Gorah Elephant Camp
A Unique African Safaris Experience of a Bygone Era
Reasons to Visit Addo Elephant National Park
- *Good wildlife viewing with all of the “Big 7″ present *Free from malaria *Unique and diverse wildlife sanctuary *Very accessible and easily integrated with the Garden Route *Excellent elephant viewing *Wide variety of lodges to suit all budgets
Addo Elephant National Park Wildlife
Addo is a sanctuary for more than 700 elephants, which are the main attraction of the park. It is home to all of the Big Five including the elusive black rhino and over 400 Cape buffalo. Burchell’s zebra, red hartebeest, greater kudu and yellow mongoose are spotted regularly. Algoa Bay here has produced sightings of both great white sharks and southern right whales.Addo encompasses five distinct vegetation areas: Albany thicket (dense woodland), fynbos (fine-leaved plants), forest, Nama Karoo (dry shrubland) and Indian Ocean coastal belt. The characteristic vegetation of the main area open to tourists is Albany thicket, which is dominated by spekboom (literally ‘bacon tree’), a low-growing succulent shrub that forms the main food for the elephants.
Black RhinoRare
BuffaloOccasional
Cheetah--
ElephantAbundant
Giraffe--
HippoRare
HyenaOccasional
LeopardRare
LionOccasional
Rhino--
Wild Dog--
Wildebeest--
ZebraCommon
Wildlife Highlights
Addo’s top attraction is the elephant population. All of the Big Five are present, and lion are sometimes encountered early in the morning. Black rhino is very shy and tends to stay in the thickets. Giraffe is absent, as it has never occurred in the area, and hippo are only found in the rarely visited Zuurberg Mountains section of the park.Some of the more interesting antelope species regularly encountered are greater kudu, red hartebeest and eland. The endemic flightless dung beetle has right-of-way on the roads and plays an important role in recycling nutrients to stimulate vegetation growth.
Best Time to Visit Addo Elephant National Park
Best Time to Visit
Best Weather
Worst Weather
While wildlife viewing is always good in Addo, it is marginally better during the drier months of the year (June to September) when animals congregate at the man-made waterholes. However, the weather is more pleasant from October to May.Having an arid to semi-arid climate, animals are attracted to the waterholes at any time, but the best time is the driest winter months (June to September). The only drawback is that nights can become very cold and winter clothing is needed for early morning game drives, especially when using an open vehicle.
Low Season
- May-September;Cold evenings and mornings
High Season
- October-March;The park gets crowded, especially during school holidays
Addo Elephant National Park Weather and Climate
Unlike the summer rainfall pattern covering most of the country, rainfall is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, but there are two peaks: in February-March and October-November. It can cool down to freezing in mid-winter. The park ranges from the coast to the Zuurberg Mountains, creating a wide range of altitudes. The main park area is at low altitude (under 250m).
How to get to Addo Elephant National Park
Most visitors to Addo Elephant National Park fly into O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. It is possible to start your tour here on either an organized safari or on a self-drive package. Many people will drive from Cape Town to Addo via the Garden Route, over the course of a week or two.By Air
There are domestic flights to Port Elizabeth where people can also choose self-drive options.By Road
Addo Elephant National Park is usually accessible via Cape Town International Airport or O.R. Tambo International Airport. For people opting for the self-drive option, they can reach the destination via Garden Route.Where to stay in Addo Elephant National Park