SA National Parks Week returns for its 21st year, running from 7 to 13 September 2026, giving South African day visitors free entry to most participating national parks nationwide.

All you need is a valid South African ID book or smart ID card at the gate.

Free access applies to day visits only, so accommodation, guided activities and game drives still come at their normal rates.

which parks are included, and when

Most of SANParks’ 21 parks are taking part, including;

  1. Addo Elephant
  2. Agulhas, Bontebok
  3. Camdeboo
  4. Garden Route
  5. Golden Gate Highlands
  6. Karoo
  7. Kgalagadi Transfrontier
  8. Mapungubwe
  9. Marakele, Mokala
  10. Mountain Zebra
  11. Table Mountain
  12. Tankwa Karoo

Most running the full week from 7 to 13 September.

Three of the country’s biggest drawcards work differently though. Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park will only offer free access on weekdays, from Monday, 7 September, to Friday, 11 September, excluding the weekend entirely.

A few spots are left out altogether.

Namaqua National Park won’t take part this year, and at Table Mountain National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony section and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are both excluded from the free access.

why this initiative keeps growing

Since launching in 2006, National Parks Week has become one of SANParks’ flagship public initiatives, aimed at connecting South Africans with the country’s natural heritage and building support for conservation.

It’s clearly working: more than 105,000 visitors took advantage of the free access in 2025 alone, and the campaign has recorded close to a million day visitors since it began.

I love an initiative like this because it removes the one real barrier that keeps people from visiting our own national parks, the cost. If you’ve been putting off a Kruger or Addo day trip, this is genuinely the week to go.

Which national park are you planning to visit for free next week?

Let us know in the comments below…