Festive season 2023/24: Kruger National Park enforces gate quotas for day visitors!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that daily quotas for day visitors will once again apply at the entrance gates of Kruger National Park during the festive season 2023/24 from 15 December 2023 until 16 January 2024. Three time slots have been introduced, of which day visitos can choose from. Visitors are urged to make pre-bookings for their visits prior to their arrival. The three time slots 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

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 three different time slots are aimed at improving the spread of vehicles and preventing unnecessary waiting periods at gates. The day visitor quota for Kruger National Park is a management tool, which is  is applied throughout the year, to prevent overcrowding the roads and facilities. However, Kruger National Park mostly reaches carrying capacity during long weekends and school holidays resulting in SANPark having to turn visitors away.

 
SANParks has also made plans for increased visibility of both traffic officials and visitor management personnel to monitor speeding, after-hours travelling and general behaviour on the roads. Visitors are reminded not to bring liquor with them as the alcohol ban on public areas in Kruger National Park is a permanent rule which is enforced at all times. Visitors are advised to plan their 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.

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
• Day Visitor pre-bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of R53 per adult and R26 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 Kruger National Park. The Conservation Fee for residents of South Africa as well as Zimbabwe and Mocambique nationals (passport required to prove this) is R122 per adult and R60 per child (between ages 2 – 11). For nationals of Eswatini and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, the conservation fees are R246 per adult and R122 per child. For all other guests, the standard conservation fees of R486 for adults and R243 for children apply.
• Guests planning to use Wild Cards are requested to ensure membership is valid before arrival.
• 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.
• Guests are reminded of the cash-free payment system at the gates (Paul Kruger, Phabeni, Numbi, Malelane and Crocodile Bridge) and fuel stations in the southern part of Kruger National Park.