The authorities of the Kruger National Park in South Africa are advising day visitors to make advance bookings for entry over the Christmas period. High numbers of visitors are expected as always but the Park will be restricting numbers in order to avoid overcrowding and maintain calm conditions for the animal residents and visitors alike.

“The gate quotas are mostly reached on long weekends and public holidays. They vary from gate to gate and also depend on how fully booked the park is. If anyone is planning a visit on those days, it is recommended that they either arrive at the gate very early in the morning as the service is on a first come, first served basis, or pre-book their entrance,” explained the KNP’s head of Public Relations, William Mabasa.

Mabasa also noted that even if day visitors had pre-booked they would still need to queue at the entry gate and would still pay the conservation fee. The booking fee was merely to reserve their places and secure them entry. They must also arrive by one o’clock in the afternoon on their booked date or the booking would lapse. Visitors must also bring ID with them to avoid issues at the gate. There will also be extra staff including field staff and rangers on duty to assist.

Each gate into the Kruger National Park has a limited number of day visitors. For example, Phalaborwa’s limit is 600 and small gates like Pafuri have a limit of 300. The KNP has 10 entrance gates in total. The Park aims to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the wonderful experience of visiting the Kruger as a day trip whilst still maintaining its first role as a safe and peaceful sanctuary for the animals that live there.