Park or nature areaUsable guide

Addo Elephant National Park

Wildlife conservation park near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Photo: NJR ZA, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The Addo Elephant National Park (pronounced Ahh-Dow) is in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa and is one of the country's larger parks.

Getting there and around

Getting there

Addo NP is about 70 km north-east from Port Elizabeth. There is no public transport to or within the park so you need your own car (car rental is available in Port Elizabeth).

Read in the guide

Getting around

The well-kept tar and dirt road within the park can be driven with any vehicle, 4x4 is not required. Be sure to fill up your car with gas before you enter: The park is big and there are no fuel stations inside.

Read in the guide

Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport

Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) · International · PLZ

Search stays near PLZ

Search flights

Read before you go to Addo Elephant National Park

Articles and travel topics about Addo Elephant National Park and South Africa.

Travel tips

Cricket World Cup 2027: Southern Africa Fan Travel Guide

Follow the Cricket World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Plan match cities, stadium access, cross-border visas, and fan travel budgets.

Oct 17, 20268 min read

Inspiration

Best Places to Visit in December: Sun, Snow and Cities

The best places to visit in December across sun, snow and culture, comparing Lapland, Chiang Mai, Vienna, Costa Rica and Cape Town.

Oct 17, 20267 min read

Itineraries

How to Plan a Trip Around Major Sports Events in 2027

Learn how to plan a trip around major sports events in 2027, covering ticket deadlines, rooms, flights, and costs for the world's biggest tournaments.

Oct 12, 20267 min read

Nature & adventure

Elephants

The largest existing land animal, the elephant, is an iconic animal of both Asia and Africa. Elephants are enjoyed by numerous travellers in their natural habitat.

Wikivoyage

Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandIn the park's early years, during times of drought (and before the waterholes were artificially kept full) the park keepers fed the elephants on oranges from the local orange groves.

Get inAddo NP is about 70 km north-east from Port Elizabeth. There is no public transport to or within the park so you need your own car (car rental is available in Port Elizabeth).

Fees

Get aroundThe well-kept tar and dirt road within the park can be driven with any vehicle, 4x4 is not required. Be sure to fill up your car with gas before you enter: The park is big and there are no fuel stations inside.

See & doThe park is famous for its elephant population that has a special, brownish skin colour due to the red soil. Amongst the elephants other animals, like ostriches, different antelopes and warthogs can be seen.

Eat & drinkThere is a restaurant and shop at the main camp, near park's entrance.

SleepThere are 3 camps in Addo, the Main Camp in the north east near the town of Addo, with an entrance to the R342, Spekboom hide & tented camp approximately 11 km south of the main camp and the much smaller Camp…

Stay safeThe South African National Parks recommends against using the R335 road via Motherwell when travelling between Addo and Gqeberha due to crime risks. The N2 road should be used instead.

Go next

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Addo Elephant National Park" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Addo Elephant National Park", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: NJR ZA, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Improve this guide on Wikivoyage