South Africans are being encouraged to celebrate the country’s rich natural heritage by visiting participating national parks for free next week, as part of the 21st annual SA National Parks Week.
The annual initiative gives South African day visitors free access to participating national parks during the designated week. SA National Parks Week will take place from 7 to 10 September 2026.
However, at Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park, free access will run from Monday, 7 September, to Friday, 11 September 2026, and will exclude the weekend.
Namaqua National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony Section of Table Mountain National Park and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are not included in the free access week.
“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.
“To qualify for free access, South Africans must present their identity documents. Children must also present valid identification at the gate. Free access does not include accommodation, guided activities, game drives or other tourist activities, as these carry their normal fees,” SANParks said.
Individual parks may have different entry conditions and visitor limits.
For the dates on which specific parks will observe SA National Parks Week and allow free access, visit: https://www.sanparks.org/events/sa-national-parks-week-2026
Since its inception in 2006, SA National Parks Week has become one of SANParks’ flagship public awareness initiatives, attracting hundreds of thousands of day visitors and helping to strengthen public appreciation of South Africa’s national parks and their vital role in conservation.
In 2025 alone, more than 105,000 visitors took advantage of the free-access initiative. -SAnews.gov.za
