Addo Elephant National Park

We weren’t as cold last night as we were the night before, but it was still pretty uncomfortable. We were up early to get the tents down before our 7am breakfast. Ivan did fried eggs and toast for us, as well as the usual cereals, etc.

We were on the road by 7.30am, heading for Addo National Park. This park was created in 1931 to protect the 11 elephants that remained in the area. There are now 600, plus Cape buffalo, black rhino, zebras, and antelope.

We arrived at our campsite within the park at about 1pm, having stopped at a supermarket to stock up with supplies. While we were putting our tents up, Ivan provided the makings for us to create our own salad, meat, and cheese rolls for lunch. We ate these, cleared away, and then got back on the truck for a game drive.

It was Timo’s first ever game drive! He was a bit shocked that we couldn’t get off the truck and walk amongst the animals! Addo NP is covered in dense bush, so it was unlikely we would see any big cats – and indeed we didn’t! What we did see was:

• Leopard tortoise
• Pied crows
• Mongoose
• Elephants, including a large mating herd and a huge solitary bull
• Secretary bird
• Pole chanting goshawk
• A group of female kudus
• Lots of zebra
• Black backed jackal
• Warthog
• Buffalo
• Red hartebeest

At one viewpoint, we were allowed off the truck to look at a waterhole. We saw some birds, a small turtle, and, in the distance, and elderly giraffe and a male kudu. All of these were a considerable distance away, so we don’t have photographic proof of these sightings!Read more