The malaria-free “Big Five” (elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions and leopards) reserve at Addo Elephant National Park is just a 45-minute drive outside of Port Elizabeth. It’s a can’t-miss excursion (all cruise lines and local tour companies are sure to offer safaris here) because it offers one of the largest concentrations of elephants within all of Africa; they’ve got more than 600 pachyderms here. You’re pretty much guaranteed elephant encounters, and could stumble upon scores of them if you’re lucky enough to find them congregating at a watering hole. Apart from the Big Five, also look out for hyena, zebra, antelope and warthogs.
Tip: Massive Addo is nearly 445,000 acres in size; it’s South Africa’s third-largest national park. Because it extends from the Karoo all the way to the coastline, it can uniquely market itself as a “Big Seven” park, factoring in the great white sharks and southern right whales that teem in the marine section of the park, off the Algoa Bay coast. Consider tacking on a “marine safari” boat trip to round out your experience. Contact Alan Tours
