19 Jan Press Release – Kruger Floods 2026
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Persistent rainfall began in early January across the Kruger National Park, with particularly heavy rainfall recorded in the northern regions. Rainfall has been highly variable throughout the park, and full assessments of infrastructure damage are still underway.
Closures extended for safety and infrastructure assessments as rainfall begins to ease
Rhino Post Safari Lodge anticipates reopening on Wednesday, 28 January, and Plains Camp on Monday, 2 February, following widespread rainfall and flooding across the Kruger National Park. Guests whose bookings have been affected by the closures will receive a full refund, and our reservations office has been actively assisting guests with alternative accommodation where possible.
Plains Camp was cut off by road on 3 January. Where possible, guests were relocated to Rhino Post Safari Lodge, where Plains Camp guides continued to offer walking safaris, weather permitting. Where feasible, once Rhino Post reopens and prior to the reopening of Plains Camp, we plan to offer the same arrangements to displaced Plains Camp guests.
Rhino Post Safari Lodge remained accessible until the afternoon of 14 January, when the last remaining access route (the Alpha Loop between the Sand River high-level bridge and Skukuza) was cut off. Two guests and seventeen staff members were evacuated by SANParks helicopter, and four staff members remain on site at Rhino Post and one at Plains Camp.
Our Sleep-Out experience, which is always weather dependent, will likely be closed for a longer period due to the sensitivity of soil erosion in that area. We will update once this road is accessible and a full assessment has been completed.
While Skukuza Airport is currently not accessible by road, it can be reached via the Shalati Bridge. Airport staff are on hand to assist guests with parking and transporting luggage across the bridge. This arrangement will remain in place until the Sabie and Sand River bridges reopen.
Our reservations office is in direct contact with all affected guests and travel partners to provide regular updates.
No significant structural damage has been recorded at either lodge. However, with ground conditions fully saturated, even light rainfall results in rapid run-off. Several dry days will be required once the rain stops to allow for thorough assessments of roads and infrastructure. Dirt roads must be substantially drier before repairs can commence, as any work undertaken under current conditions would be compromised by seepage. The lodges will reopen only once we are satisfied that conditions are safe and full services can be provided.
The Mutlumuvi River in front of Rhino Post Safari Lodge has a relatively small catchment area and has therefore risen and dropped dramatically on several occasions. Fortunately, it recedes almost as quickly as it rises. In contrast, the larger Sabie and Sand Rivers have much broader catchment areas, resulting in slower rises but prolonged high-water levels. Rainfall in mountainous regions outside the park also feeds into these rivers, which explains why main park access roads are more prone to flooding than concession access roads. As a result, once reopening begins, road access will remain limited, with the extensive gravel roads beyond the concession likely to take longer for SANParks to assess and repair.
Game viewing in the days leading up to the closure was exceptional along tarred roads, with animals moving onto firmer surfaces to avoid waterlogged grass and mud. Guests enjoyed notable sightings of lion, leopard and wild dog during this period.
The concession has been extremely fortunate and extends its sympathy to industry colleagues who have experienced significant damage because of the flooding. Our thoughts are also with the many agents and guests who have had to adapt travel plans at short notice during this challenging and unprecedented rainfall period.
We extend our sincere thanks to the SANParks Disaster Management Team and Air Wing for their assistance and wish them well with the ongoing recovery operations. We look forward to reopening and welcoming our guests back.
Kruger National Park, South Africa – 19 January 2026 Issued by: Nikki Meyer Regional Operations Manager
Reservations: +27 (0)11 467 1886
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