SANParks.org Forums

When is the best time to check for accomodation updates? How frequently do they update?

Daily, real time.

Berkhead,
Actually, if you look on the Booking Page, you will see that there are several ways to book.
You can do the "BOOK AND PAY DIRECTLY ONLINE where you can submit your credit card and pay and be done with it. Another way (below the Book and Pay Directly) is to fill in the form where you see a drop-down menu of the camps, and it says, "REQUEST FORM (SUBMITS AN EMAIL TO RESERVATIONS)".
That is what I always use and you usually hear within a day (or 2) if your request was granted.
You then have the 30 days or whatever it is before you have to submit payment.
At that time, you need to either call in with your credit card details, or fax them.
Hope that makes sense.

The other thing that I do:

From the AVAILABILITY page, click on KRUGER, then the camp you want, then VIEW A MONTHLY CALENDAR, then CHOOSE MONTH AND YEAR...then you are at a calendar showing the availabilty for the month you want.

BOOKMARK that page in your favourites! Every morning, first thing, fire up the computer and go directly to that page.
It is really fast and you can easily stay on top of exactly what is available.
It is quite remarkable how things can change.
I have booked almost a month in the park in October/November and, though it took MANY visits to several of those calendars, I have what I consider a really great itinerary with the camps and the bungalow types that I want.

Bottom line, keep trying! It is worth it.

As you can probably see from my signiture I am headed to Biyamiti and malelane in december. If I wanted to book a sunset drive at biyamiti can I call the bookings number and then just quote my reservation number to book a sunset drive at Biyamiti.

When will I have to pay, will I be able to just pay at the camp or will I have to pay before hand?

spargish, As you are only going in December, I would think they will add to your original reservations and give you a specific date to pay by.
So yes, just call them and give them your reservation number and it all gets added on.

The regs. concerning cancellations and amendments Here

I usually just save the provisional/confirmed reservation form on the computer in my Sanparks folder, once I have paid my final amount, print it just before the trip and that is basically my reference.
So if you did not book with the on line method then it seems you cannot review you reservations, but if you already have them in print I am not sure why you want to review them?
If you no longer have your confirmed booking form then I would suggest you mail the reservation office with your client # and reservation # and request a copy.
Hope this helps.

Hey all.

Hubby and I are planning a trip to the Kruger in September (in on the 25th, out on the 29th), and I'm just wondering a couple of things. It'll be my second go-round, but my first time was with a school trip and I got cheated out of all the finer details because our teacher looked after everything!!

When/how do you pay the daily conservation/park fee? Eg. do you pay when you book accommodation or can you pay when you get to the camps?

Also, how far in advance does everyone recommend booking accommodation? My natural instinct is to book and pay for it ASAP so as not to miss out...is this a standard opinion?!?!

Thanks in advance for any info and advice!!
Cheers,
Megan (NZer's in Oz)

Welcome to the forum Duffy23.

You can pay the conservation fee at the gate when you get there. That is the best because if you have problems, and can't make it, (I really hope not), you have not lost out on that.

The fee is sensible in that you pay for the day you enter and not when you leave, unless you are day visitors, so entering on 25th & leaving on 29th is 4 days.

You can book 11 months in advance. Sometimes 10 months, 29 days is too late!

If you book accommodation by telephone or online, you can pay conservation fees with your over night booking.
If you don’t and only pay your accommodation, you will then pay it at the first camp that you overnight.
The guys at the gate will give you a permit with your booking details on it and you will pay at the camp.
Only day visitors having no wild cards or over night bookings pay at the gate.
Any body with a reservation for over night pays at your fist camp.

If you stay more than 3 nights and is more than 4 people in your Family it will be better to get a wild card with will work out cheaper and you have 1 year multi entry to the park without paying daily conservation fees.

Is there a way that one can book accommodation longer than 11 months before the time?
I am looking at the end of June 2012 and although today should be the first day that it is available for bookings, there is almost nothing left in what I am looking at.
I am happy to go early July as well but will have to wait till 1 August for that and will probably then have the same problem as this time falls into school holidays.

Just can't understand how there is nothing available if everyone can only book 11 months before

There is no way. Eleven months ahead is the maximum.

In your case I would simply book what you can, and adjust later when cancellations come in.

As far as I know you can only book 11 months before.

What happens is that people book what they think they want, but if they make the booking by email or phone they dont have to pay the first deposit for a month. This gives them time to change their minds and therefore sometimes when the deposit is due they don't pay, and then the booking becomes available again.

If you keep trying you may get a booking eventually.

Always avoid the SA school hols if you can!!

Good luck.

Hi,

Maybe a stupid question, apologies if so. Can someone please indicate to me as there is no mention on the booking form.

Is accommodation transferable? I have a trip planned for early December, but it looks like I will be (very sadly) unable to make it. As I dont wish to lost half the value of the booking, i'd like to see if i can sell it on to a forumite? Is this possible?

Thanks,