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Kruger is the bigger name and the bigger park — highest wildlife density in the country, the most infrastructure (lodges, camps, paved and gravel road network), and the widest range of tour operators to choose from. Addo Elephant National Park is smaller and quieter, with lower park fees and a layout that's genuinely easy to self-drive, even for a first-timer. Neither is the "better" park — they suit different trips.
Addo works out noticeably cheaper per day if you're covering the fee yourself on a self-drive trip. On a guided multi-day tour, the fee is usually folded into the tour price either way — but it's still a useful gap to know when comparing quotes.
This is the detail most itineraries don't spell out clearly: Kruger sits in a malaria risk area, so prophylaxis is a real conversation to have with a doctor or travel clinic before you go. Addo is malaria-free — one of the few major South African safari parks where that's the case. If avoiding malaria medication is a priority (traveling with kids, medication interactions, or just personal preference), that alone can settle the decision.
Addo is closer to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) — roughly 60km away, making it an easy add-on to a Garden Route trip. It's about 750km from Cape Town if you're driving the full route. Kruger sits in the northeast, most commonly reached from Johannesburg, and its size means more driving time within the park itself between sightings.
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