System to streamline KNP visitor access

MALALANE – In a bid to enhance visitor access management and to avoid possible glitches this festive season, the Kruger National Park (KNP) management will be implementing a new system to streamline day visitor arrivals across all its gates during busy periods.

Day visitors will now be able to choose and book a time prior to their arrival from one of the following three time slots

• Time slot 1: Arrive zero to two hours after gate opening time (summer months 05:30 to 07:30)

• Time slot 2: Arrive two to four hours after gate opening time (summer months 07:30 to 09:30)

• Time slot 3: Arrive four or more hours after gate opening time (summer months 09:30 onwards).

The day-visitor quota (DVQ) for the park is a management tool to maintain the carrying capacity of the park. Visitors will be able to book up to 80 per cent of the DVQ per gate via SANParks reservations offices. Booked day visitors will get preference over non-booked day visitors at the gate.

“For the coming festive season, we aim to better manage the volumes that we expect on busy days, and importantly also manage the expectations.

“These busy days are expected to be Saturday and Sunday, and in particular December 25 to 27 as well as January 1 to 3. By introducing the three different slots, we hope to improve the spread of vehicles and, as far as possible prevent unnecessary waiting periods at gates,” said KNP managing executive, Glenn Phillips.

Booked day visitors must ensure that they arrive within the time slots, as per their reservation. Arriving outside the booked time slot, will be regarded as non-booked and therefore not preferential. Visitors who made reservations prior to this new system have been allocated to time slot 1.

These bookings can be changed through the SANParks online reservations offices on www.sanparks.org/tourism/reservations/.

Visitors should also take note of the following important information

• Day-visitor bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of R36 per adult and R18 per child.

• Day visitors who have booked will still be required to pay conservation fees or use a valid Wild Card to enter the park.

• In order to expedite the admission process, on busy days in particular, day visitors are requested to pay conservation fees in advance or ensure that they have valid Wild Card membership.

• Guests planning to use Wild Cards are requested to ensure membership is valid before arrival and this can best be done online at www.sanparks.org/wild card.

• The number and profile of persons (adults and children) on the reservation and actual persons arriving should correspond.

• All guests may be required to identify themselves upon admission (SA driver’s licence, identity document or passport).

• Due to existing contractual arrangements with open safari vehicles (OSVs), they are regarded as booked for all-day visitor admissions. OSVs entering Phabeni Gate will be allowed entry

30 minutes before external gate opening time during the summer.

• Gate quotas will be applied and unbooked guests could be refused admission.

• In order to make waiting in the queue at gates a bit more pleasurable, SANParks will be providing serviced toilets at strategic points on the side of the road during peak times. A community initiative has also been set up that will see hot and cold beverages being available for sale to visitors waiting to enter.

• Guests are kindly requested to be patient and understanding of these new changes. SANParks will be learning from this so please feel free to provide feedback through the customer feedback system.