Exciting New Membership Pricing Options
The Pretoria National Botanical Garden is the head office of SANBI and will be reflected as the venue on the membership card. However, this card will allow you entrance into your selected garden and all SANBI gardens across the country.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) contributes to South Africa’s sustainable development by facilitating access to biodiversity data, generating information and knowledge, building capacity, providing policy advice, showcasing and conserving biodiversity in its national botanical and zoological gardens.
SANBI’s Conservation Gardens & Tourism Division manages SANBI’s network of 11 National Botanical and two Zoological Gardens, each with their associated tourism infrastructure and conservation estate, and Interpretation Section. ‘Conservation Gardens’ is the international term for botanical gardens that include both landscaped and natural areas within their boundaries.
Contact us
Please send membership queries to membership@sanbi.org.za.
Operating hours: Weekday 08h00 to 16h00. Closed on weekends.
National Membership (including Kirstenbosch NBG and all national and zoological gardens around the country).
| Individual Adult: | R800 per annum (adult South Africans older than 18) |
| Individual Student: | R600 per annum (students older than 18 registered at a South African tertiary institution – valid student card to be display on entry) |
| Individual Pensioner: | R600 per annum (60 and above)
Pensioners may enter for free on Tuesdays in most gardens |
| Individual Scholar: | R400 per annum (children aged six to 17) |
| Couples Membership: | R1200 per annum (2 adults) |
| Family Membership | R1600 per annum (2 adults and three children or 1 adult and four children. |
Children younger than six (6) do not require membership to enter the national botanical gardens and those under the age of two (2) enter free at the national zoological gardens
Regional Membership One
Pretoria National Botanical Garden, National Zoological Garden (Pretoria Zoo), Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
| Individual Adult: | R650 per annum (adult South Africans older than 18) |
| Individual Student: | R480 per annum (students older than 18 registered at a South African tertiary institution – valid student card to be display on entry) |
| Individual Pensioner: | R480 per annum (60 and above)
Pensioners may enter for free on Tuesdays in most gardens |
| Individual Scholar: | R325 per annum (children aged six to 17) |
| Couples Membership: | R1000 per annum (2 adults) |
| Family Membership | R1300 per annum (2 adults and three children or 1 adult and four children. |
Regional Membership Two
Free State NBG; Hantam NBG; Harold Porter NBG; Karoo Desert NBG; KwaZulu-Natal NBG; Kwelera NBG; Lowveld NBG; Thohoyandou NBG; Mokopane Biodiversity Conservation Centre
| Individual Adult: | R500 per annum (adult South Africans older than 18) |
| Individual Student: | R375 per annum (students older than 18 registered at a South African tertiary institution – valid student card to be display on entry) |
| Individual Pensioner: | R375 per annum (60 and above)
Pensioners may enter for free on Tuesdays in most gardens |
| Individual Scholar: | R250 per annum (children aged six to 17) |
| Couples Membership: | R800 per annum (2 adults) |
| Family Membership | R1000 per annum (2 adults and three children or 1 adult and four children. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why a SANBI card?
SANBI is launching a card for all members of society who wish to contribute to the conservation of the country’s natural heritage. Revenue from the membership card will contribute to the maintenance of our national botanical and zoological gardens.
What will be the benefit of having the card?
Members:
- gain limitless access to the national botanical gardens and all the beauty of those gardens and lifestyle/health benefits that come with visiting the gardens; and
- are assured that they are investing in ongoing garden maintenance and upkeep; and
- are contributing toward the 602 fellow citizens that the national botanical and zoological gardens create and support; and
- are invested in ongoing horticultural record-keeping, research and archive upkeep of South Africa’s endemic and indigenous flora; and
- are contributing to maintaining and growing Indigenous knowledge about the national fauna and flora of South Africa as a legacy for generations to come
How will it work?
- Any member of the public will be able to purchase an annual SANBI Garden membership at webtickets.co.za.
- A purchaser must create a profile on the Webtickets and can purchase several memberships on behalf of family members.
- SANBI will communicate directly with the purchaser and additional members will have the opportunity to opt in for SANBI communication.
- The card is only available digitally. Members must bring their barcode to the gardens on each visit.
How do I buy a new membership starting 1 April 2024?
- Go to Webtickets; and either log into your profile or register a new profile.
- Search and select ‘South African Biodiversity Institute Garden Membership sign up page’
- Using the calendar, go to 1 April 2024 and click on it (this will then be your membership starting date)
- Follow the screen prompts to select the membership package of your choice and then select ‘next’
- You can add other members (including students and children) by selecting the (+) next to the option
- Complete the member details
- Process the payment
- Once the details have been completed, using the ‘Choose Action’ drop down menu, select ‘View Membership’ to view your digital membership card. You can also download your card from here.
- You can also access the Webtickets page from the SANBI website.
How do I renew membership?
- If you purchased a membership from 1 April 2024, your membership would lapse on 31 March 2025. You will not be able to renew it.
- You can purchase a new membership from 6 March 2025. You have exciting new couples or family memberships from which to choose.
When will the SANBI Gardens Membership card be available?
- The SANBI Gardens membership will be available from 06 March 2025.
- Membership will be valid from that start date selected for one year on sign up.
- Visitors with existing SANBI Gardens Membership Cards can opt to start their new membership from 1 April 2025.
- Members of the public can sign up at any time of year. They can select the date of commencement on the Webtickets sign up page.
Can I get early entrance into the gardens?
Kirstenbosch: You will be able to enter the garden at the Rycroft entrance from 6:30 am.
Walter Sisulu: You will be able to enter the garden from the main entrance from 7:00 am. You will be required to show your barcode to the security guard before you will be allowed to enter.
Other gardens: Visit SANBI’s website and find the contact details for your local garden to enquire.
What is the relationship between the SANBI membership card and the Botanical Society Membership Card?
SANBI is an entity of the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. It is a government run institution. The SANBI membership card will be administered by WebTickets INF Pty (Ltd). The Botanical Society is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which has offered unlimited to access to SANBI gardens in the past. That arrangement came to an end as of 31 March 2023, thereafter Botanical Society members with a valid membership card qualify for a 10% discount to all SANBI national botanical gardens (this benefit does not apply to the national zoological gardens) until 31 March 2025, depending on the date of annual membership validity period. To enjoy this discounted benefit, BotSoc membership, valid for a year, must be taken out through the Society by the latest 31 March 2024. SANBI hereby confirms that this arrangement is only valid until 31 March 2025.
What happens to my BotSoc membership when the SANBI card has come into operation?
Bot Soc members can keep their membership and receive the 10% discount on garden admission fees until the end of their annual membership validity period until 31 March 2025. Members of the public can simultaneously hold both a SANBI Card and a BotSoc Membership Card as BotSoc is a nonprofit working towards plant conservation.
Will there be a price for international visitors?
At this stage, there will be no membership for international visitors. All international visitors will continue to pay the standard price as published on the SANBI website. For example, R220 per adult at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
Foreign citizens with South African residents permit or work permits may sign up.
Will there be different prices for tour operators, volunteers and travel industry representatives?
No. There will be only one membership card. There is only different pricing for adults, students and children, couple, families and pensioners.
How do I donate to SANBI?
Members of the public who wish to donate to SANBI will also be able to do so on Webtickets. Those who wish to donate will be required to set up a profile on Webtickets.
What will happen with volunteer opportunities?
All SANBI gardens welcome members of the public who wish to volunteer to assist with various activities in the gardens. Contact your local garden to find out about the process of signing up as a volunteer.