South Africans will be able to visit participating national parks for free next week as SANParks marks the 21st annual SA National Parks Week.
The initiative will run from 7 to 10 September 2026, giving South African day visitors an opportunity to experience some of the country’s protected natural areas without paying entrance fees.
Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park will extend their free-access period until Friday, 11 September, excluding the weekend.
Namaqua National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony section of Table Mountain National Park and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are excluded from the initiative.
“This highly anticipated South African National Parks 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.
Visitors will need to present a South African identity document to qualify for free entry, while children will also require valid identification.
The offer applies to day access only and does not cover accommodation, guided activities, game drives or other tourism experiences that normally carry additional fees.
SANParks has also cautioned that individual parks may have different conditions and daily visitor limits.
SA National Parks Week was introduced in 2006 as a way of making the country’s protected areas more accessible while building greater public awareness of conservation and South Africa’s natural heritage.
The campaign has since become one of SANParks’ major annual public initiatives.
More than 105,000 people took advantage of National Parks Week in 2025 alone, highlighting the demand for opportunities that make the country’s natural spaces accessible to a broader section of the population.
Visitors are encouraged to check the dates and conditions applicable to their chosen park before travelling.
