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Great news for South Africa this Tourism Month!
Kruger National Park has made significant progress since devastating floods earlier this year, with a restored bridge, reconstructed roads, and reopened accommodation indicating the park’s recovery.
Key infrastructure milestones were marked by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister David Maynier on 6 and 7 September, to coincide with the the 21st annual SA National Parks Week where South Africans visited select parks for day visits, free of charge.
Minister Maynier says, “We must use each project as an opportunity to strengthen resilience, reduce vulnerability and ensure that our national parks remain safe, functional and accessible in the face of increasingly severe weather events. Kruger National Park is the backbone of SANParks and a key driver of conservation and nature-based tourism in South Africa. When the Kruger Park succeeds, SANParks succeeds.”
He has also called for greater collaboration between government, SANParks, tourism businesses, financial institutions and infrastructure specialists to develop climate-resilient solutions that could potentially be used across the national parks network.
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Rebuilding after devastating floods
Intense flooding in January 2026 caused extensive damage across Kruger, affecting roads, bridges, tourism facilities, and staff accommodation. The severity of the flooding was enough to temporarily close the park to day visitors as teams assessed the damage and prioritised safety.
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Recovery has been a major undertaking, with infrastructure being rebuilt rather than simply replaced.
· Bridge Building
One of the latest milestones is the restoration of the Letaba High-Level Bridge, which connects the northern and southern sections of the park. Work began on 4 February, and the bridge reopened to traffic on 23 March. Final work, including sand sealing of the road, was completed on 28 August.
The R9.5 million project included reconstruction and stone pitching of the damaged bridge approach, and improved drainage.
· Accommodation Restoration
At Letaba Rest Camp, 25 tourism units have also been restored at a cost of R19 million. The work includes furniture and 10 family cottages, while another 64 units are still being restored and are expected to reopen in phases, with 30 November the anticipated completion date.
· Culvert Reconstruction
Another major milestone is the reconstruction of three culverts – L27, L34 and L35 – along the busy H4-1 tourism route between Skukuza and Lower Sabie.
The road was previously damaged during the February 2023 floods, with sections of the embankment collapsing and temporary detours required while reconstruction took place. The latest 10-month project was completed on 31 July 2026 at a cost of R37.5 million.
The rebuilt culverts have wider openings to handle greater water flows, while stone pitching has been added to strengthen embankments and reduce damage if water overtops the structures.
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Don’t miss out on the Kruger experience
Even if you missed out on National Parks Week, this is your sign it’s time to visit the world-renowned Kruger National Park.
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With nearly 2 million hectares home to a diversity of plants and animals – as well as important historical and archaeological sights – this is an iconic spot to visit during Tourism and Heritage Month.
Visiting spaces such as Kruger supports the people, businesses, and conservation work that make South Africa's tourism economy possible.
Visit SANParks to find out more!
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