Addo Elephant Park
Addo Elephant Park, situated in the malaria free area of the Eastern Cape, is about 70 km from the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in the Sundays River Valley. Enjoy the wide variety of game viewing available from Elephant, Black Rhino, Buffalo, a variety of antelope to the unique flightless dung beetle. To add to the wonders of the Park, guests can now experience the roar of lion and call of the hyena, which have both been introduced into the Park.
The obvious main attraction of the Addo Elephant National Park is the park’s 350 or so African Elephants.
The Black Rhino and Cape Buffalo are also notable species, but unlike the elephant, these species are easier to see by night. Visitors should also look out for the flightless dung beetle, a species unique to the Addo region which feeds on the faeces of the large ungulates. There are also many other large herbivores, particularly antelope species such as kudu, eland, red hartebeest and springbok. The highly adaptable leopard has always managed to survive in the area and with the consolidation of the land during park expansion, lion have been reintroduced to complete the big five.
Addo Elephant Park, now stretching to the shores of the Indian Ocean, whales and dolphins will swell the viewing opportunities. Among the smaller mammals to search for are family groups of suricate (or meerkat) may be seen.
Addo Elephant Park birding opportunities cover excellent habitat contrasts between dense thickets of Spekboom interspersed with open grassy areas and wooded kloofs, particularly in the Zuurberg region. In and around the Addo Rest Camp, Karoo and Cape Robin, Bokmakierie, Southern Tchagra and Cape Bunting are prominent. A trip into the game viewing area will not produce a plethora of birds, but Bokmakierie will once more be prominent, and Martial Eagle, Black Korhaan and Secretarybird may well be seen. In the wooded kloofs of the Zuurberg, Crowned Eagles breed. Forest species typical of the Eastern Cape, such as Olive Bush Shrike, Yellow throated Warbler and Cape Batis can also be searched for.
Accommodation
Main Restcamp
Hapoor or Domkrag Guest Houses - 6 bed
- Overlooking floodlit water hole
- The guest houses have 2 bedrooms with bathroom en suite, air conditioning, living room and fully equipped kitchen, with a fan in the lounge.
Chalet - 3 Bed
- Double sleeper couch with bathroom and kitchen
- This type of accommodation can sleep either two adults and two children or three adults
- The chalet is a bedsitter with two single beds and a sleeper couch, all in the same area
- No separate bedroom, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom with bath and shower
- Two chalets are adapted to accommodate paraplegics
Semi-detached Chalet - 2 bed
- Two single beds (together) with shower, toilet, hand basin
- Kitchenette with bar-fridge, 2-plate stove, microwave oven, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils
- Air conditioner
Cottages - 2 bed
- Two single beds (together) with shower, toilet and hand basin
- Kitchenette with bar-fridge, 2-plate stove, microwave oven, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils
- Fan only
Rondawel - 2 bed
- Overlooking floodlit water hole
- The hut has two single beds (together), a shower, toilet, hand basin and fridge
- A communal kitchen with a four plate electric stove, (no oven) cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils are shared with the other huts
- Air conditioning
Forest Cabin - 4 bed
- The hut is an open area with 4 single beds, a table and seating for four persons
- Shower, toilet and hand basin
- Barbeque facilities, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils and fridge
- With communal kitchen.
Family Chalet - 6 bed
- 1 bedroom with a double bed and a bedsitter area, comprising of 2 single beds and a sleeper couch
- The bathroom leads off the bedsitter area
- Equipped kitchen
- Air conditioning.
