It is both exhilarating and frightening to experience an elephant herd walking within 3 feet, past your vehicle. Elephants are beautiful giants with such an instinct for the family within the herd. Addo Elephant National Park offers some of the best elephant viewing in the world. While these are wild animals, they have adapted to all the vehicles full of eager visitors, allowing these regular close encounters between man and elephant from the safety of a vehicle.
The History of the Park
Addo Elephant National Park was formed in 1931 to protect the remaining 11 Addo elephants after hunters had nearly wiped out all the herds between 1700 to 1900s. War and the establishment of farming added to the threat, as poachers sought after the elephants for the ivory trade. Today the Addo Elephant National Park is the 3rd biggest park in South Africa, protecting a wide range of fauna and flora through park expansion.
Addo Elephant National Park Today
Addo has recently introduced lion to the park, once indigenous to the region. This is a welcome link in the food chain, as the predators assist in maintaining the balance and reduces the demand to cull. The expansion of the national park into surrounding biomes as part of the long-term transfrontier parks initiatives is a great move for conservation. There are several mammal species throughout the park’s different camps. While some are listed, they are very rare sightings. Leopard, Aardvark and Honey Badger in particular. Here are some of the mammals in the park:
- Lion
- Cape Buffalo
- Burchell’s Zebra
- Kudu
- Red Hartebeest
- Eland
- Cape Grysbok
- Duiker
- Bushbuck
- Spotted Hyena
- Elephant
- Warthog and Wild Pig
- Black-backed Jackal
- Caracal (Rooikat)
- Aardvark
- Meerkat
- Aardwolf
- Honey Badger
- Yellow Mongoose
- Bat-eared Fox
- Porcupine
- Vervet Monkey
There are several bird and reptile species in Addo. Bring binoculars to enjoy some bird watching throughout the park. The flightless dung beetle is a key to the recycling of animal, mainly elephant dung, to produce nutrients needed for the vegetation. Don’t drive over elephant dung in the road, as there may be a beetle at work there. Give them the right of way to avoid damaging the ecosystem.
Conservation Areas
Addo Elephant National Park has expanded its conservation reach into nearby biomes. Each area offers different accommodation options including, lodges, camping, cottages, bush camps, self-catering, safari tents, forest cabins, a guest house, and forest huts. Activities vary from area to area and include 4×4 trails, hiking, horse trails, fishing in the Darlington dam, camping, birding, picnics and braai facilities. The six conservation areas under park management are:
- Darlington Area
- Kabouga Area
- Zuurberg Area
- Nyathi Area
- Addo Main Camp Area
- Colchester Area
- Woody Cape Area
The Addo Main Camp has a restaurant, picnic and braai facilities, a shop and a fuel station. There is also a small children’s play area, education centre, an underground hide, and a short wheelchair-friendly trail. Colchester Village is within 5km of the Colchester gate and has shops and a fuel station. Some of the areas require a high clearance vehicle.
Our favourite route as a family is to enter the park at Colchester, the closest gate to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and then have lunch at Jack’s Picnic Site in the park. You can braai here and there is a place for the kids to run around and stretch their legs. There are also ablutions and water here. You need more than one day to enjoy all that Addo Elephant Park has to offer. I would recommend spending the night camping or in one of the chalets. This also allows for an early game drive in the morning, the best time for game viewing. Our favourite viewing sites are Ngulube Waterhole, Hapoor Dam, and Rooidam.
The Woody Cape Area is where you can hike the 2-day Alexandria Hiking Trail. The 32km trail is through indigenous forest, over spectacular dune fields, along with fragrant coastal fynbos and pristine coastline. The Alexandria dune fields are regarded as the largest dune fields in the southern hemisphere. It is advised to spend the first night in the huts at the beginning of the trail, allowing for an early start on day one. The first day is an 18 km hike and it is recommended that you be an experienced moderate to fit hiker. Day two it is advised that you avoid hiking the dunes during the midday heat. There is a short 7 km trail – the Tree Dassie Trail, for those not up to the challenge of the dunes.
Addo Elephant National Park is a highlight for travelers in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The region is malaria free, and offers some of the best elephant viewing in the world.
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View the Addo Elephant National Park Gallery
Suggested Routes to Addo Elephant National Park to:
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) to Addo Elephant National Park via the Colchester Gate – 42 km / 28 min
- Cape Town to Addo Elephant National Park via Willowmore (N9) – 845 km / 9 h 10 min (allow time for refreshment stops).
- Cape Town to Addo Elephant National Park (Mathyolweni Gate) via the N2 – 786km / 8 h 38 min (allow time for refreshment stops). I highly recommend this route via Plettenberg Bay / Storms River. You will want to split the trip by spending time at the Storms River Mouth National Park. You will also want time to spend in the spectacular Garden Route.
- Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo International Airport) to Addo Elephant National Park – 1038 km / 10 h 11 min