Addo, South Africa Plan a trip

Addo is a town in Eastern Cape, South Africa, most famed for the Addo Elephant National Park. The perfect wildlife getaway for those at the beginning, or end, of a Garden Route drive.

The National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Addo and is certainly the main reason why tourists choose to visit. However, those who want to get off the beaten track will appreciate that Addo is a great base for seeing some of the surrounding areas, including the likes of the historic city of Grahamstown, the world heritage site of Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area and the Gamtoos Valley.

For keen adventurers, it would certainly be worth making a trip to the Zuurberg Mountains. Here you’ll have the chance to wander through the iconic Zuurberg Pass, where you’ll be greeted with scenic views of the National Park and its surroundings.

The original section of Addo Elephant​ National Park was founded in 1931, to cater for 11 elephants that were facing extinction. It’s expanded a great deal since then, and today houses around 500 elephants! The park is also home to the world’s largest colony of breeding gannets – over 160,000 of them, in fact.  There is also a marine section of the park, where you’ll have the chance to spot a bottlenose dolphin or great white shark. If you’re extremely lucky, you may even get a rare viewing of the humpbacks and Bryde’s whales.

Due to the growth of the park, it is now able to house the ‘big five’ – the elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. Aside from the animals, many tourists opt to visit to see the gorgeous plant life within the park. Most of the plants are extremely rare, with many now even facing extinction.

There is a small section of the park where you can drive through yourself; however, we advise to join a game drive experience to see the park in its entirety. These drives can take place either at sunrise or sunset, depending on the wildlife you have an interest in seeing. There are also opportunities to go horse riding, canoeing, birdwatching, on a 4×4 trail or walking through designated hike trails.

Plan your trip to Addo today.