Addo Elephant National Park

The great outdoors draws us in every time and one of the Ocker's favorite family trips to be had over the festive season is Addo Elephant National Park. We are planning our second trip with Ocker senior this year which will equate to our third Addo adventure [we also went here during our honey moon]. I guess you can say we love it there!

Addo Elephant National Park was first established in 1931 to save the Eastern Cape elephants from extinction. This sheer determination was a huge success only having 11 elephants to start, to now over 600! The emphasis of the South African National Park has now shifted to the conservation of biodiversity. The park is now home to kudu, buffalo, black rhinoceros, Leopard tortoise, zebra, black-backed jackal, vervet monkey, lion, spotted hyena, red hartebeest, eland, gemsbok, African fish eagle to name but a few. The park's focus is to introduce animals that would have occurred historically in the area which is why there are no white rhino, giraffe, impala, waterbuck, red lechwe, blue wildebeest, nyala or sable antelope present in Addo.

The SANParks do incredible work to expand South Africa's protected areas ensuring that generations to come can enjoy the fauna and flora as well as coastal regions of our beautiful country. It is therefore well worth a holiday for yourself to enjoy and contribute to such a great initiative!

There are various places which you can stay at on your visit, including:

- Guest houses

- Rondawels

- Chalets

- Cottages

- Forest Cabins

- Safari Tents

- AND camping and caravaning

In the Main Camp as well as newer, smaller camps such as:

- Kabouga Cottage

- Mvubu Campsite

- Matyholweni

- Narina Bushcamp

-Spekbook Tented Camp

-Nguni Restcamp

In the camping and caravaning section there are demarcated areas from which to choose all with an electrical points and surrounded by the local spek boom to enclose your site for privacy. There are very clean ablutions with a space to put down your items whilst showering or brushing your teeth. Each site also has it own braai with grid so no need to bring yours along. Even within the park at the picnic spots the braais are equipped with a grid!

Such a rare sighting!!!! A Spotted Hyena which was following this lion whom was hunting. The lion almost caught a warthog which managed to escape to both the lion's and hyena's dismay. INCREDIBLE!

The Waterhole and Bird hide out in the bush is a great spot to relax and take in your surroundings. You never know what may come down to the water!

There are a variety of activities which you can take part in. One of which being the Horseback Safaris which take place in the Nyathi game area, out in the open with the wildlife! This is a unique experience as Addo is the only National Park to offer horse riding in a big game area! The tour guide was well equipped in both knowledge and large gun - just in case :). We walked in and amongst herds of buck, zebra and warthog. The best part is that you don't have to be an experienced horse rider so it is something you can enjoy with the whole family.

There is nothing like gathering around a fire, cooking some good food, sipping on a cold beverage and enjoying the crystal clear view of the stars.

One of the many highlights of our trip was at Hapoor Dam where herd after herd of elephants came down to the dam to enjoy the water! The little ones seem to have the most fun making a game of chasing each other and sometimes the older animals in and out of the water and eventually mud. We sat and observed for hours as the elephants walked between the cars to get through to the water.