Addo Elephant National Park

Description

Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape Province is the only reserve that is home to South Africa’s Big 7. It is the 3rd largest national park in South Africa, covering 180,000 hectares from the semi-arid Karoo region in the north to the coast between the Sundays River mouth and Bushman’s River mouth in the south. The park also includes the Bird and St Croix Island groups, where the Southern Right Whale and Great White Shark (making up the Big 7) can often be spotted in the surrounding waters.

Over the years, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded to conserve a wide diversity of landscapes, fauna, and flora. The original elephant section of the park was initiated in 1931, when only 16 African elephants remained in the area. Today the sanctuary supports over 550 elephants, along with lion, leopard, black rhino, buffalo, spotted hyena, zebra, a variety of antelope, and more. In addition, the unique Addo flightless dung beetle is almost exclusively found in Addo.

There are plans to expand the reserve to a 264,000 hectare mega-park, as well as proclaim a 120,000 hectare marine reserve that will include the islands that are home to the world's largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.

Activities

• Guided game drives at sunrise, sunset, and night • Self-drive game viewing, with the option of a Hop-on Guide • Horse trails • 4x4 trails • The 2-day, 32km, circular Alexandria Hiking Trail • 1 or 3-hour hiking trails in the Zuurberg Mountains • Wheelchair-friendly activities at the main camp include the short PPC Discovery Trail, SASOL Red Bishop Bird Hide, floodlit waterhole, and underground viewing hide • Picnic and braai site • Restaurant and curio shop • Holiday programmes for children during July and December holidays • Marine Eco Tours