Hiking permits in South Africa

There is no single hiking permit for the whole country. A trail might be free at the gate, need a daily conservation fee, need a booked activity permit, or sit on private land with its own rules. This guide explains the systems you will actually run into on Hikeza listings.

What is free vs paid?

Many municipal reserves around Johannesburg and Pretoria are free to walk in — Klipriviersberg, Melville Koppies, Kloofendal and Moreleta Kloof are examples on this site. You still need to follow each reserve's gate times and dog rules.

National and provincial reserves usually charge something. SANParks calls it a daily conservation fee at pay points (Silvermine, Cape Point, Newlands picnic site and others inside Table Mountain National Park). CapeNature reserves such as Jonkershoek and Mont Rochelle charge entry or hiking permits per reserve. Some City of Cape Town trails, such as Crystal Pools in Steenbras Nature Reserve, need a separate booked permit from the municipality — not a SANParks ticket.

A few well-known Table Mountain routes start from city streets without passing a SANParks pay point — Lion's Head and Platteklip Gorge are the usual examples. You do not pay a gate fee to start those hikes, but parking may still cost money nearby.

SANParks: conservation fees and online tickets

West Coast National Park and Garden Route National Park (Tsitsikamma / Storms River Mouth) use the same SANParks conservation-fee system — check the live park rates page, not a copied figure. For Garden Route see the Garden Route rates page. The Otter Trail and the Postberg Hiking Trail are separate booked products on top of those gate fees.

Table Mountain National Park is split into sections with different fees. SANParks publishes current rates on its park pages and sells day tickets online. Sections such as Silvermine, Newlands, Oudekraal, Tokai picnic site, Boulders and Cape Point each have their own conservation fee schedule — check the section you are entering, not just "Table Mountain" in general.

Bring proof of South African residency if you qualify for local rates. SANParks sets adult, child and international tiers. Fees change each year — always check the live page before you travel.

CapeNature: book before you drive out

CapeNature runs many Western Cape reserves outside SANParks — Jonkershoek above Stellenbosch, Mont Rochelle above Franschhoek, Robberg near Plettenberg Bay, the Whale Trail at De Hoop (groups of six or twelve, call centre 087 087 8250), and the Cederberg wilderness day hikes (Sanddrif permits for Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross). Visitors are encouraged to pre-book online. Some products still need the call centre or a reserve office.

CapeNature's call centre is 087 087 8250 (office hours Monday–Friday and Saturday mornings, per CapeNature's booking page). Jonkershoek caps daily hiker numbers — arriving without a booking can mean being turned away even when the weather is fine.

My Activity permit — dogs (and other activities) on Table Mountain

Dogs are not allowed everywhere in Table Mountain National Park. Where they are permitted, SANParks requires a My Activity permit — an annual or day activity permit bought through SANParks, not a paper slip at the trailhead.

Dog walking sits on Level 1. The permit is valid for 12 months from purchase. Holders are exempt from daily conservation fees at TMNP pay points while doing the permitted activity, per SANParks. You must still follow the park's dog-walking maps and rules — Silvermine picnic site, for example, only allows dogs on the far side of the reservoir. SANParks prohibits dogs entirely in picnic and braai areas, including Newlands Forest and Tokai.

Lion's Head allows dogs on the trail listing here, but you still need the My Activity permit if you bring one. Platteklip Gorge does not allow dogs on route.

Wild Card — skip daily conservation fees for a year

The SANParks Wild Card is an annual membership that replaces daily conservation fees at participating parks for 365 days from purchase. You choose a cluster — all SANParks parks, CapeNature reserves, or a combined "all parks" option that spans both partners. Show your confirmation letter or digital card plus ID at the gate.

A Wild Card does not replace a My Activity permit for dog walking, booked Crystal Pools access, or CapeNature hiking permits where those are required. It covers conservation gate fees for the parks in your cluster. It is not accepted at Krantzkloof Nature Reserve — that gate takes card or an Ezemvelo Rhino Card only.

Before you leave home