SKUKUZA – If you were planning on spending Easter weekend in the Kruger National Park (KNP), but haven’t booked yet, make alternative arrangements. All the main rest camps, bush camps, bush lodges as well as all the luxury lodges have been fully booked.
The only available places are in the overnight hides of Sable and Shipandani.
The arrival of the high volume of visitors to enter the park during this coming weekend is already expected on Thursday. Park management said quotas would be taken into consideration and would be strictly enforced during Easter.
“If you have your heart set on a day in the park, make sure to arrive very early at any of the 10 gates to the park, as the rule of (first come, first served) will be adhered to,” is the advice of the general manager: public relations and communications in KNP,
Mr William Mabasa.
Also remember, warns Mabasa, that each and every gate has its limited number of day visitors that can be allowed per day. “Small gates such as Pafuri allows 300 people per day and larger ones such as Paul Kruger allows 750. This procedure is applied to prevent overcrowding and excessive footprints in the park in line with the available infrastructure for day visitors.”
Mabasa went on to request tourists who would be able to gain access to observe the rules of the park at all times, otherwise it becomes one of the potential areas of possible conflict between park officials and the public.
Safety and security officials as well as honorary rangers will be out in full force to enforce the rules and regulations during these holidays and they will have no mercy on anyone found breaking the rules.
Visitors must read the rules of the park which are written on the permits issued at the gates and familiarise themselves with all of them.
The KNP has 10 entrance gates: Pafuri, Punda Maria, Phalaborwa, Giriyondo, Orpen, Paul Kruger, Phabeni, Numbi, Malelane and Crocodile Bridge.
