South Africans will once again be able to explore some of the country’s best-known protected areas without paying an entrance fee when SA National Parks Week returns from 7 to 13 September 2026.
Common eland in Camdeboo National Park/Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE/Wikimedia Commons
The annual initiative, now in its 21st year, gives South African day visitors free access to participating national parks as part of an effort to encourage people to experience and connect with the country’s natural heritage.
SANParks says the initiative attracted more than 105 000 visitors in 2025, highlighting the continued popularity of the annual free-access week.
Visitors will need to present a South African identity document to qualify for free entry. Children under 18 do not need to provide identification.
Free entry does not include activities or accommodation
The free-access initiative applies to day visits only. Visitors will still need to pay the usual rates for accommodation, guided activities, game drives and other paid experiences within the parks.
SANParks also cautions that individual parks may have different entry conditions and visitor limits.
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Which national parks are included?
Most of SANParks’ 21 national parks are participating, although the dates vary between parks.
Cape Region
- Agulhas National Park: 7–13 September
- Bontebok National Park: 7–13 September
- Table Mountain National Park: 7–13 September
- Tankwa Karoo National Park: 7–13 September
- West Coast National Park: 7–11 September
The free access at Table Mountain National Park does not include the Boulders Penguin Colony or the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. West Coast National Park will also end its free-access period on Friday, 11 September rather than extending into the weekend, as the park will be in its active flower season.
Frontier Region
- Addo Elephant National Park: 7–13 September
- Camdeboo National Park: 7–13 September
- Karoo National Park: 7–13 September
- Mountain Zebra National Park: 7–13 September
Garden Route Region
- Garden Route National Park: 7–13 September.
Northern Region
- Golden Gate Highlands National Park: 7–11 September
- Mapungubwe National Park: 7–11 September
- Marakele National Park: 7–11 September.
Arid Region
- ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park: 7–13 September
- Augrabies Falls National Park: 7–11 September
- Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: 7–13 September
- Mokala National Park: 7–13 September.
Kruger National Park
The country’s most famous national park will offer free access from Monday, 7 September to Friday, 11 September. Free access will not extend into the weekend.
SANParks has also confirmed that Namaqua National Park is not included in the 2026 free-access week.
A chance to explore closer to home
While SA National Parks Week is often associated with major wildlife destinations such as Kruger and Addo, the initiative also provides an opportunity to discover less obvious corners of the national park network.
In the Western Cape, visitors can explore landscapes ranging from the southern coast and fynbos of Agulhas to the Langeberg-backed Breede River setting of Bontebok and the desert scenery of Tankwa Karoo. Table Mountain National Park also offers a chance to experience one of the country’s most iconic natural areas without paying the usual day-entry fee, subject to the exclusions.
The week coincides with spring, making it particularly timely for exploring the Cape’s natural landscapes. At West Coast National Park, the annual wildflower season is already underway, although the park’s free-access period ends on 11 September.
SANParks describes the initiative as a way of strengthening public appreciation of national parks and their role in conservation.
South Africans planning to take advantage of the offer should check the conditions for their chosen park before travelling, particularly where free access ends on Friday or where visitor limits and other entry requirements may apply.
Source: South African National Parks (SANParks).
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