SANBI annual membership costs R800 for an adult on the National tier, R650 on Regional One and R500 on Regional Two. Student and pensioner membership is R600, R480 and R375 respectively, and scholars pay R400, R325 or R250.
SANBI Annual Membership Prices
| Category | National | Regional One | Regional Two |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | R800 | R650 | R500 |
| Student | R600 | R480 | R375 |
| Pensioner (60+) | R600 | R480 | R375 |
| Scholar (6–17) | R400 | R325 | R250 |
| Couple | R1,200 | R1,000 | R800 |
| Family | R1,600 | R1,300 | R1,000 |
Three Membership Tiers, Not One
SANBI sells membership in three tiers, which is why quoted prices differ so widely between gardens:
- National — Kirstenbosch plus all national botanical and zoological gardens
- Regional One — Pretoria NBG, Pretoria Zoo and Walter Sisulu NBG
- Regional Two — Free State, Hantam, Harold Porter, Karoo Desert, KwaZulu-Natal, Kwelera, Lowveld and Thohoyandou NBGs, plus Mokopane Biodiversity Conservation Centre
When Membership Beats Day Tickets
National membership at R800 pays for itself against roughly seven adult visits to Kirstenbosch at R110 for residents, or eight visits to Pretoria at R100 peak. If you visit one garden monthly, membership is clearly cheaper; for two or three visits a year it is not.
Family and Couple Membership
Family membership covers two adults and three children, or one adult and four children. At R1,600 nationally that is well under the cost of two adults and three children buying day tickets five times over.
Children Under 6
Children under 6 enter botanical gardens free without membership, and under-2s enter zoological gardens free. There is no need to buy a scholar membership for a pre-schooler.
Official Price Source and Last-Checked Date
Last checked: 5 September 2026. Prices are set by SANBI and can change without notice — confirm on the official page before you travel.