The Kruger National Park is considered one of the worlds’ largest game reserves. Covering an immense 18,989 square kilometres (7,332 sq mi) as it extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west.
You can get an indepth overview of all things Kruger National Park here.
A brief history of Kruger National Park:
The Kruger National Park is seeped in a vast historical background.
1895
Jakob Louis van Wyk introduces a motion to the Volksraad (old South African republic), to create a game reserve named: The Kruger National Park
1898
President Paul Kruger proclaims the park to be a “Government Wildlife Park”; later being known as the ‘Sabi Game Reserve’. The park was initially created as a means to control hunting practices and to protect the diminishing numbers of wildlife in the surrounds.
1902
The first park warden was appointed, the job being awarded to James Stevenson Hamilton.
Photo of James Stevenson Hamilton (by krugernationalparksafaris.blogspot.com)
1923
The first tourists start making their way to the game reserve, for a getaway into the wild of Africa.
Photo By krugernationalparksafaris.blogspot.com
1926
The Sabi Game Reserve was extended and expanded upon. The Sabi Game Reserve and the neighbouring Shingwedzi Game Reserve along with the adjacent farms were combined to form ‘Kruger National Park’.
1959
The task undertaken to ensure the park boundaries are completely fenced begins to take shape. Work began along the southern boundary of the Kruger National Park, along the Crocodile River.
1960
The western and northern boundaries of The Kruger National Park were fenced, followed by the eastern boundary along Mozambique. (The reason behind the fencing off of the park was to curb the spread of diseases, to allow for the facilitation of border patrolling, as well as to restrict and inhibit the movement of poachers into the game reserve.)
1994 – Present day
The Makuleke tribe submitted a land claim for 19,842 hectares (198.42 km2) in the northern region of the Kruger National Park. Once the land was given back to the Makuleke people, they chose not to resettle on the land but to rather engage with the private sectors of tourism, thus investing in the development of several game lodges.
Check out the rest of our black and white photographic archive of the Kruger National Park through the years, and see why hordes of locals and internationals tend to flock toward Kruger Park on a regular basis.
How it was back then:
Wildlife Wonders:
Photo By W. Marinovic
Vivid Vistas:
Photo By South Africa Tours and Travel
If you feel the urge to get yourself and your trusty camera to this world renown wildlife hideaway, be sure to contact us, we will be able help you find the perfect car to hire, as well as the ideal trip package, just for you.
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Deidre Joubert 
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