The South African National Park Wild Card

THE WILD CARD

Permits for National Parks and Nature Reserves		In South Africa, nature reserves, game reserves, provincial and national parks are financed by the park permits sold to visitors. Otherwise the financial expenditure for facilities and personnel would not be affordable. For this reason, PERMITS must be procured for access to parks, which of course you must carry and show in case you are checked by gamekeepers or other park staff. The regulations are not the same in all parks, but in some - such as in the Kruger National Park - you also need an exit permit to leave the park. This is especially necessary where you can stay overnight within the national park and the park administration wants to make sure that the visitors have settled their bills (restaurant etc.) before leaving the park.

The Wild Card		The WILD CARD is particularly worthwhile if you visit national parks and wildlife reserves, on many days of your trip. With the WILD CARD you acquire the permission for all facilities operated by SANParks (South African National Parks) and also for various partner parks within South Africa and the neighbouring countries. However, some of the South African national parks and wildlife reserves are not members of this association - such as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. For this you would need the so-called "*Rhino Card*". However, this would only be worthwhile for overseas visitors in some exceptional cases. See also: http://www.kznwildlife.com/rhino%20card.html

Where to obtain the Wild Card?		You can book the WILD CARD yourself online on the SANParls website, we can book it for you, or you can buy it directly when you enter one of the national parks. You will first be sent the receipt / voucher for the purchased and paid card or just printed it out if you bought it directly in the national park. When the original card is completed (like a cheque card), you will receive it by registered mail. Until then, the printed voucher is valid.