There are over 600 elephants in Addo Elephant National Park. Despite having ‘elephant’ in the name, Addo Elephant National Park also extends right down to the ocean and currently protects some very important islands in Algoa Bay too, namely St Croix and Bird Island.
This area is difficult to research online. Typing in ‘Addo accommodation’ is not going to give you the full spread of options. Essentially, there are four main areas: Colchester, Addo, Sunland and Kirkwood. Of these, the best in terms of proximity to the gate are Addo and Sunland (though, just to confuse matters, quite a few properties located in Sunland are listed as Kirkwood).
The park itself is also split up into separate sections, from high up in the Karoo, right down to the ocean, which is confusing. Hopefully these sections will one day join to create one open area. To make it easier, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about travelling to this beautiful park.
1. How to see elephants in Addo Elephant Park
Addo’s Main Game Area and Colchester Section are the regions that most people think about when envisioning the park. Together they are roughly 24000 hectares and this is the place to see elephant hoards. This self-drive route (doable in a sedan) will help you see the best big animals in the park.
2. Find penguins on a road trip: Port Elizabeth to Woody Cape
See the biggest African Penguin colony and explore the coastal forests in this secret section of Addo Elephant National Park. You may not know it, but Addo Elephant National Park extends right down to the sea and currently protects the largest colonies of Cape gannets in the world and the largest breeding colony of the precious African penguin.
3. The best-budget break
The Kabouga Section is far bigger than the Addo Main Game Area and absolutely breathtaking. There are creased valleys and mountain slopes, rugged roads and soft pink clouds that flood over the hilltops during a good sunset. This weekend adventure costs just R1902 per person for two including a 4X4 trail, conservation fees and three nights’ accommodation in an uncrowded section of Addo Elephant National Park.
4. There are two ways to walk in Addo Elephant Park
There are no guided trails in Addo Main Game Area because the bush is too dense. With the Big Five potentially lurking behind any thicket, it’s just not safe. There are just two places you can hike in Addo: either the jaw-dropping day trails on the slopes of the fynbos-covered mountains in the Zuurberg Section or, if you’re fit and strong, a two-day trail along the coast in the Woody Cape Section.
5. If you can’t get into the park
The Sundays River Valley, a booming citrus farming area, is close to Addo Elephant National Park which makes it a great getaway option if you want to take in some amazing wildlife experiences. The focus here is often on hospitality in the true sense of the word, with welcoming hosts sharing – at extremely generous prices – their good fortune to be living in this fertile, lush valley. PE, you are so lucky to have all of this on your doorstep!
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