Addo Elephants National Park

Overview

Addo Elephant National Park is in the Eastern Cape, about an hour’s drive north of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). It was proclaimed in 1931 to protect the last 11 elephants in the area. Today it covers about 178,900 hectares, including a marine protected area, and it’s South Africa’s third-largest national park.

The park has grown from its original elephant camp to include the Zuurberg mountains, the Darlington Dam area, the coastal dunes at Woody Cape and the islands in Algoa Bay. It covers five of South Africa’s biomes, more than any other national park in the country.

Addo is malaria-free and easy to reach, with good tarred and gravel roads in its main game area. You can drive yourself or join guided game drives, and the coastline adds beaches, dunes and marine life.

Wildlife & Biodiversity

Elephants

More than 600 elephants live in the park. You’ll often see family herds at the waterholes around the main camp.

Big Five and more

Lion, buffalo, black rhino and leopard live here, along with spotted hyena, red hartebeest, eland, kudu and zebra. The rare flightless dung beetle is found here, so watch out for it on the roads.

Marine life

The islands in Algoa Bay have large colonies of African penguins and Cape gannets. Southern right whales and great white sharks visit the coast.

Best Time to Visit

Short answer: Any time of year. The Eastern Cape has mild weather, and game viewing is good all year.

Spend early mornings and late afternoons at the waterholes to see the elephants.

Getting There

By air

By road

From Gqeberha, drive north on the R335 to the main gate. The park can also be reached from the N2 via the Colchester and Matyholweni gates.

Entrance & Fees

SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person. The rates below apply from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027.

Children are 2 to 11 years old. Wild Card holders enter free.

Fees last checked October 2026 against the SANParks conservation fees schedule (2026/27).