GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced the dates on which South African day visitors can gain free access to participating national parks during the 21st annual SA National Parks Week.
The annual campaign will take place from 7 to 13 September, giving South Africans an opportunity to explore some of the country’s most spectacular protected areas without paying an entrance fee.
However, visitors to Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park will have free access from Monday, 7 September to Friday, 11 September only, excluding the weekend.
Free access gives South Africans a chance to explore
“This highly anticipated South African National Parks (SANParks) campaign opens the gates of participating national parks to South African day visitors at no charge, creating an opportunity for families, communities, schools, nature lovers and first-time visitors to experience some of the country’s most spectacular protected areas,” SANParks said.
However, not all SANParks attractions will be included in the initiative.
Namaqua National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony Section of Table Mountain National Park and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are excluded from the free-access week.
What visitors need to know
To qualify for free access, South African visitors must present their identity documents when entering participating parks.
Children under the age of 18 will not be required to provide identification.
The free access applies to day-entry fees only and does not include accommodation, guided activities, game drives or other tourist activities, which will continue to carry their normal fees.
SANParks also cautioned that individual parks may have different entry conditions and visitor limits.
When is SA National Parks Week 2026?
The main SA National Parks Week campaign runs from 7 to 13 September, but visitors are encouraged to check the dates for their chosen park before travelling.
For the respective dates on which participating parks will offer free access, visit:
SANParks – SA National Parks Week 2026
More than 105,000 visitors took advantage in 2025
Since its inception in 2006, SA National Parks Week has become one of SANParks’ flagship public awareness initiatives.
The campaign has attracted hundreds of thousands of day visitors over the years and aims to strengthen public appreciation of South Africa’s national parks and the important role they play in conservation.
In 2025 alone, more than 105,000 visitors took advantage of the free-access initiative. – SAnews.gov.za
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