Addo Elephant National Park was founded in 1931 to provide sanctuary for the eleven remaining elephants in the area.
The success of the park means that it now has over 420 elephants, 450 Cape buffalo, some black rhino and a variety of antelope. Lion and spotted hyena have recently been re-introduced to the area. A species of beetle almost unique to Addo is the flightless dung beetle.
The original park is being expanded to include the Woody Cape Nature Reserve (extending from the Sundays River estuary towards Alexandria) and a marine reserve, (which includes Saint Croix Island and Bird Island).
South African National Parks runs a variety of overnight accommodation at its main rest camp. We recommend that you spend at least two nights (giving you a full day in the park). Always book in advance (click on the map opposite to visit SANParks™ website). Eastern Cape province
Buffalo City (a new municipality incorporating Bhisho, East London and King William’s Town), Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown, Mthatha (Umtata), Camdeboo National Park; Mountain Zebra National Park; Tsitsikamma National Park.
Bird Island is home to the world’s largest breeding colony of gannets and the second largest colony of African penguins.
The expansion means that not only does the park contain five of South Africa’s seven major vegetation zones or biomes, but also that it is probably the only park in the world with the so-called ‘Big 7’ (the Big 5 of elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard, now joined by southern right whale and great white shark).
