Covid-19: South African National Parks to introduce stricter safety measures for Garden Route National Park during the festive season!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that stricter measures to curb infections with Covid-19 will be introduce for all three sections - Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Wilderness - of the Garden Route National Park during this festive season. According to Vuyiswa Thabethe, General Manager for the Garden Route region of SANParks, the following measures will apply effective 16 December 2020: 

• A quota system will be implemented at all entrance gates in the Garden Route National Park in Tsitsikamma, Wilderness and Knysna. 
• Popular areas like Island Lake, Tarentaal and the Half-collard Kingfisher Trail will have a quota system, restricting the number of people entering the facilities.
• The Wilderness Lagoon area (Touw River Mouth), closer to the Wilderness beach, will be closed completely from the 15th of December 2020 to the 15th of January 2021. 
• Other controlled access areas in Wilderness include those leading to Big trees like Krisjian se Nek, Dalene Matthee memorial and popular picnic spots. Visitors will be served on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• The Knysna estuary will remain open for water-based commercial tourism activities, recreational fishing and bait collecting (in allowed zones) as well as recreational water activities. 
• Knysna Estuary users are requested to comply with the required Covid-19 prevention protocols, including social distancing, regular sanitising and use of masks. 
• All permitted commercial operators on the Knysna estuary have signed COVID-19 declaration protocols to confirm they comply with all the necessary COVID-19 prevention protocols and hence provide a safe and enjoyable experience for guests.
• Knysna estuary users are requested to comply with the required vessel capacity, both in terms of safety regulations and in terms of COVID-19 prevention regulations to ensure recreational use of the estuary does not become one of the sources of infections.
• All hiking and cycling trails in Garden Route National Park remain open and will implement a quota system.
• Picnic areas in Garden Route National Park that do not have an entrance gate will remain closed.
• Vessel and boat permits, activity permits and other recreational permits are available at Park reception areas on Thesen Island office (Knysna), Ebb & Flow Rest Camp in Wilderness and de Vasselot camp in Natures Valley.
• Visitors are reminded to always be in possession of a valid permit to avoid a fine being issued.
• Fishing and bait collection permits can only be purchased from the South African Post Office (SAPO) during official operating hours. 
• Annual or Seasonal Vessel Permits can be bought from the Thesen Island office (Knysna) Monday to Friday 08:00 - 16:00 and Saturdays 08:00 - 13:00, only.
• Cycling permits (annual, monthly, family and daily permits) can be obtained from the Garden of Eden, Harkerville Office or Diepwalle Office.