We did 5 nights in July at Pondoro which borders the Kruger (SAA from JFK to JNB, then a quick flight on SAA express to Hoedspruit)...we had an amazing time. I wrote a full review on tripadvisor (same handle, tfly212) but it was nothing short of extraordinary in every way and quite a good value relative to some of the other private reserves. As for time of the year, from what the trackers and drivers said there are pros and cons to pretty much any time there. It's definitely drier as you get into their winter (northern hemisphere summer) but then its not as lush. PM me if you want any more specifics. Good luck!