Chalet - 2 bed
- 2 single beds (together) in an open plan area with kitchen, shower, toilet and hand basin
- Air conditioning
Safari Tents - 2 bed
- The tents have two single beds, bedding, towels, fan, fridge, barbeque
- Communal ablution facilities with shower, toilet and basin
- They can also use the big ablution block in the camping area to bath
- A communal kitchen with two plate stoves, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils for each tent
- These tents are situated inside the existing camping site area of the park next to the perimeter
Camping
- A maximum of six persons, one caravan with a side tent and one vehicle, or one tent and one vehicle, or one auto villa or one motorised caravan will be permitted per site
- Ablution facility and camp kitchen with stove tops
- No “black water” (sewerage) disposal point for “Porta-potti”
- 220V power points
- Wooden table and benches
Day visitors
- No booking is required for a day visit, unless the visitor wants to partake in organised activities
- Day visitors can make use of a wide variety of activities, including wildlife viewing from their own vehicle, guided game drives, horse rides, hiking trails, bird hide, the PPC Discovery Trail,
- Picnic and barbeque site, shop and restaurant
- Please note that the swimming pool is for overnight visitors only
Mathyolweni Rest Camp
Cottage - 2 bed
- Two single beds (together)
- Shower, toilet and hand basin
- Kitchenette with bar-fridge, 2-plate stove, microwave oven, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils
- Fan
Family Cottage - 2 bed
- Sleeps 2 adults and 1 child
- Two single beds (together) and one single sleeper couch, (open area, no separate bedroom)
- Bathroom with shower, toilet and hand basin
- Kitchenette with bar-fridge, 2-plate stove, microwave oven, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils
- Fan
Narina Bush Camp
4 Dome tents - 2 bed
- Inclusive of linen
- Kitchen with a gas stove, fridge, paraffin lamps, cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils
- Ablution facilities consist of one shower and one flush toilet
- Firewood is available for campfires at night
- Paraffin lanterns are available for overnight use
Facilities
- A fuel station selling petrol and diesel is available between 07:00 and 17:00
- A shop selling curios, snacks and basic supplies
- A restaurant is available in the main camp
- Swimming pool is available for overnight visitors
- A picnic and barbeque area is available for day visitors
- The SASOL Red Bishop Bird Hide
- The PPC Discovery Trail is accessible to all, including the visually and mobility-impaired
- There is a public telephone and a post box near the reception
- Underground wildlife viewing hide
- 4 x 4 trail route between Kabouga and Darlington
Extra Information
Climate
The climate is temperate to hot and temperatures in summer (November to February) may reach over 40 degrees Celsius. Winter days are mild but cold at night with frost occurring at times. The average annual rainfall is 450 millimetres and is spread throughout the year, although peaks do often occur in March/April and September/October.
Office and Gate hours
| Open | Close | |
| Main Camp Reception | 07:00 | 19:00 |
| Main Gate | 07:00 | 19:00 |
| Main game area Summer | 06:00 | 18:00 |
| Main game area Winter | 07:00 | 17:30 |
| Matyholweni Gate | 07:00 | 16:00 |
| Matyholweni Reception | 07:00 | 16:00 |
- The gates are staffed by security guards after closing time
- Should visitors need to enter or leave before 07:00 or after 19:00, please contact reception to inform staff.
Check-in and check-out times
- Check in time is 13:00 for all accommodation
- Check out time is 10:00 for all accommodation
- Check out time for campsites is 12:00.
Day trips can be made to the outlying sections of the park - the Zuurberg Mountains, the Darlington Dam and the coastal section
- Pets are not allowed in national parks
- Firearms are to be declared at reception where they will be sealed. The seal will be broken upon departure
- No citrus fruits may be taken into the wildlife viewing area
Handy Hints
- Binoculars and cameras should be easily accessible at all times
- Stopping for little things often produces interesting things that were not apparent
- Road maps of tourist routes within the park are available at the reception area. Various information sheets are available at reception
- Sun cream is advisable
- Drinking water available in all shops
- For summer (September – March), cool comfortable clothing is recommended along with sunhats
- For winter and autumn (April – August), warm clothing is recommended for the night times
- Insect repellant is recommended, especially in summer
- No immunizations are needed for travel to this park. The park is situated in a malaria-free area
- Hot days at waterholes are best for elephant viewing
- Black rhino are most often sighted in the early evening
- Lions and spotted hyenas are most often seen in the early morning or evening to night time
