Of the six planned additional huts, nothing came of it, but in two rondavels with a radius of six metres and ten with a radius of a little more than four metres, were erected at Skukuza and two additional rondavels were built at Satara.
Rest camps of the size of Skukuza were envisaged for Pretoriuskop, Satara and Letaba. Two smaller rest camps with six rondavels each were planned for Balule then still known as Olifants Camp and Olifants Poort better known as Gorge near the confluence of the Olifants and Letaba. Construction on the rest camp at Olifants Poort already commenced in The activities were continued in all sincerity in and besides the two additional rondavels in Skukuza, four were erected at Pretoriuskop where there were already four , fifteen at Satara, twelve at Letaba, six at Balule, one at Olifants Poort and four at Malelane.
Paul Selby was an American mine engineer who also served on the Board. He designed a hut with a gap between the wall and the roof and also a small hole in the top half of the original stable door. The hole in the door was meant to serve as a peephole to see if there were any dangerous animals between the huts before alighting from their rondavels — at that time the rest camps were of course not fenced.
These Selby huts rapidly enticed criticism as they were too cold in winter, too dark as a result of lack of windows and also because people could peep in through the holes in the door. They also provided easy access to mosquitoes! From , all new rondavels were provided with windows.
In the early thirties great progress was made with provision of additional tourist amenities. The old guest house at Lower Sabie soon proved a failure as a result of it dilapidation. It was decided to vacate it and rather build a few huts on the banks of the Crocodile River. Eight rondavels were built at Crocodile Bridge in The guest house was demolished in In use was also made of tents for the first time. These tents, each with four beds, were initially commissioned at Skukuza and subsequently at Satara.
Besides the rest camps already mentioned, six other rest camps were established during this period. In , construction was commenced at the Rabelais Gate. In the first huts in the new rest camp at Punda Maria were built.
They were of the traditional wattle and daub type as cement could not be afforded at that stage. A small rest camp was also built at Malopene in A small temporary rest camp comprising tents was erected in next to the Tsende River at Mabodhlelene. It was only in use for a few months, before construction of Shingwedzi rest camp was commenced as a replacement. Initially this camp also consisted consisted only of tents. In the first three-hut units, comprising three rooms, were completed.
The roof and external wall structure of these huts as well as others built subsequently, are still in use today. In the first ablution block — a unit with four bath and four shower cubicles — was built in Skukuza.
During the same year the rest camps were fenced for the first time. There was experimentation with a new hut design in These were square units with corrugated steel roofs, of which the walls were built of large hollow cement bricks. These huts were not liked, they were unsightly and the erection thereof was ceased. The last two rest camps that were opened to tourists before , were Lower Sabie and Pafuri. After the closing and later demolishing of the guest house at Lower Sabie, it was decided to build a new rest camp.
The first buildings of this new rest camp were designed by architects Gerard Moerdyk and were completed in This comprised three units with six bedrooms each and was laid out in a U-shape. A tent camp was opened in on the banks of the Luvhuvhu River, where the current Pafuri picnic spot is. A year later it was closed due to flooding and mosquito problems, to only be re-opened after the war. In many ways the development of the tourism business in the Kruger Park is very similar to that of wildlife management.
The Board was involved in a new and unique development for which there were no clear principles or guidelines. Decisions were initially taken haphazardly, and in many cases lessons were learnt through trail and error.
As an example, when the first rest huts were built in , it was not considered that rest camps would possibly be established. In when councilor Oswald Pirow pointed out that the few buildings would not at all meet the needs once visitor numbers increase, he directed as follows: that in future no new huts would be erected, but rather that areas of approximately x metres be fenced and that a corrugated roof structure be erected somewhere near the centre with a container providing boiling water.
He felt that such a construction would meet the requirements for a rest camp as visitors preferred to camp out than to stay in huts. The Board agreed with this thinking and accepted the proposal — which was retracted in the same year. The Boards close link with the Transport Services in establishing the tourism industry has already been reflected. In the Board undertook to build a rest camp for the SAR in the vicinity of Skukuza, once its own building program had been completed.
As a result of the hectic building program, the Board could not meet this commitment and in the undertaking was withdrawn. Notwithstanding that hot water is taken fore granted in all public facilities in rest camps today, it was certainly not the case in the early years. Only after the completion of the road between Punda Maria and Letaba, a request was tabled to the Board that ablutions in both camps needed to provide hot water.
The road between the rest camps was not only very long but also dusty. This road for most of the distance ran over dusty black peat soil and could not be graveled during construction. The then chairperson of the Board, Senator Jack Brebner, was not all pleased with the proposal and turned it down on grounds that it was just an unnecessary luxury.
The discussion was continued and in it was granted with some resentment on condition that tourists would pay one shilling 10c per bath. This again led to differences in opinion and it was again reasoned that it was an unnecessary luxury, and besides that the Board did not have the funds for the required installation.
The issue was again postponed and it was not until that such installations were brought about — and on condition that gents were only entitled to hot and cold showers, and that hot water for bathing for ladies was available daily between and ! Notwithstanding the rate at which provision of tourist accommodation progressed in the early thirties, it could not meet the demand.
Under this pressure it was even proposed to SAR to park a number of coaches at Skukuza to serve as sleeping quarters. This proposal could not be executed as it would have been illegal. For the expending of such an amount the addition of additional beds for Pretoriuskop rest camp with the existing beds and a new rest camp for Lower Sabie that would accommodate visitors, was viewed a highest priority.
