Addo Elephant National Park

The Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed in 1931 to save the Eastern Cape Elephant and Cape Buffalo from extinction. From only 11 elephants, the park is now home to over 450, and offers an unbeatable opportunity to view these animals in their natural habitat.

The park is also home to the Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo.

The Addo bush also offers sanctuary to a large variety of birds (185 species) and is situated 72km north of Nelson Mandela Bay near the Zuurberg Mountain Range and offers guided or self-drive options and accommodation.

The park plans include the proposed proclamation of a 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 the second largest breeding population of African penguins.

Highlights:

• The park is home to one of the densest African elephant populations on earth
• Addo incorporates the largest coastal dune field in the southern hemisphere
• The park contains elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, southern right whale and great white shark within its perimeter
• The Addo Elephant National Park also protects the world’s largest Cape gannet breeding population on Bird Island