Access quotas for Kruger National Park day visitors announced

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced an access quota for day visitors to the Kruger National Park over the festive season.

The quota will be in place from December 16 2020 until January 26 2021.

Panic Lake, Kruger National Park. Image credit: A Spires/ Getaway Gallery

‘With this in mind, South African National Parks (SANParks) would like to remind Day Visitors to the Kruger National Park (KNP) that daily quotas will once again apply at the entrance gates,’ said SANParks in a statement.

Visitors are urged to make pre-bookings for their visits prior to their arrival and there are three time slots 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 school holidays and 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, as far as possible prevent unnecessary waiting periods at gates,’ said the KNP’s GM: Communications and Marketing, Ike Phaahla.

The Day Visitor Quota for the Park is a management tool to prevent overcrowding the roads and facilities and is applied throughout the year although we mostly reach carrying capacity during long weekends and school holidays resulting in the park having to turn visitors away.

Visitors will be able to book up to 80% of Day Visitor Quota per gate via SANParks Reservations offices on 012 428 9111 and online at www.sanparks.org/bookings/.

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.

Phaala also reminded visitors to read the permit which they receive at the gates because all the rules and regulations of the park are clearly stipulated on these documents.

‘Day visitors may not bring liquor as a result of the alcohol ban in public areas of the Park. Further, visitors must please also refrain from committing other infringements such as littering, feeding of animals, speeding and alighting from vehicles in places where this is prohibited in the Park. These and other Park rules are emphasized to ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience, while not impacting other visitors, and hence must be adhered to at all times whilst in the Park. We also request people to remain protected from COVID-19 by adhering to the regulations in place at all times.’ he advised.

Visitors can report any rules and regulations infringement which they witness to the Emergency Call Centre numbers 013 735 013 735 0197/076 801 9679.

It is however important that the following information is provided:

• Vehicle type and colour
• Vehicle registration
• Date and Time of Incident
• KNP OSV sticker showing vehicle number (for Open Safari Vehicles)
• Details of Incident
• Photographic evidence
• Location of Incident

‘Visitor Management vehicles will also be on patrol; providing information to guests, visibility on the roads and law enforcement in the Park. Tourism monitors will be on standby to attend to areas such as swimming pools; however, we would like to also take this opportunity to warn the parents not to allow children to swim without elderly supervision at the pools in the Park to avoid drowning,’ concluded Phaahla.

Visitors should also take note of the following important information:

• Day Visitor pre-bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of R48 per adult and R24 per child.
• 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 R105 per adult and R52 per child (between ages 2 – 11). For nationals of Eswatini (previously Swaziland) and other SADC countries, the conservation fees are R210 per adult and R105 per child. For all other guests, the standard conservation fees of R424 for adults and R212 for children applies.
• Guests planning to use Wild Cards are requested to ensure the membership is valid before arrival and this can best be done online at www.sanparks.org/wild_new/.
• 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.

Quota limits per gate are as follows:

Guests are encouraged to continuously provide feedback on their experience to [email protected]

Picture: Catherine Hofmeyr/ Getaway Gallery