5 Fascinating Facts About the Spotted Hyena "Cowardly," "ugly," "thieving"... It appears that no one…

Kruger National Park in South Africa: Then and Now
Kruger National Park in South Africa: Then and Now.
It is unnecessary to introduce South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park, which is regarded as one of the greatest game parks in the world and the nation’s largest wildlife reserve.
A safari in Kruger National Park is adored by many.
It is the ideal South African safari destination, with over 1.4 million people annually and two million hectares of undulating countryside spanning over 352 kilometers. Numerous large mammals are among the many species that call Kruger home.
The Big Five of Africa—a term used by big-game hunters to describe the most challenging creatures to hunt on foot—are found there: the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and black and white rhinoceros. Ironically, the creation of South Africa’s Kruger National Park was largely influenced by poaching and declining wildlife.
The past in Kruger National Park
However, what are the beginnings of Kruger National Park and how has it changed from being a popular family vacation place in South Africa to becoming the popular destination it is today? The growth of Kruger is astounding, offering everything from six-star lodges, celebrities, and international jet set tourists to the greatest affordable options available and a wide range of adventure activities. I recently set out to learn more about its past and what has made it such a famous location.
Early human habitation in the Kruger National Park may be traced back to the early Stone Age, which occurred around 2.5 million years ago. Artifacts from this era can still be found on the majority of hilltops in the floodplains of the Limpopo and Luvubhu, as well as along the Makhadzi Spruit.
The San and Nguni-speaking people were drawn to the game-rich region because of its verdant pastures. Francois de Cuiper was the first documented modern explorer to visit the region. He led an expedition from the Dutch East India Company from the Cape Colony in 1725, but their trip was short-lived, as local tribesmen attacked them while they were traveling.
Explorers Louis Trichardt and Hans van Rensburg led the first successful Voortrekker expedition to the Kruger as word spread about the animal-rich location; their oxen-pulled wagons carved a slow route through the bush as they traversed the Lowveld. They paved wagon paths along the way, which greatly facilitated travel to and from the Kruger. The park now boasts a 2,500-kilometer system of dirt and paved roads.
Following the discovery of gold in the nearby Pilgrims Rest in 1873, fortune seekers flocked to the region with the intention of becoming wealthy. The effects on animals were significant, especially when combined with the industrialization and agricultural change of the larger Transvaal area. In 1898, the Sabie Game Reserve was declared by Transvaal Republic President Paul Kruger. Later on, this would become a part of the Sabi Sand Reserve and Kruger National Park.
A motion to nationalize the Sabie and Singwidzi Game Reserves was proposed in 1913. It was in the national interest to create a national park named after Paul Kruger in order to protect the environment and its fauna.
The initial visitors to Kruger National Park
Ten years later, as part of the South African Railway’s “Round in Nine” tours, the first sizable group of tourists began to visit the Sabie Game Reserve. The tour’s high point was a stop at Sabie Bridge (now Skukuza), where the new visitors would go on a brief bush walk with armed ranges—a practice that was groundbreaking at the time. News of this spread like wildfire, and the tour’s popularity fueled support for the park’s formation. Thirteen years later, the Kruger National Park was established.
The first three tourist cars arrived in the park just four years later, and by 1929, despite the poor state of the roads, tourism was flourishing, with 850 cars arriving in a single year. Kruger Park captivated South African families, and the iconic national park quickly became the preferred vacation spot. Safaris in Kruger National Park have been increasingly popular over the years, particularly with foreign tourists looking for the “ultimate safari experience” vacation; it is now considered a top destination in and of itself.
South Africa’s natural wonderland
Today, one of Africa’s greatest wildlife experiences can be found in the famous Kruger National Park. Additionally, it has a number of attractions that draw tourists year after year. A remarkable variety of species can be found there, including 507 birds, 114 reptiles, and 147 mammals.
A safari in the Kruger National Park offers everything you could possibly want, including the opportunity to sleep in a tree house and play golf in the wild.
Safaris are our favorite activities in Kruger National Park.
Using an armed guide on a bushwalk
A mountain bike
Engage in bush golf.
At Pezulu, sleep in a tree home.
Walk the Wilderness for three days.
Enjoy a forest picnic in Nkuhlu
See Thulamela’s stone citadel.
Go on a nighttime wildlife drive in Greater Kruger.
Go to the Elephant Hall in Letaba.
At Tsendze, return to the essentials with primitive camping.
See the lovely forest next to the Biyamiti River.
Take enjoy the Sabie River’s elephant baths.