Just like every province in South Africa has a capital city or town, so does the Kruger National Park. Skukuza is the parks official administrative headquarters, home to the majority of the parks senior staff, and the one camp most visitors will stop at during the course of their Kruger Park safari.
Way back in 1898 when the Kruger National Park was known as The Sabie Game Reserve, Skukuza was there. This historical camp got its name from the Tsongo word, Sikhukhuza, which was also the nickname of the parks first warden, James Stevenson-Hamilton. Sikhukhuza means “he who sweeps clean” which is what Stevenson Hamilton did to poachers and outlaws in the area. Today Skukuza is the administrative hub of the Kruger National Park as well as having a wide variety of activities and facilities.
Skukuza offers the tourist a post office, bank, care hire, restaurants, shop and a deli with an internet café. Here is also a car work shop and car wash. Skukuza has a doctor and also a basic first aid centre. There are three swimming pools, one of which is for day visitors.
Skukuza has a large nursery where you can purchase indigenous plants to take home for your own garden. For the more adventurous, Skukuza offers guided bush walks and also game drives. These activities are all done with a well-informed, professional field guide.
For the less adventurous, there is the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library or the Lake Panic Bird Hole. If golf is your sport, Skukuza offers a nine course golf course. For the children, there is a daily screening of educational programs and wild life films.
Skukuza Accommodation and Facilities
Skukuza has a wide variety of accommodation available. If you are a camper, Skukuza has eighty tent and caravan sites, all with electricity points, communal ablutions, kitchen with electric hotplates and washing up facilities. Canvas safari tents on stilts are also available, and they include a fridge, with communal ablution and kitchens also available.
There are 178 African style bungalows with thatched roofs. These have en-suite bathrooms and either a fan or air-conditioning. They also have a small kitchenette area with a washing up sink.
There are also luxury bungalows that have en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, TV with dstv and a riverside view. These have their own kitchen. Then there are also semi luxury units with no river view and a communal ablution and kitchen area.
For the bigger group that wants to share, there is a family unit that consists of four bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bathroom.
Skukuza has fifteen four or six bed units. These cottages have their own kitchen, multiple bedrooms and more than one bathroom. With the cottages, you have a choice of double or single beds.
Situated in prime areas around Skukuza you will find luxury units. These are large guest houses, all with a river view. The kitchens are well equipped with microwave ovens and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. These units all have DSTV televisions.
Skukuza is also equipped with two well-facilitated conference venues. The Goldfields Auditorium is smaller and can seat 158 people. This facility has a theatre style format. The larger Nombolo Mdlhuli Confernce centre can accommodate 750 people and has a range of dynamic seating available.
