Get Your Free Day Pass to These SA National Parks Next Week!

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Next week, your South African ID gets you into some of the country’s best national parks for free.

South Africa (02 September 2026) – SA National Parks Week is back from 7 to 13 September 2026, which means South Africans can cash in their free passes at participating national parks as day visitors!

Now in its 21st year, the annual week gives locals the chance to explore some of the country’s national parks without paying an entry fee. It has become one of SANParks’ biggest annual public initiatives.

The idea behind it is to give more South Africans the chance to visit the country’s protected spaces and learn more about the role national parks play in conservation. Plenty of nature-loving locals take SANParks up on the offer. Last year, more than 105,000 visitors made use of free access during National Parks Week.

All you need to qualify for your free access this year is a valid South African ID at the gate. The free access applies to day visits only, so accommodation, game drives, guided activities and other paid experiences will still cost their usual fees.

Most participating parks will offer free access for the full week, but there are a few exceptions.

Kruger National Park, West Coast National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park will only offer free entry from Monday, 7 September, to Friday, 11 September.

West Coast National Park will not extend the offer into the weekend because it is currently flower season and one of the park’s busiest times of year.

Namaqua National Park is not included in National Parks Week this year.

At Table Mountain National Park, the Boulders Penguin Colony section and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are also excluded from the free access offer.

Here are the parks taking part and their free-entry dates:

Kruger National Park: 7–11 September 2026
Agulhas National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Bontebok National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Table Mountain National Park: 7–13 September 2026, excluding Boulders Penguin Colony and the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
Tankwa Karoo National Park: 7–13 September 2026
West Coast National Park: 7–11 September 2026
Addo Elephant National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Camdeboo National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Karoo National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Mountain Zebra National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Garden Route National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Golden Gate Highlands National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Mapungubwe National Park: 7–13 September 2026
Marakele National Park: 7–13 September 2026
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park: 7–13 September 2026
Augrabies Falls National Park: 7–11 September 2026
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: 7–13 September 2026
Mokala National Park: 7–13 September 2026

SANParks notes that individual parks may have their own entry conditions and visitor limits, so it is worth checking your chosen park’s details before making the trip.

Now is your chance to finally visit the ellies at Addo, spend a day on a self-drive adventure in Kruger, explore the Garden Route or finally see one of the national parks closer to home. Have fun, and don’t forget your ID.