South Africa – Visitors to the Kruger National Park will soon encounter a new dining experience at several popular rest camps after South African National Parks (SANParks) appointed new restaurant operators, bringing an end to familiar brands including Mugg & Bean and Wimpy at two locations.
The changes form part of a broader shake-up of the park’s restaurant offerings, with new operators taking over at selected camps following the expiry of existing concession agreements.
SANParks confirmed in an announcement on 12 October that the former Mugg & Bean at Lower Sabie will reopen as Sabie River Café, while the Wimpy at Pretoriuskop will become Le Lapeng Burgers and Grill. At Berg-en-Dal, Tindlovu Restaurant will be transformed into Eziko Eatery, while Cattle Baron at Skukuza will undergo refurbishment.
In its official announcement, SANParks said the appointments followed a “transparent and competitive tender process” that attracted several hospitality brands.
SANParks Announces New Restaurant Operators in The Kruger National Park
SANParks is pleased to announce the appointment of new restaurant operators at selected camps within the Kruger National Park as part of ongoing efforts to enhance visitor experiences and invest in world-class tourism facilities.
This follows a transparent and competitive tender process that attracted several high-quality hospitality brands. The appointments coincide with the expiry of previous concession agreements and form part of SANParks’ commitment to enhancing visitor experiences and maintaining world-class tourism facilities: https://t.co/p8BkC6kXyx
— SANParks (@SANParks) October 12, 2026
The organisation said the changes were intended to improve visitor experiences and investment in tourism facilities across the park.
“The new operators bring fresh concepts, investment and energy to some of the Park’s most popular camps,” SANParks said, adding that the changes would contribute to economic growth, job creation and an improved tourism offering.
The South African Government News Agency (SAnews) also reported that temporary dining facilities with limited menus would be available during refurbishment periods to maintain food services for visitors.
SANParks apologised for any inconvenience caused by the upgrades and appealed for visitors’ patience while the work is under way.
The changes come as the park seeks to refresh its hospitality offering, although the announcement did not specify individual reopening dates or provide details of the new restaurants’ menus and prices.
The rebranding will affect some of the park’s best-known dining stops, meaning visitors may need to adjust their usual meal plans when travelling between camps.
SANParks said it looked forward to unveiling the upgraded facilities in the coming months.
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Picture: X / @SANParks
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
