Visiting KNP over the festive season: This is what you should know

“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 watch speeding, after-hours travelling, and general behaviour on the roads.

Day visitors are also reminded not to bring liquor with them as the alcohol ban on public areas in the park is a permanent rule which is always enforced. 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.

Also read: Visit KNP at no charge in celebration on National Parks week

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. Entrance Gate operating hours will be from 05:30 to 18:30 during December and January. Day Visitors are reminded that daily quotas will once again apply at the entrance gates and there are three-time slots for pre-bookings, which are as follows:
• Time slot 1: 05:30 to 07:30
• Time slot 2: 07:30 to 09:30
•Time slot 3: 09:30 onwards

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 R50 per adult and R25 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 Mozambique nationals (passport required to prove this) is R115 per adult and R57 per child (between ages 2 – 11).

For nationals of Eswatini and other SADC countries, the conservation fees are R230 per adult and R115 per child. For all other guests, the standard conservation fees of R460 for adults and R230 for children apply.
• 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
• 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.