Mpumalanga/Limpopo, South Africa · ZA

Kruger National Park

One of the world's great wildlife parks, spanning two provinces

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History & Heritage

From Sabi Game Reserve to a World-Famous Wilderness

The Sabi Game Reserve was established in 1898 to curb uncontrolled hunting along the Sabie River; the Shingwedzi Reserve was proclaimed separately in 1903 to its north. James Stevenson-Hamilton became the reserve's first warden in 1902 and served 44 years, enforcing anti-poaching patrols and expanding the protected area from roughly 1,200 to 14,000 square miles.

On 31 May 1926, the Sabi and Shingwedzi reserves and surrounding farms were combined and proclaimed Kruger National Park, named for President Paul Kruger. It opened to the public in 1927, and the park's administrative headquarters camp was renamed Skukuza in Stevenson-Hamilton's honour by local Tsonga staff, meaning 'he who sweeps clean'.

In 2002 Kruger was incorporated into the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, linking it with reserves in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Today the park stretches 360km north to south, covers 19,623 square kilometres, and draws close to 2 million visitors a year.

Key Historical Places

Places of Significance

Thulamela

A Late Iron Age royal city from the 13th-17th century in the park's far north, part of the Mapungubwe/Great Zimbabwe trade network.

Iron Age Archaeology Heritage

↑ Access is by guided tour only, booked from Punda Maria camp.

Skukuza

Established 1926 as the park's administrative headquarters, renamed for warden James Stevenson-Hamilton; now the park's largest rest camp.

History Conservation HQ

↑ Visit the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library before a game drive.

Paul Kruger Gate

In many ways the park's 'main entrance', with a bronze statue of the park's founding figures.

Gateway Monument

↑ Arrive at gate-opening time for the best early sightings on the drive in.

Timeline

1898
Sabi Game Reserve established
1902
James Stevenson-Hamilton appointed first warden
1903
Shingwedzi Game Reserve proclaimed
31 May 1926
Kruger National Park proclaimed, combining Sabi and Shingwedzi
1927
Park opens to the public
1946
Stevenson-Hamilton retires after 44 years
2002
Incorporated into the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
Today
Park draws close to 2 million visitors a year

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