Numbi Gate

About Numbi Gate

An unusual name - Numbi. The popular south western entrance gate to the Kruger National Park takes its name from the Siswati word for the little milkplum, a small sweet fruit used to make mampoer - an Afrikaans alcoholic drink, a little like brandy in quality.

Did you know? The closest camp to the Numbi Gate is Pretoriuskop. As the oldest camp in Kruger it was the only place to stay in the park back in 1927 when people initially began visiting.

Numbi Gate is set in amongst a series of foothills. As a result it is a popular gate, mainly because of the incredible vistas the hills provide over the lowveld.

But the hills also mean that there tends to be more rain around Numbi. The lush Pretoriuskop sourveld that predominates in the area yields a luxurious grass, known as themeda triandra, also used for thatching the roofs in the camps of Kruger. It is most favoured by browsers , which is why you see so many kudu, white rhino and sable close to Numbi.

Numbi has been described as one of the most appealing entrances because of its place in amongst granite kopies, and the predominance of acacia trees, tambotis and sycamore figs.

The gate is ideal if coming from Nelspruit or White River as it takes less than hour to reach; the entrance serving as a stark contrast to the densely populated rural communities who live on the park's borders.

Visitors have described Pretoriuskop as less commercial than the rather busy and more popular Skukuza, but if you are looking for value for money, cleanliness and a good location, then it is hard to beat.

Drive options from Numbi Gate

• Voortrekker Road, the H2-2
• Napi Road that links Numbi Gate to Skukuza
• The drive around Pretoriuskop
• Albasini road north and on to Phabeni or the S3

Game: kudu, sable antelope, wild dog, Lichtenstein's hartebeest and the brown-headed parrot.