Paul Kruger – The cattle herder

Young Paul Kruger was responsible to shepherd the cattle and see to their safety, this meant that he soon became an expert on horseback and in the handling of a rifle. The Kruger family together with thousands of other families did the trek from the Cape to the Vrystaat and Natal, and finally back to the Transvaal where they settled.

Paul Kruger buys a farm and gets married

At the age of sixteen, Paul Kruger managed to get a farm during the year 1842 and shortly after, he got married. The Transvaal was seen as a pioneer’s country where whites and blacks competed for land. The White farmers had the upper hand due to their good organizational skills and their weaponry.

Paul Kruger – The Hunter

Paul Kruger soon got renowned for his hunting rather than for his cattle farming. Later on, he got involved in the political developments of the Republic of South Africa.
In the year 1846, Paul Kruger’s wife and firstborn child passed away, both due to Malaria. He married his second wife a year later. Thereafter he and his wife were very fruitful with sixteen children of which a number died during their early childhoods.

Paul Kruger – The brave

Mr. Kruger soon became well known for his bravery in certain campaigns against rebels in 1868 and for his skills and diplomacy for peace negotiations between the Oranje-Vrystaat and the legendary King Mosjesj of the Basotho tribes.

Stance for presidency

In 1877, Paul Kruger took a plunge to run for a chance of presidency. Unfortunately, the British Republic, House of Assembly got the title and Paul Kruger was then selected as vice president. After several years, Paul Kruger negotiated with the English to regain the Transvaal’s independence. The Transvaal was only declared as a Republic in 1880, that lead to the first Anglo Boer War, of which the Boere won shortly thereafter.

President Paul Kruger

It was in 1883 when Paul Kruger finally became President of the Republic of South Africa.

The government was shocked by his statement and said that you cannot tell a man not to hunt. Never did they think of the consequences these hunters’ actions and the effect it will have on the future numbers of wildlife and the environment. It comes with no question that Paul Kruger’s suggestion was not taken seriously at that time and the matter was thrown out.

Even though Paul Kruger’s suggestion was bald and was shown the door, it was safe to say that a metaphorical seed was planted and his words had an effect on the thoughts of the individuals he had pitched the suggestion to.

Debates regarding conservation carried on for another five slow years, until the year 1889. Paul Kruger yet again stood up and said the same thing he had to say years before – an area of safe haven for wildlife should be set aside, where hunting is illegal, all to protect the species and nature. This time, his effort was fruitful!

Finally, the government granted his request on the matter!

Several years passed. It was only on 26 Mach 1898 when the Park was proclaimed a nature reserve, stretching 4 600 hectares from the Sabie River to the Crocodile River.

Kruger National Park is named after Paul Kruger

Paul Kruger’s efforts to proclaim an area as a nature reserve in 1898 paid off; the Sabie Game Reserve merged with the Shingwedzi Game Reserve in 1927 (after the proclamation of the National Parks Act) and became the Kruger National Park. Paul Kruger – Namesake of the Famous South African Game Reserve.

Kruger National Park owes its name to Paul Kruger, who was the president of the Transvaal Republic (now in present-day South Africa) from 1880 to 1900, after which he fled to Holland in exile in the midst of the Boer War.

Visit the world-renowned Kruger National Park where the legend of late President Paul Kruger lives on

You can visit the Kruger National Park either by private vehicle or by booking a safari with an open safari vehicle in the Kruger Park. You can read all about the difference between self-drive and guided safaris in the Kruger National Park by clicking on this link.

BOOK a Guided safari with an open safari vehicle in the Kruger National Park TODAY!

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest nature reserve and the largest controlled nature reserve on earth. It is within these 2 million hectares where President Paul Kruger and other legendary historians, for example Joao Albasini, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, Jock of the Bushveld, Harry Wolhuter and James Stevenson-Hamilton among others lived their lives and roamed the wilderness.

Visit the Paul Kruger statue at Paul Kruger Gate at Kruger National Park

Kruger Gate or rather Paul Kruger Gate is one of the 9 entrance gates to the Kruger National Park in the Southern region of the Park.

You can easily access this gate by following the below directions from Hazyview:

-At Hazyview, turn right at the second 4-way stop, into Paul Kruger Road.

-Follow the road for 43km, the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate will be on the left-hand side, Kruger Gate entrance directly in front.

-Be cautious of people and animals on the road.

The Paul Kruger statue

Kruger National Park was named after this formidable man known as Mr. Paul Kruger. A statue was erected and unveiled in 1976 in his honor.

The enormous sandstone statue of Paul Kruger’s head can be seen at Kruger Gate at Kruger National Park.

World-famous Krugerrand

The well-known Krugerrand was also named after Paul Kruger.

The Krugerrand is a South African coin, first minted on 3 July 1967 to help market South African gold and produced by Rand Refinery and the South African Mint. By 1980, the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the global gold coin market.

YES! We offer affordable Kruger National Park safaris

Our rates include the following:

Please note:

Our area of operation covers Nelspruit and surrounding areas, White River | Malelane | Hazyview | Komatipoort | Marloth Park | Kruger National Park | KMI Airport | Skukuza Airport.

Please contact us if your accommodation falls outside of our area of operation.

We also conduct safari tours in the North of Kruger upon request and need. You also have the option to hire the safari vehicle privately, email us to find out more. Additionally, you have the option to add your Kruger entrance/conservation fees when you make your booking so you don’t have to go to the office on the morning of the safari to make payment for entrance fees.