How much does it cost to: Visit South Africa’s national parks in 2026/27?

Planning a South African holiday does not have to mean spending thousands on a luxury safari. Some of the country’s most spectacular national parks can be visited for relatively modest entrance fees – although prices vary considerably depending on where you go.

The SANParks 2026/27 daily conservation fees, covering the period from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, also indicate that the rates differ for South African citizens and residents, SADC nationals and international visitors.

For South Africans, the cheapest options start at R46 per adult, while entering Kruger will cost R140 per adult from November.

Here is what you can expect to pay.

The national park entrance fees for South Africans

The prices below are the daily conservation fee for South African citizens and residents. Adults are 12 years and older, while children are aged two to 11. Children under two enter free.

National park	Adult	Child
Addo Elephant	R115	R57
Agulhas	R63	R32
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld	R91	R45
Augrabies Falls	R73	R37
Bontebok	R63	R32
Camdeboo	R63	R32
Garden Route – Knysna	R54	R27
Garden Route – Nature’s Valley	R76	R38
Garden Route – Storms River Mouth	R85	R43
Garden Route – Wilderness	R63	R32
Golden Gate Highlands	R76	R38
Karoo	R76	R38
Kgalagadi Transfrontier	R134	R67
Kruger	R140	R70
Mapungubwe	R76	R38
Marakele	R76	R38
Mokala	R66	R33
Mountain Zebra	R76	R38
Namaqua	R65	R33
Table Mountain – Boulders	R57	R27
Table Mountain – Cape of Good Hope	R115	R57
Table Mountain – Newlands	R46	R23
Table Mountain – Oudekraal	R46	R23
Table Mountain – Silvermine	R46	R23
Table Mountain – Tokai	R46	R23
Tankwa-Karoo	R63	R32
West Coast – flower season	R127	R63
West Coast – outside flower season	R85	R43

These are the official SANParks conservation fees for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027 and are subject to change.

Kruger National Park is one of the more expensive options

For many South Africans, Kruger National Park is the ultimate bucket-list safari destination.

From November 2026, a South African adult will pay R140 per day, while children aged two to 11 will pay R70. That means a family of two adults and two children would pay R420 per day in conservation fees alone.

It is worth remembering that this does not include accommodation, game drives, guided activities, food, fuel or other expenses.

West Coast National Park gets more expensive during flower season

One of the biggest seasonal differences can be found at West Coast National Park.

During the peak flower season in August and September, South African adults will pay R127, compared with R85 outside flower season.

For children, the rate is R63 during flower season and R43 outside it.

The higher price coincides with one of the park’s most popular periods, when the normally dry landscape can be transformed by colourful wildflowers.

Table Mountain offers some of the cheapest options

For those who live in the Mother City, you do not necessarily need to travel far from Cape Town for an affordable SANParks outing.

Several sections of Table Mountain National Park have a conservation fee of just R46 per adult for South Africans, including Newlands, Oudekraal, Silvermine and Tokai.

Boulders is R57 per adult, while the Cape of Good Hope section costs R115.

However, these fees only cover the relevant SANParks areas. Some attractions within or around the broader Table Mountain area are independently operated and have their own charges.

Addo offers an affordable safari

Addo Elephant National Park is another option for travellers wanting a proper wildlife experience without paying Kruger prices.

The 2026/27 South African rate is R115 per adult and R57 per child.

The park is particularly popular for elephant sightings and offers a self-drive safari experience, meaning visitors can explore at their own pace without necessarily paying for a guided game drive.

Don’t forget about SANParks’ free week

And if you’re looking to save even more, SA National Parks Week offers South Africans a chance to visit participating national parks without paying the usual conservation fee.

In 2026, the annual free-access week runs from 7 to 13 September, although Kruger, West Coast and Augrabies Falls will only offer free entry from 7 to 11 September.

The offer is also only for South African day visitors and does not include accommodation, game drives or other paid activities.

What about SADC and international visitors?

The prices are considerably higher for visitors who do not qualify for the South African rate.

For example, the 2026/27 Kruger rate is R296 per adult for SADC nationals and R692 for international visitors, compared with R140 for South African citizens and residents.

There are some exceptions for nationals of neighbouring SADC countries covered by specific transfrontier agreements. For example, Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals visiting Kruger receive the same park-specific conservation fee as South African residents.

Don’t forget the other costs

Also good to remember: the conservation fee is only the cost of entering the park.

If you are planning an overnight trip, you will need to budget separately for accommodation, while activities such as guided drives, walks and other experiences generally carry additional charges.

SANParks also notes that a 1% community fund contribution is added to accommodation and activity reservations.

South Africans also need to provide acceptable proof of identity to qualify for the local rate. SANParks accepts a South African ID, driver’s licence or passport, among other qualifying documents.

For the full and latest tariff information, check the official SANParks rates page before travelling, as fees can change.