Kruger NP: what to do when all accomodation is full?

Hi everybody,

I found some posts on similar problems, but none seems to answer the question directly: what can be done when all accomodation in Kruger is full?

Travel dates: 4 to 6 October
2 people
Accomodation budget: total 1000 ZAR/night at the very max (ideally half that much, no big comfort needed).

Actually there are still some (few) campsites available. A campsite would be fine if I had camping gear, but I prefer not to buy any. Does anyone know about an option to rent camping gear in Jo'burg or in the Kruger area?

I saw that there is accomodation in the towns just outside the park, but the rooms are all quite expensive. How risky is it to just go to Kruger without any accomodation booked?

You can stay outside,and drive in every day....why not? Obviously you will waste some time (and money),but if everything inside is full.....

You can also do a group tour.....staying outside,and being driven in and out every day on safari vehicles.This is a good option if you don't have (and don't want to hire) a car.These range from budget to luxury trips.

You can stay outside, as close as possible to one of the gates.

Just buy a tent, thick blanket (as a mattress) and some pillows and camp. Or if you like doing it hardcore just sleep in your car on your campsite.

Though buying a tent won't go to waste, just donate it to someone in need when you're done.

I am amazed that the Kruger Campsites are fully booked in October. We spent a month camping in Kruger last November and the only campsite which was fully booked was Crocodile Bridge, over a weekend. The further north we went the fewer people, and at Punda Maria there were only a dozen or so tents. Lodges, and 'posh' erected tents were fully occupied, but we had no trouble at all getting a pitch with our own tent.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions! To answer to karystos_exile, it seems strange indeed that everything is booked out in this period. It is only for the week from 4 to 10 October, outside these dates the availability is very good. I have been told it might be because of school holidays.

In the end I have been lucky. I kept looking for availabilities every day and it is true that availability tend to change, perhaps because of cancellations. I found one free spot exactly in the two camps I preferred. In the end I will spend the first night just outside of the park, the second one in Olifants and the third in Skukuza.

So my suggestion for people who will have my problem in the future is: keep checking the availability calendar!