South African National Parks
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South African National Parks Week 2021

South African National Parks Week 2020

Photo credit: Cape Point South Africa

The first South African National Parks Week was hosted in 2006. Originally the initiative wanted to link the South African national parks system with the bigger global national movement. The annual South African National Parks Week is an initiative aimed at giving all South African citizens the opportunity to experience the incredible variety of National Parks our country has to offer as well as raise awareness of the wide range of National Parks that exist in South Africa

Every year SANParks aims to increase the number of citizens that are granted free access to its remarkable array of National Parks during this time. Since the launch of the campaign in 2006, some 591 234 South Africans have been afforded the incredible opportunity to visit SANParks various National Parks free of charge.

This year South African National Parks (SANParks) will celebrate its 16th annual South African National Parks Week from the 22nd – 28th of November 2021, granting free access to day visitors to most of its National Parks across the country.

While SANParks will be hosting its annual SA National Parks Week from 22 to 28 November 2021, the free access will only be valid until Friday 26 November at the following National Parks:

  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • Kruger National Park
  • The Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park

As announced by SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer, Luthando Dziba, the week-long campaign will be applicable to all the National Parks managed by SANParks, with the exclusion of the Boulders section at Table Mountain National Park (Boulders Beach & its African Penguin Colony) as well as accommodation facilities and tourist activities.

Total Energies South Africa and First National Bank (FNB) are official partners, helping SANParks achieve its vision to create a sustainable National Park System that connects society. The purpose of this amazing initiative is to familiarize and create awareness of the National Parks that exist in South Africa and foster a greater understanding of environmental conservation amongst South African citizens as well as cultivate a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage.

“The week is meant to cultivate a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage and a deeper appreciation of biodiversity. It is important for South Africans to visit and know the importance of national parks.” – SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer, Luthando Dziba

Luthando Dziba further emphasized the growing need and importance for all National Parks to be relevant and accessible to everyone, particularly to the young people and communities living adjacent to these parks.

“Through our Socio-Economic Transformation programmes and our Expanded Public Works Programme, we work closely with communities living adjacent to national parks in a quest to be more inclusive in our management of protected areas. This inclusivity encompasses providing access to parks for cultural use as well as exposing young people to the different career options in conservation and tourism.”- SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer, Luthando Dziba

While the South African National Park’s Free Access Week typically takes place in September (tourism month), due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and concerns regarding the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, SANParks has moved the event to November with the hope that it will allow more people who ordinarily could not afford to visit the various National Parks to do so safely.

“SANParks is postponing the free access week which is traditionally held in September, to November due to concerns regarding the number of COVID-19 cases across the country. The safety of both guests and staff is of utmost priority and we, therefore, have to ensure that we are in a position to effectively implement the COVID-19 visitor management procedures in all our parks at all times.” – SANParks’ General Manager: Media, PR and Stakeholder Relations, Rey Thakhuli

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of free access guests that the various National Parks are able to cater for will be highly subject to gate quotas. Extra visitor management procedures will be in place / implemented in all National Parks – in line with South Africa’s COVID-19 regulations and protocols – in order to further manage visitor volumes and mitigate the risk and spread of COVID-19.

The SA National Parks Week

During SA National Parks Week, most of SANPark’s National Parks offer free access to day visitors, encouraging locals to visit the parks. The Boulders section at Table Mountain National Park (Boulders Beach & its African Penguin Colony) as well as accommodation facilities and tourist activities are the only exclusions.

National Parks included in SANParks Free Access Week 2021:

Click here for more information regarding SANParks 2021 South African National Parks Week.

The following are some of the national parks with easy access from Cape Town.

AGULHAS NATIONAL PARK

  • Dates: 22 to 26 November 2021
  • Distance from Cape Town: +/- 224km
  • This park is an open-access park, with no pay points

Lying in what is known as the Agulhas Plain at the southernmost tip of Africa, the Agulhas National Park is one of the Western Cape’s most glorious natural gems. While the Agulhas National Park is renowned for being the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, the park boasts some of the most splendid examples of lowland fynbos and lowland fynbos on limestone soils – considered endangered and restricted largely to the southern Overberg.

Things to do & see in the Agulhas National Park:

  • Visit the renowned Cape Agulhas lighthouse.
  • Explore the southernmost tip of Africa.
  • Enjoy stunning sightings of Southern Right Whales.
  • Visit the graveyard of ships that lie just off the coast once known as ‘the Cape of Storms’.
  • Explore to Cape Agulhas saltpans.
  • View the endemic Cape Fynbos and glorious diversity of indigenous flora, and unique vegetation the Cape Agulhas and Agulhas Plains are known for.
  • Take a slow drive along the Struisbaai-Elim route and enjoy the vast wealth of bird life in and around the Park, especially at the salt pans and along the wetlands. The Agulhas National Park is home to exceptional birdlife, including endangered avifauna, such as the African Black Oyster-catcher. The Soetendalsvlei Western Shore walk also includes great birding opportunities.
  • Great fishing opportunities – Fishing permits can be purchased from the Struisbaai Post Office at the Struisbaai Mall. Rock and Deep-sea fishing is a favourite pass time for most visitors at the Southern Tip.
  • Go hiking – The Agulhas National Park boasts several thrilling hiking trails, including the Two Ocean Hiking Trail, Rasperpunt Hiking Trail, and the Spookdraai Trail.

Click here for more information on the park.

TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

South African National Parks Week 2020 - Table Mountain National Park

  • Dates: 22 to 26 November 2021 | Free entry excludes Boulders Penguin Colony in Table Mountain National Park
  • Please note: the free entry does not apply to the Boulders Penguin Colony and Table Mountain Cableway. Read our post about the Table Mountain national park

Declared by UNESCO as a Word Heritage Site, the magnificent Table Mountain National Park encompasses the scenic Peninsula mountain chain stretching from Signal Hill in the north to Cape Point in the south, covering a total distance of approximately 60 kilometers. This natural wonder of the Western Cape has two world-renowned landmarks within its boundaries: the majestic Table Mountain and the legendary Cape of Good Hope. The Table Mountain National Park also boasts various majestic mountain ranges, rugged cliffs, picturesque beaches, forests, and oceans – giving rise to an endless variety of things to do, see, explore, discover, and experience.

Besides its unapologetic natural beauty, the Table Mountain National Park is globally recognized for its extraordinarily rich, unique, and diverse flora. It is home to the world’s smallest, yet most diverse, floral kingdom, known as the Cape Floristic Region – With the beloved Cape Fynbos, an ancient indigenous vegetation that is endemic to the tip of the African continent, being one of only six floral kingdoms in the world, and the the only one that occurs entirely in one country. This makes the Table Mountain National Park the ultimate destination for any nature lover at heart.

Main attractions:

  • Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope
  • Silvermine Nature Reserve
  • Table Mountain
  • Signal Hill & Lion’s Head

Some of the top activities & experiences:

  • Hiking
  • Overnight Trails
  • Fishing/Extractive Diving
  • Dog Walking
  • Free Guided Walks at Cape Point
  • Scuba Diving
  • Mountain Biking and Road Cycling
  • Surfing/Windsurfing/Kite Boarding
  • Rock/Sport Climbing
  • Hang/Paragliding
  • Horse Riding
  • Forest walk & day walks
  • Have a braai at one of Table Mountain National Park’s many braai spots including, Tokai Forest, Newlands, Silvermine and Oudekraal Beach.

Click here for more information on the park. You can also have a look at our ‘Table Mountain: The ultimate guide to Table Mountain’ blog for everything you need to know about Table Mountain and the Table Mountain National Park.

WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK

South African National Parks Week 2020 - West Coast National Park

  • Dates: 22 to 28 November 2021
  • Distance from Cape Town: +/- 88km

Located a scenic 60 – 90 minutes from Cape Town along the west coast road is where you’ll find the beautiful and highly sought-after West Coast National Park. Besides it’s untamed natural beauty, one of the West Coast National Park’s main allures is how incredibly multifaceted it is. From the cyan-colored water of the vast lagoon that meets the postcard-perfect white of the sand, the abundance of rugged scrubs that erupts into a glorious display of colorful wildflowers every spring, picturesque secret beaches, and the variety of wildlife and marine life that calls it home, the West Coast National Park truly has it all.

Main attractions & experiences:

  • Kraalbaai Beach and Information Centre.
  • The famous ‘Preekstoel’ secret beach.
  • Picnic/braai area at Tsaarsbank.
  • Geelbek Visitors Centre.
  • Hiking & walking trails: Geelbek; Bakoor Trail; Strandveld Trail Two-Day Hike; Postberg Two Day Hiking Trails (only during August and September); Steenbok One Day Trail (only during August and September); Eve’s Footprint & Trail.
  • Cycling & mountain biking.
  • Bird watching: The West Coast National Park is home is over 250 bird species, over a quarter of South Africa’s total. Some of these, such as the Curlow Sandpiper, Sanderling and Knot, journey 15 000km from Russia every year to their breeding grounds inside this beautiful National Park on the West Coast of South Africa. There are four bird hides inside the park that give you the opportunity to view some of the many bird species found in this area, such as Flamingo, Ostrich and Black Harriers. Bird hides can be found at Geelbek (two), the Abrahamskraal Waterhole and below the Seeberg Lookout Point.
  • Flower Season (August – September).
  • Southern Right Whale watching & marine life sightings.

Click here for more information on the park.

Read our post about the West Coast National Park

BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK

  • Dates: 22 to 28 November 2021
  • Distance from Cape Town: +/-224 km

The Bontebok National Park is one of the smallest parks managed by SANParks. It offers visitors incredible sightings of countless Bontebok roaming around, canoeing along the Breede River Dam, and endless hiking trails to explore.

TANKWA KAROO NATIONAL PARK

  • Dates: 22 to 28 November 2021
  • Distance from Cape Town: +/- 313 km

Tankwa Karoo National Park gives avid adventurers and thrill seekers the perfect opportunity to tick something truly exhilarating off their bucket-list by experiencing and exploring the most scenic 4×4 routes this park has to offer.

**Important note: All South Africans who enter over the age of 18 years must produce a valid SA ID or SA drivers license to enter for free during South African National Parks Week. No electronic copies of IDs will be accepted. Due to COVID-19, all the parks will be operating under capacity constraints, and a first come – first serve basis principle will apply.

Visit a National Park this year for free during SA National Parks Week and experience EVERYTHING it has to offer. Make sure you do your part by getting to know your National Parks, celebrate your rich heritage, and explore and experience first-hand the unapologetic beauty and plethora of natural flora and fauna that awaits you – #SANationalParksWeek and #LiveYourWild

Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks).

Visit the SANParks website for more information or click here for more information regarding SANParks 2021 South African National Parks Week and its various National Parks.