Residents of Johannesburg or Pretoria looking to spend time outside the city without significant expense might find the SANParks Week initiative suitable. From September 7th to 13th, South African citizens and residents can take advantage of free daily visits to participating national parks as part of the annual SANParks program.
For Gauteng residents, this offer is particularly relevant for organizing a road trip, as several parks are located nearby, accessible for a weekend or longer trip.
Where can Gauteng residents go?
One of the most obvious options is the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State. Its impressive mountain landscapes make it a popular retreat for travelers seeking to replace urban traffic with expansive scenery.
Further north, the Mpungubwe National Park and Marakele National Park are also included in the initiative. Another option for those willing to travel long distances on a road trip is the Mokala National Park in the North Cape. And, of course, there is Kruger National Park.
Kruger is free, but not all week
Kruger National Park will participate in SANParks Week, but free access is limited to the period from Monday, September 7th, to Friday, September 11th. The weekend days are excluded from this offer. Therefore, Gauteng residents planning a trip to Kruger should note these dates if they wish to take advantage of the free one-day entry opportunity.
What exactly is free?
The initiative covers only the daily entrance fee. This does not mean that everything inside the parks will be free; accommodation, guided tours, safaris, and other paid tourist activities will be charged at standard rates. Furthermore, visitors must present a valid South African citizen identification document to qualify for the discount. Children under 18 years old are exempt from presenting identification documents.
Plan your trip in advance
SANParks warns that individual parks may have their own participation dates, entry conditions, or visitor capacity restrictions. Therefore, while a spontaneous road trip might be tempting, it is crucial to check the details before setting off. Nevertheless, this initiative provides families, couples, or groups of friends from Gauteng with a relatively affordable way to experience some of the country's largest landscapes and natural areas.
SANParks Week has been running since 2006 and attracted over 105,000 visitors in 2025. Thus, if your budget for September is limited, nature-based recreation could be the perfect option.
Full list of participating locations
Participating locations include: Augrabies National Park, Bontbeek National Park, Table Mountain National Park (excluding the Boulder's penguin colony area), Tankwa Karoo National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Kamdebo National Park, Karoo National Park, Mountain Zebra National Park, Garden Route National Park, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Mpungubwe National Park, Marakele National Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and Mokala National Park.