GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — Camdeboo National Park will be extending the annual SA National Parks Week (SANPW) free entry week again this year to include the weekend thereafter - affording potential visitors a full seven days of unpaid access to the Park.

While most national parks will have free entry between September 18 and 22, the Park which surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet, will extend to include the weekend of September 23 and 24.

Park Manager, Mzwandile Mjadu, says he is happy to carry on the tradition the park’s two former park managers had in place. “We feel that since the Park is so special in the fact that it practically surrounds Graaff-Reinet and because of the special bond its residents have with the Park, that we want to provide those who cannot visit during the course of the week, to do so over the weekend,” said Mjadu.

This year will mark the 12th anniversary of the programme - the inaugural SANPW took place in 2006 and was aimed at linking the South African national parks system to a similar global movement and showcasing the best of South Africa’s national parks. 

Now, partnering with Total SA and FNB, it is in line with SANParks’ vision statement of “A sustainable National Park System Connecting Society”.

The theme for this focus week is the same as it has been in previous years, “Know Your National Parks”, aimed at cultivating a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, protected by the national parks system.

Throughout the week the public, especially those from local communities adjacent to the Park, will have free access to visit. It should be noted that this does not include accommodation.

Camdeboo’s People and Conservation Department will host various groups from around the Park to informative sessions about the Park, its history, conservation ethics and initiatives and much more. Some groups will also be treated to a visit to the world-renowned Valley of Desolation, which for some of the visitors will be their first time, even though they’ve lived within close proximity all their lives.

Visitors to Camdeboo during SANPW will have an array of activities available to participate in at no cost: self-drive game viewing, bird watching, walks and hikes, picnics, 4x4 trails and of course visits to the Valley.

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