- Posted by: Carla dos Santos
- October 9, 2007, 4:14 pm
The best time of year to visit Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape of South Africa is mid-season, but game viewing is always good.
The Eastern Cape climate, influenced by the nearby Indian Ocean, provides rain in Addo Park evenly distributed throughout the year. Winters days are pleasant, rarely exceeding mid-twenty temperatures (degrees Celsius), but nights can get cold. In the peak summer months (Nov-Mar) Addo can get very hot (up to 35 degrees Celsius). Wildlife viewing is great year round in Addo Elephant Park.
- Unrivalled natural diversity
- Five of South Africa’s seven major vegetation zones (biomes)
- The Big 7 (Elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, whales and great white sharks) in their natural habitat.
- Rich heritage of archaeological and historical sites
- A wide variety of accommodation and activity options
Addo Elephant Park and elephant sanctuary is about an hours (73km) drive from Port Elizabeth. It is a malaria free area game viewing experience that offers a great amount of adventure and culture. Addo is the third largest reserve in South Africa.
Initially proclaimed in 1931 to preserve what remained of the elephant population (11) in the Eastern Cape, Addo has grown tremendously in size and population, with the elephants now numbering 350. There are plans to expand Addo into the "Greater Addo" which will be about 400 000ha in size offering sanctuary to the last Cape Buffalo and Black Rhino which are from a very rare Kenyan sub-species.
In addition, plans include the proposed 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape Gannets and second largest breeding population of African Penguins. The conservation success story of the Greater Addo is world famous.
Addo Elephant Park does have the Big 7, but is well noted for being home to the unique flightless dung beetle, which is found exclusively in Addo. Day sightings of animals are excellent and night sightings at the illuminated waterholes ensure you get to see the best of Africa’s Wildlife.
Addo is a malaria free safari
destination located an easy drive by car from Port Elizabeth. or you can take an organised day tour.
This Article’s Popularity: 40%
About the Author
Carla dos Santos is the Product Manager of Drive South Africa Travel. She has worked in the Africa Travel Industry since 1998. Born in Cape Town, with a huge travel bug in her pretty much from birth, Carla started travelling close to home, and fell in love with South Africa.
