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14 December 2023

Access For Kruger National Park Day Visitors During The 2023 Festive Season

To ensure a safe and pleasant stay in the Park, South African National Parks (SANParks) would like to urge visitors to the Kruger National Park (KNP) to book in advance and to observe the rules of the park over the coming festive season, starting from Friday, 15 December 2023 until Tuesday, 16 January 2024. Day Visitors are reminded that daily quotas will once again apply at the entrance gates and there are three time slots for pre-bookings to be made prior to arrival, which they can choose from as follows:

  • Time slot 1: 05:30 to 07:30
  • Time slot 2: 07:30 to 09:30
  • Time slot 3: 09:30 onwards

“For busy periods such as the festive season, we aim to better manage the volumes that we expect, as well as our visitors’ expectations. The three different time slots are aimed at improving the spread of vehicles and preventing unnecessary waiting periods at gates. The Day Visitor Quota for the Park is a management tool to prevent overcrowding the roads and facilities; it is applied throughout the year although we mostly reach carrying capacity during long weekends and school holidays resulting in us having to turn visitors away”, said the KNP’s spokesperson, Ike Phaahla.

Pre-booked day visitors will get preference over non-booked day visitors at the gate but must ensure that they arrive within their booked time slots. Arriving outside the booked time slot will be regarded as non-booked and therefore will not receive preference and could be turned away. These bookings can be changed as well through SANParks Reservations offices if need be.

“The park has made plans for increased visibility of both traffic officials and visitor management personnel to monitor speeding, after-hours travelling and general behaviour on the roads. Visitors are also reminded to not bring liquor with them as the alcohol ban on public areas in the park is a permanent rule which is enforced at all times. Management is urging visitors to cooperate with officials who will be on duty and to report unbecoming behaviour to the gate officials or call the emergency call centre number on the entry permits”; advised Phaahla.

Visitors are also urged to help keep the Park clean by disposing of their litter at designated areas, not alighting from vehicles in undesignated areas, not speeding, and adhering to all rules and regulations as stipulated on the gate permit. Visitors are urged to be courteous and cooperative at sightings to avoid inconveniencing other road users. Please plan your trip carefully, allowing sufficient time to enjoy the bush and to get to your destination. Gate operating hours will be from 05:30 to 18:30 around December and January.

Visitors should also take note of the following important information:

  • Visitors will be able to book up to 80% of the Day Visitor Quota per gate via SANParks Reservations offices on 012 428 9111 and online at www.sanparks.org.
  • Day Visitor pre-bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of R53 per adult and R26 per child, which must be paid in advance and is meant to ensure their space because they would have been counted in the number that made the daily quota.
  • Day Visitors who have pre-booked will still be required to pay Conservation Fees or use a valid Wild Card to enter the Park. The Conservation Fee for SA residents as well as Zimbabwe and Mocambique nationals (passport required to prove this) is R122 per adult and R60 per child (between ages 2 – 11). For nationals of Eswatini and other SADC countries, the conservation fees are R246 per adult and R122 per child. For all other guests, the standard conservation fees of R486 for adults and R243 for children apply.
  • Guests planning to use Wild Cards are requested to ensure membership is valid before arrival and this can best be done online at www.sanparks.org/wild-card
  • The number and profile of persons (adults and children) on the reservation and actual persons arriving should correspond.
  • All guests (drivers and passengers) will be required to identify themselves upon admission (by producing a South African driver’s license, identity document or passport); please ensure you are in possession of one of these documents and have them ready.
  • Gate Quotas will be strictly applied and guests without pre-bookings could be denied entry if quotas are full.
  • Guests are reminded of the cash-free payment system at the gates (Paul Kruger, Phabeni, Numbi, Malelane and Crocodile Bridge) and fuel stations in the southern part of the park.