Head to a National Park for Free this Week!
South Africa’s 19th National Parks Week launched this past Monday the 9th of September 2024 and ends on the 15th of September (this Sunday) 2024, where select parks will provide free entry to South African Day visitors. During this period free access is granted to most of the 21 national parks under the management of South African National Parks.
FOCUS ON LOCAL
Every year SANParks aims to increase the number of citizens that are granted free access to national parks during this time. Since the start of the programme, some 785 621 South Africans have been afforded the opportunity to enter national parks. The objective is to see these numbers grow year on year.
One of the critical lessons emerging from the past Covid 19 pandemic era is that the domestic market is critical for the success of institutions like SANParks, whose income stream is largely tourism. With National Parks Week the intention is therefore to promote domestic market exposure which should ensure there is greater appreciation, and even a sense of greater ownership, about visiting and enjoying the offering across all national parks.
With this year’s theme being “Own Your National Park”, SANParks intends to encourage greater visitor numbers to the national parks throughout the rest of the year.
The free access to the parks does not include accommodation or any commercial activities in the park. Table Mountain National Park free access excludes Boulders Beach and the Table Mountain Cableway. Kruger, Addo Elephant, Augrabies Falls, and West Coast National Parks will only have free access until Friday 13 September 2024.
LIMITED ACCESS TO SOME PARKS
The central feature elements of the National Parks Week campaign is free access granted to all South African day visitors carrying their official identity documents. Young persons under the age of 16 will be allowed free access without proof of identity.
Here is the full list of the South African National Parks and their various dates.
