Imagine landing at an airport within Africa’s most reputable national park and you have Skukuza Airport in mind. It’s the only African airport located in a national park — Kruger National Park. Everything about it is a breath of fresh air as it resembles a rustic but luxurious hotel lodge.
Nothing about it points to conventional airports with pimped lobbies and state-of-the-art check-in zones. Skukuza is simple with only three check-in booths and about 400 passengers daily in groups of 20 for both outbound and inbound flights. Comfortable couches in the lobby keep you relaxed as you admire the wit behind the construction of this unassuming airport in Africa’s most famous wildlife safari destination.
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Is Skukuza Airport Inside Kruger?
Skukuza Airport is located in the southern part of Kruger National Park. You hardly realise that you’re in an airfield because there isn’t structural sophistication here like in other airports across the world. It handles not more than 400 passengers daily flying to and from other destinations such as Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
There are couches and a set of neatly arranged tables for passengers to relax. Those who wish to take a step out of this simple lobby that doubles up as a check-in area have an outdoor courtyard with a pool. Services are highly personalized. Departing passengers are personally informed by a staff member of their flight and are escorted to the tarmac to board a plane. Ease of access is one of the major reasons why Kruger remains a top safari destination in Africa.
Skukuza Airport in Mpumalanga, South Africa is the only African airport within a national park. It is located on the southern side of Kruger National Park. Photo./YouTube/Rhino Safaris
When Was Skukuza Airport Established?
Skukuza Airport started operations in 1959, just a year after its construction. Passenger traffic wasn’t as high as it is now forcing a grounding of its commercial operations in 2001. It resumed operations in 2014 following an increased interest in several airlines to fly to Kruger. The number of passengers also increased over the 13 years it halted operations.
Skukuza is in Mpumalanga Province where Kruger National Park is located. It was named ‘Skukuza’ in honour of Kruger’s first game warden James Stevenson-Hamilton who worked tirelessly to popularize the park as a top world safari destination. The airport’s modest design was done by Grey, a Johannesburg-based firm.
Grey focused on ensuring that travellers using this airport enjoy the feeling of being in the African savannah which Kruger is. The firm decorated the airport with natural shapes and an uncomplicated lobby where passengers can gaze at the expansive savannah. Skukuza Airport has a unique architectural design that lets in rays of sunlight to the lobby and they bounce on its neutral colours that theme an African grassland.
A rhino statue welcomes you to the lobby and the traditional round-thatched structure supported by wooden pillars serves as the baggage claim zone.
How Long is the Runway at Skukuza Airport?
Skukuza Airport’s runway is 5,085 ft (1,550 m) long and 98 ft wide. The asphalt runway has a slight slope elevation of 1,034 ft on the northwest side of the airfield and a further 992 ft elevation towards the southeast.
Skukuza Airport in Mpumalanga, South Africa is the only African airport within a national park. It is located on the southern side of Kruger National Park. Photo./Airlink
Skukuza Airport Flight Schedule
Only 10 takeoffs and 10 landings daily between 9 am and 3 pm are allowed daily. Most commercial flight schedules are between O.R Tambo International Airport in Joburg and others to Cape Town only operated by Airlink. However, chartered and private flights are also allowed to Skukuza Airport.
A major rule governing flight schedules to the airport is that inbound and outbound flights take designated approach and departure paths on the single runway to keep the noise levels down. This is part of the airport’s environmental conservation efforts within the park. Another factor is that car rentals only operate during the day.
If you’re unlucky and get past their operation hours, you will have to spend the night on the couch in the lobby. You can sip a mug of coffee at the airport’s mid-sized coffee shop or have a drink at the bar while waiting for your flight.
It costs $120 for a flight ticket to Skukuza from Johannesburg via Airlink while a flight from Cape Town to the park costs $180. Airlink is the only commercial airline operating flights between major South African cities and Skukuza Airport. You can save a few bucks with a few ticket-booking tricks to get cheaper tickets.
When planning a safari to Kruger or surrounding reserves such as Sabi Sands Game Reserve or Lion Sands Game Reserve; Skukuza is the easiest way to get there.