Over and above these new developments, all existing huts had to be made mosquito-proof. The Board decided that only R40, of this amount would be applied for tourism and that the other R20, for the provision of water sources for game. In the meantime the Board had instructed architect firms Leith and Moerdyk to prepare plans for the anticipated developments.
Gordon Leith was tasked to present a design for the new Lower Sabie rest camp, while Gerhard Moerdyk had to deal with extension of Pretoriuskop rest camp as well as Malelane. The Board accepted the latter proposal on condition that there were sufficient funds available.
The architects, as well as the executive subcommittee of the Board, had not taken account of the chairperson, Judge J de Wet. Not only did he regard the hot water for showers and baths as unnecessary luxuries, but he could not identify with extravagancies such as septic tanks, retail areas, a dining room, etc, for rest camps.
According to his view, there was only a need for sleeping facilities and nothing else! The plans by Leith for Lower Sabie, were accordingly rejected on grounds that it would be too expensive, and instruction was given to Moerdyk to draw up a new — and significantly cheaper — plan. In the warden expressed his concern about picnic spots and indicating that visitors at such unprotected alighting points are subject to unnecessary dangers.
The Board was of the view that as rest camps were far apart, such points were justified. After consideration of the matter, it was decided that they should be maintained, but that all picnic spots had to have a Black caretaker and that all shrubs and grass on the terrain had to be cleared.
Stevenson-Hamilton was not satisfied, and in he repeated his warning. The Board maintained its position and as additional preventative measure, it was decided that in future, picnic spots would not be indicated on tourist maps and that warning signs be erected.
One of the main driving forces for the initial introduction of tourism in the Park was that it would provide a welcome source of income. In the Board decided that five shillings 50c per person would be charged at all entrances gates, with the single exception of Punda Maria- but that a minimum of R2 had to be charged per vehicle.
Admission permits could be obtained from game rangers, but also from agents in White River Legogote and Rubbervale of Gravelotte. This fee included the services of the game ranger. To deter heavy vehicles from entering the Park, an admission fee for business purposes of R10 per heavy vehicle was charged.
An additional source of revenue was also offered by the pontoons over the rivers. Until the end of , tickets could be bought for 50c. These tickets were valid for seven days and covered any number of crossings on the same pontoon. In tariffs were increased and vehicles were charged 25c for every time a pontoon was used.
Trucks had to pay 50c. Pedestrians were required to pay 25c for the first five persons, and 5c per person above this amount. To the uninformed it may today be difficult to understand why the Boards did not manage its own retail business from the early starting years. It must be kept in mind that it was exactly an acute lack of funds that limited the early development, preventing the Board from launching its own projects. This was not the only reason. By it was pointed out to the Board that the game rangers at Satara and Skukuza just could not attend to the administration and maintenance of the rest camps together with their other commitments.
Subsequently it was suggested that contractors be appointed who would perform these duties under supervision of the game ranger.
After consideration and reference of the matter by the executive committee of the Board, the suggestion was accepted. In March the contract for the management of Skukuza and Satara was awarded to P. Willis and, as result of increasing tourist traffic, a similar contract was awarded for Letaba in September of the same year.
The contracts that were awarded to external contractors in this manner resulted in them being responsible for the entire administration of the rest camps. This included the issuing of permits, all retail and catering, rental of bedding and even the erection of their own buildings. Accounts of these early days can be found in the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library at Skukuza, which houses a collection of ecologically orientated books, paintings and memorabilia and is well worth a visit for the history-orientated traveller.
The surface area of the park is 19, square kilometres and plays host to more than species of animal and species of plants in the park. There are known cultural heritage sites in the Kruger, including rock art sites. Homo erectus roamed the area about years ago and cultural artefacts from to 30 years ago have been found and confirmed. More than archaeological sites of Stone Age humans have been found, making the Kruger National Park a place of great history.
Significant archaeological ruins can be found at Thulamela and Masorini and are well worth seeing, while there are numerous examples of San Rock Art scattered through the park and worthy of exploration. In more recent times the San Bushmen and Iron Age peoples lived in the area about years ago making way for the Nguni people of further North and the European explorers and settlers who arrived in the 19th century.
The mountain gorilla is the only one missing in the park of the Big 7. Some of the more popular large mammals found in the park include elephant, black and white rhinoceroses, eland, giraffe, greater kudu, cape buffalo, hippopotamus, roan antelope, sable antelope, and the waterbuck. Kruger is considered the premier safari destination in southern Africa.
It is the most renowned national park in Africa and draws people from around the world. The wilderness and wildlife will provide you with an unforgettable experience with nature. The wilderness trails have no guarantees of wildlife sightings and matter of fact sightings can be more challenging.
These trails are for exploring the wilderness and landscapes versus animal viewing. The best chance of wildlife sightings is for some of the bigger species such as elephants. This is a ranger-guided trek that involves two nights out in the bush. It is located in the southern part of the park boundaries. This is another two-night trek that features rugged rock crops as part of the wilderness landscapes.
This three-day trail follows along a riverbed. Keep your eyes open for wildlife visiting the rivers for drinks. This three-night trail meanders around the Olifant River. There is a good chance of seeing hippopotamuses and crocodiles. You should also keep your eyes open and toward the skies watching for the beautiful fish eagle.
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