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Hi All,

I want to see if there are some “young” people on the forum, which were introduced to KNP through their parents (like me). And know started their own little family and by tradition passing the love of nature and KNP over to their SO and children from a very young age.
The reason for this question is:
Some of my friends (age 23-28) think that it’s fairly possible to drive through the KNP in one day (from top to bottom). Also I get this question asked a lot; why do we go to the KNP 2/3 times a year!!?? (Again most of my friends don’t know how incredibly “small” KNP is and the amount of camps in the park)

Morning Lapwing, well lets see if I can contribute to your question.
I am newbee to Kruger but not Africa and this is the first time I travelled with my 7 year old son to KNP. Many of our friends said he was to young and I am happy to say they were all wrong. Our trip was everything to him and three months later we have come to realise that it has go into him a lot more than we had initially though it would.
At 7 he learnt what real nature was, and not just seeing it in school books, and fell in love with everything of Kruger. He still wakes up during the night and tells me of his dreams, most of them to do with animals and his personal xperiences and points of view.
There is no better school than nature!

I don't remember how young I was on my first trip to the KNP, but we'd go as a family (along with a bunch of other families) at least once a year, and often more. This was all the time I was growing up.

These trips stopped when my father purchased a property in a private reserve around 1995. We then visited this reserve, often as a family several times a year.

Although not KNP, my nephew visited the private reserve before he was a year old. (One difference of the private reserve to KNP is we drive in an OSV, so its a bit brave to take such a young child with.)

I re-visited KNP for the first time in July 2007 and have been at least once a year since (though even that's not enough). My brother took his family to KNP for the first time in July this year, with kids aged 8 and 5, and they absolutely loved it. I don't have children, but cannot wait to introduce my gf to KNP. I have introduced plenty of friends to game reserves, especially KNP.

It saddens me to know that many of my peers and colleagues have never visited a game reserve. Notwithstanding financial inability to go (though Sanparks try very hard to make it affordable), I personally think it is almost criminal for South African parents not to take their children to a game reserve at least once. Granted its not for everyone, but at least give them the opportunity.

My dad introduced us to Kruger in 1956, Lapwing.

He and I were there again 2 weeks ago.

My children also go when they can.

Just one thing though, we have not limited it to Kruger, we have also been across generations to Kgalagadi.

My daughters have been going to the bush - various places, including our farm near Lydenburg, since they were in my "tummy".

The younger one, aged 21, is now completing her BSc Hons in Wildlife Management and says her love of the bush comes from all the trips she did as a small child!

I am so excited that she and I will be spending a quality-time week in KNP in two weeks time.

I think it is wonderful for families to enjoy the bush and, hopefully, the youngsters will continue the tradition with their children, when the time comes.

Although my mother visited KNP as a child, my father had never been before he met my mother. He soon became a convert and visits various places often.

My parents took me to the "wildtuin" when I was 5 years old - cannot remember much, except staying in the tents in Pretoriuskop.

And I took my son to Kruger for the first time when he was about 7, and to KTP when he was about 10 years old.

Oh, and I went to KTP when Namibia was SWA. I'm now 27, so that tells you at what age my parents introduced me.

My parents took us since I can remember - somewhere in the 80's - so I must've been between 7 and 10.

We took our children last year for the first time - they were 4 and 2 then... and we've been back 4 times since.... they LOOVVEEE it!!!

They do get tired of all the driving, but we keep the trips interesting and stop often for play and running around....

My parents used to give us 5c for every animal spotted and R1 for any of the big 5.... now we do the same... inflation has caught up with us though.... now it's R1 for any animal and R50 for the big5.... my wife owes me about R500 bucks so far!!!

Interesting thread Lapwing! My parents took us to the KNP for the first time when I was maybe 3 years old. After that we went regularly and sometimes more than once a year.

I introduced my SO to the KNP when we were still dating in the 80's and she became totally hooked as well. We took our daughter to the KNP for the first time when she was between 1 and 2 years old and she is a KNP addict also! Our daughter is 8 years old now!

My husband started going with his parents and I think his dad went with his parents. I had never been before we got married. Our honeymoon was spent in the park and I was totally hooked. Our son's first trip was at the age of 16 weeks. Two weeks of camping. He too is totally hooked and feels deprived if we miss a year. He hadn't been so far this year and he begged us to take him. We managed to make a plan and have booked for the first week of the school holidays. Now 19 days and counting.
The only thing that will delay our trip is if I haven't baked what is known in the family as 'Kruger Park Biscuits' - the trip doesn't happen without the biscuits.

Lapwing I was too young to remember my first trip to Kruger
My daughter (now 20) was 6 months old for her first trip and my son(now18) was 3 months old for his first trip. When they were small we spent a lot of time watching baboons and vervet monkeys as they are very entertaining and the kids were always delighted by their antics We used to join my parents in the park as they had a VW Micro bus so the kids could sleep in comfort when they needed to . It also gave us a chance to do night drives while the grandparents babysat the kids. We are still KNP lovers and often meet various members of the extended family there. Like BB says, we haven't limited it to Kruger, but go to various SANParks and others around the country . It extends their horizons. I believe we need to teach the next generation about their SA heritage so they too can try to conserve and preserve it

Last Saturday I saw a herd of between 1200 and 1500 buffs. that's R60000 - R75000 please

My first introduction to a 'prpoer' game reserve was at the tender age of about 3yrs. when my parents took me to Hwange, but where we lived was as good as a game reserve. I have a picture of myself at the age of about 2yrs with just my hat sticking out of an elephant foot print in our vegie garden.

First time in KNP was when I was 8yrs old and we stayed at P/kop. That got me hooked on KNP, but we have also been to many other parks.

My SO's job took him through Ghona re Zhou every month and before that Mana pools on the Zambezi and all around Kariba.

So that life is well and truely entrenched and I only wish we lived as close as Sprocky!!

This is a great Topic! Had a similar conversation with my parents a few weeks back!!
I was to young to remember when I first went to Kruger!! Apparently on one of the many trips my family made to kruger it was so hot one day that my mom put me in one of the basins at Skukuzas rest room with cold water just to cool me down!! (This should give you an indication on how young I was).
For some time we lived in Steelpoort and went probably every weekend and every day there was time!! I was I think between 2-3years old! Don't remember alot but was told all of this by mum!!
I have been a wildlife freak since I can remember and will pass that on to my kids one day, if I will be so lucky as to have kids.
I introduced my SO to Kruger in 2006!! He has been hooked ever since!! We have been to Kruger in April this year and will be there in December again! Both of us can't wait until that day comes that we have to pack the car and leave for KNP!!!