Travelling to Addo Elephant national park with Alan Tours, base in the coastal City of Port Elizabeth, where after 35 minutes we entered the southern Matyholweni gate into the park. The reception staff were friendly and efficient even at this busy time of the year.
Alan, our guide immediately explained about the dense, almost impenetrable thicket vegetation and the history of the park from it’s establishment in 1936 with the preservation of only 10 Elephants. These giants now number in excess of 500.
Turning off the main road, it wasn’t a kilometer before we had a sighting of three lions in the shade of a tree. later we came back and the same three were clambering all over the tree if in a rather awkward and un Lion like fashion, we also saw one of the few black Rhino’s in the afternoon return trip.
Further to the north in the park we came across many different species of animals Kudu with their huge spiral horns. the charismatic Warthog feeding on the grass along the road side and dashing off into the thickets when alarmed, tails erect over their heads.
As one drives up onto the high ground travelling north Alan stopped for an incredible view of Algoa bay St Croix Island on which is found the largest colony of African penguins in the world and the stunning Sand Dunes ( now a part of the Greater Addo Elephant national park) that fringe this massive bay, the largest in the Southern hemisphere.
Later we saw herds of Elephant plus minus 250 at a water hole all of them bathing and mud wallowing, playing and wrestling. We had a scrumptious picnic lunch under the trees at the Main camp before heading back into the reserve for the afternoon game drive, spotting a large herd of Cape Buffalo before returning to the Lion sighting in the trees and back to Port Elizabeth.
The trip with Alan tours (info@alantours.co.za +27 (0)41 378 1486 www.alantours.co.za) sharing in his accumulated knowledge and sense of humour is a World class experience in a world class destination.
Alex
