South Africa’s Kruger National Park advises visitors arriving or departing via Orpen Gate to use alternative routes.
This follows a press release issued by JP Louw, Head of Communications for SANParks on Monday, 20 April, 2026.
Media statement
According to the statement,
“Orpen Gate is currently inaccessible due to a bridge along the R531 near Wits Rural Facility outside the park which got washed away last night.”
Popular access point
Orpen Gate is a popular access point for visitors to Orpen, Maroela, Tambotie, Talamati, and Satara Rest Camps. It sits on the west-central border of the park, approximately 69 kilometres from Hoedspruit, Limpopo.
Accordingly, the park advises affected visitors to enter or depart using either Phalaborwa Gate to the north, or Paul Kruger Gate to the south.
All other park entry points remain open to traffic.
At the time of writing, SANParks cannot say when it will reopen the gate.
Orpen Gate Inaccessible due to Washed away Bridge along the R531
— SANParks (@SANParks) April 20, 2026
Visitors to and from Kruger National Park are informed that Orpen Gate is currently inaccessible due to a bridge along the R531 near Wits Rural Facility outside the park which got washed away last night. Guests are… pic.twitter.com/opM2zWKgFD
Extent of damage unclear
However, Caxton Network News reported that a large section of the road had been washed away.
The report stated that a “section measuring roughly 15 metres wide and 40 metres deep has been destroyed” near the Wits Rural Facility on the R531.
Further rains and possible flooding expected over the coming days. Accordingly, travellers are advised to drive with caution and monitor weather and travel resources for the latest updates.
Infrastructure issues affecting access to Kruger are usually attended to efficiently, and routes are often restored as swiftly as possible. However, SANParks has not yet provided an estimated timeline for when access via Orpen Gate will resume. We will continue to monitor the situation and do our best to keep readers updated. For the latest park updates and sighting alerts, join our WhatsApp group using the link below: