South Africans can explore some of the country’s wildest landscapes without paying a conservation fee this week, as SANParks Week returns from 7 to 13 September 2026.
While Kruger National Park is likely to be the first name that comes to mind, the annual initiative opens the gates to a much wider selection of national parks – including some of the country’s lesser-known conservation gems.
From the red-rock landscapes of the Karoo and the ancient baobabs of Mapungubwe to the vast skies of Tankwa Karoo, SA National Parks Week is a chance to discover somewhere different without paying the usual day-entry fee.
The free-access initiative applies to South African citizens visiting participating parks as day visitors. Visitors aged 18 and older need to present a valid South African ID, while children under 18 need valid identification in the form of a birth certificate.
Here are some of the national parks worth putting on your list.
Tankwa Karoo National Park
If your idea of a national park involves wide-open spaces rather than crowds of tourists, Tankwa Karoo is an excellent place to start.
Situated in the stark landscape between the Western and Northern Cape, the park is known for its rugged Karoo scenery, enormous skies and feeling of isolation.
During SANParks Week, visitors can explore the park from 7 to 13 September without paying the usual conservation fee. It is particularly suited to travellers looking for scenery, photography, stargazing and a slower escape from city life.
SANParks highlights Tankwa Karoo’s dark skies and opportunities for astro-tourism, as well as its 4×4 routes.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Mokala National Park
Rhinos and camel thorn trees at Mokala National Park/amanderson2/Wikimedia Commons
Just outside Kimberley, Mokala is an easy park to overlook in favour of South Africa’s bigger-name reserves, but it offers an opportunity to experience a different side of the country’s wildlife.
The park’s landscapes are characterised by open grassland, koppies and camel thorn trees, with wildlife including black and white rhino, buffalo and a variety of antelope and birdlife.
SANParks says visitors during National Parks Week can make use of activities such as hiking trails, self-guided game drives and birdwatching, while its interpretation centre provides an opportunity to learn more about the park.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Camdeboo National Park
Common eland in Camdeboo National Park/Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE/Wikimedia Commons
Wrapped around the historic Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet, Camdeboo National Park combines dramatic scenery with wildlife and one of the Eastern Cape’s most recognisable natural attractions: the Valley of Desolation.
The park’s dolerite cliffs and sweeping views make it a particularly good choice for a scenic day trip. Visitors can also enjoy self-drive game viewing, birdwatching, hiking, picnic spots and 4×4 routes.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Mountain Zebra National Park
Link Road at Mountain Zebra National Park/Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE/Wikimedia Commons
Near Cradock, Mountain Zebra National Park offers the chance to see one of South Africa’s most distinctive antelope in a landscape of mountains, grasslands and valleys.
The park is also known for its birdlife, with SANParks highlighting more than 250 bird species, while visitors can explore on self-drive game-viewing routes or make use of walking and 4×4 trails.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
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Mapungubwe National Park
Mapungubwe National Park/Laura SA/Wikimedia Commons
For travellers interested in the intersection of wildlife, landscapes and history, Mapungubwe offers something very different.
The park lies at the meeting point of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers, where South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe converge. Its landscape includes sandstone formations, riverine forests and enormous baobabs.
It is also home to Mapungubwe Hill, an important archaeological site that provides insight into an early complex society that flourished in the region between approximately 900 and 1300 AD.
The catch is that free park entry does not mean every attraction inside the park is free. The Mapungubwe Hill activity is a paid experience and needs to be booked in advance.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Zebras in Golden Gate Highlands National Park/By: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images
The sandstone cliffs and golden-hued mountains of Golden Gate make this one of the country’s most visually distinctive national parks.
Located in the northeastern Free State, the park is a good option for travellers wanting mountain scenery rather than a traditional safari. Hiking, scenic drives, horse riding and other activities are available, while the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre offers another reason to visit.
Some activities, including the recently launched Zipline Adventure, are paid for separately, so the free-access offer should not be confused with free access to everything inside the park.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Marakele National Park
Marakele NP, Limpopo, south africa / Bernard DUPONT / Wikimedia Commons
In Limpopo’s Waterberg region, Marakele offers mountain scenery and wildlife in a landscape that feels a world away from the better-known safari destinations.
One of the highlights is the Lenong viewpoint, which sits at 2,088 metres above sea level. Visitors can also self-drive through the park and potentially encounter members of the Big Five.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
Karoo National Park
Sweeping, arid landscape of the Karoo National Park viewed from the scenic Klipspringer Pass/Moongateclimber/Wikimedia Commons
Just outside Beaufort West, Karoo National Park is a strong option for anyone wanting to combine a road trip with wildlife and the distinctive landscapes of the Great Karoo.
Visitors can spend the day on a self-drive game-viewing route, explore the fossil trail, stop at picnic areas or visit the park’s interpretive centre. The fossil trail is particularly worthwhile for families and anyone interested in the geological history of the Karoo.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
And don’t overlook the Garden Route National Park
Garden Rourte National Park, Tsitsikamma section/Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons
The Garden Route National Park is another option worth considering, particularly for people already travelling along the southern coast.
The park’s Wilderness, Knysna and Tsitsikamma sections are participating in SANParks Week from 7 to 13 September. Visitors can explore the area’s forests, coastline and trails, including the newly refurbished Storms River Mouth Suspension Bridge in the Tsitsikamma section.
Free entry dates: 7–13 September 2026.
What to know before visiting a national park for free
The most important thing to remember is that free entry does not mean a completely free day out.
Who qualifies for free entry?
The initiative is aimed at South African citizens visiting participating national parks as day visitors.
Adults aged 18 and older need to show a valid South African ID. Children under 18 need valid identification in the form of a birth certificate.
What exactly is free?
The offer covers the conservation or entrance fee for a day visit at participating parks.
It does not include accommodation, guided activities, game drives, commercial activities or other attractions that normally carry a separate charge.
In other words, you can drive into a participating park without paying the normal conservation fee, but you may still need to pay if you book a guided experience or another paid activity.
Does every park offer free entry for the entire week?
No.
Most participating parks offer free access from 7 to 13 September, but there are exceptions.
Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park will only offer free access from Monday 7 September to Friday 11 September.
West Coast’s shorter period is particularly important for visitors hoping to combine SANParks Week with a weekend wildflower outing.
Are all SANParks included?
No.
SANParks says most of its 21 national parks are participating, but Namaqua National Park is not included in the free-access initiative.
At Table Mountain National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony section and Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are excluded.
The Cape Agulhas Lighthouse is also excluded from the free-access offer.
What about visitor limits?
Free entry is subject to each park’s visitor arrangements, and SANParks advises visitors to check the arrangements for their chosen park before travelling. Individual parks may have different entry conditions and visitor limits.
That makes planning ahead particularly important if you are travelling a significant distance for the day.
A good excuse to explore beyond Kruger
SANParks Week is more than an opportunity to save on an entrance fee. It is a chance to discover some of the country’s less obvious protected areas – places where the experience can be just as much about landscapes, history, geology and birdlife as it is about big-game sightings.
Whether it is the vast silence of Tankwa Karoo, the fossil-rich landscapes around Beaufort West, the mountains of Golden Gate or the archaeological heritage of Mapungubwe, there is plenty to explore beyond Kruger’s famous gates.
With free day access running from 7 September, this could be the week to put a less familiar national park on your itinerary.
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