Explore South Africa’s national parks

South Africans are encouraged to visit the country’s wonderful national parks this September, which is Tourism Month.

Free entrance is offered at selected parks during National Parks Week, which is an annual event.

This year, it will be celebrated from 11 to 16 September.

The programme enables people from the communities surrounding national parks who are not able to afford the entrance fee a chance to enjoy these wonderful South African treasures.

During National Parks Week, people will be granted free access to the participating parks as day visitors, where they will get to enjoy the scenery, animals and day visitor facilities, such as picnic sites. Do note, however, that free access to the parks does not include accommodation and other tourist activities.

 The initiative has been running since 2006. It aims to encourage people to ‘know your national park’. Over the past 15 years, close to 620 000 people have taken the opportunity to visit the participating parks for free.

 “The week was established in a bid to cultivate a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, protected by the national parks system,” says SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer Hapiloe Sello.
 SA National Parks Week has been successful in making people aware of conservation issues.

 “This initiative aims to give the public an understanding of the role that SANParks plays as custodian of the country’s natural heritage. If we are to create a sense of ownership of the natural heritage of South Africa in all South Africans, then all South Africans must be able to have access to such. We especially want our young people to take advantage of this opportunity because this heritage will be under their protection in the near future,” says Sello.

SANParks stokvels and travel clubs

Register your travel group or stokvel with SANParks and receive discounts at selected parks and camps. The programme offers adjusted payment terms and discounts.

These travel packages are inclusive of accommodation and activities suitable for travel groups.

Download the forms from www.sanparks.org/tourism/stokvels-and-travel-clubs.php and register your travel group via email at traveltrade@sanparks.org or phone 012 426 5025.

Visit www.sanparks.org/tourism/stokvels-and-travel-clubs.php for more information and terms and conditions on travel groups and stokvel packages.

For more information on SANParks, call 012 428 9111 or visit the website www.sanparks.org/