie River. There are barrier free toilets next to the cafeteria. The camp has several display features such as a museum hut, the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library, an information centre and an auditorium. Only the library is inaccessible. Wheelchair users will need to be pulled up the stairs to access this facility. The camp has eight 2-bed huts with barrier free facilities (6 with showers and 2 with baths). There is also an accessible 6-bedded cottage with bath and shower facilities. 

Nursery:  Access around the nursery is difficult, as many of the aisles are too narrow for passage in a wheelchair. There are no barrier free features present.

Lake Panic Bird Hide:  The hide is badly designed in terms of accessibility for a wheelchair user. There is a gum pole at the hide’s entrance (to reduce erosion), which is difficult to negotiate. The ensuing path to the hide is good at first but then descends down a steep slope and erosion has made the path rough. Once inside however the viewing slot is at an appropriate height and a bench has been removed to allow access to this slot.

Stevenson Hamilton Memorial: This is a get-out point with a path to a memorial plaque. The path passes over and between boulders and is not accessible to a person in a wheelchair.

Nkuhlu: Nkuhlu is a picnic site where a ramp has been specially constructed to allow wheelchair users the opportunity to descend from the parking lot down to the pathway adjacent the river’s edge. There has been no adaptation of any of the other facilities and no barrier free toilets exist at the time of writing.