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I would like to appeal to the West Coast National Park Management to review the gate opening times. At present it is 07:00 in summer and as photographer and nuture lover, I would like to be able to access the park soon after sunrise as I do in all other parks. By 07:00 in the morning, the sun is up and the golden hour lost. It may also help in seeing other species early in the morning. I am sure many people would support this. I thrust this will meet favourable consideration.

I agree with you.

Also very much agree that an earlier gate opening time for WCNP would be great

Compliments of the New Year to you all.

We have noted your suggestion Touareg and have forwarded it to the Western Coast National Park Management and we will get back to you all as soon as we get feedback.
Otherwise, hope you all had a woderful festive season and are ready and geared up for 2012

@Lesego. Thank you very much and compliments of the season to you as well. I look forward to seeing a sunrise from one of the hides

@Lesego. Can you please follow up with the WCNP management as I have had no response from them yet. It has been more than a month for them to respond. Thanks you.

Hey Touareg,

I have been in touch with WCNP and the gate times have been reviewed as per the suggestions made, but at present and due to a number of factors such as animal protection, HR matters, operational procedures etc, it is not possible to open the gates earlier. They will however keep the suggestion and review the times if it becomes at all possible to do so.

Thank you Lesego. It is indeed unfortunate. The must have unique challenges that the larger Parks do not have . I trust that one day we will be able to enter earlier. Thanks for escalating the matter.

Damm, it would have been nice to be there at sunrise during my first visit to this park!! Thanks for trying Touareg

Tobieo, I was there over the weekend, and a little birdie told me that there is sometimes a staff member at the gate and with a little pleading the gate will open.

But I don't know if this is regular or just for the Wader Bash weekend.....

Surely if you are staying IN the park, seeing a sunrise is a distinct possibility? but I supose that is not quite what you were meaning. (Abrahamskraal housie is close to the hide.....) :twisted:

I will be lucky enough to see a sunrise in the park on 17 March when we have the marathon and go into the park at 05:00 in the morning (but no time for birdies though).

Hi Rookie. I know what you mean, but even staying in the park, you are still not allowed to drive around after gate closing times or before gate opening times in the morning. I know its the same rule in all National Parks and there for a good reasons for it, but for goodness sakes open the gates earlier as the rest of the parks in the country do.

Hi Touareg

I share your frustration, and currently you will see similar posts for Addo, with the same result.

It seems like Kruger and Kgalagadi have enough tourists/revenue to be able to afford the luxury of paying staff overtime for these unearthly hours people want -- Kruger opens at 4:30 am in summer!
So untill there is enough cash/interest in smaller parks, nobody is going to stand around at the crack of dawn for a few keen photographers without wanting overtime pay etc...

Keep on trying!

God bless,

Friedrich von Hörsten, CFM

If I am not mistaken, there is a guard on duty at the gate all the time, so surely it would be possible to make an arrangement with them? How hard can it be and how many people would it involve?

Even if they made the ruling that you had to enter through the 1 gate only!

Where there is a will, there is always a way!

Solution.

Automatic gates with wild card swipe!