Camping with Elephants – Our African Adventure: Part Two

By Kelly Allen

In the second part of our South African adventure, I wanted to share our amazing animal encounters! We went on safari at the breathtaking Addo Elephant Park and stayed overnight at the incredible Gorah Elephant Camp. Grab a cuppa and read on…

Addo Elephant National Park

This well-established elephant park is situated in the country’s southern cape. It’s the third largest game reserve in South Africa and home to a variety of wildlife, including the Big Five. In fact, as it borders onto the ocean, it actually boasts the Big Seven, including the Southern right whale and Great white shark. The nearest town is Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha, which is around 30 minutes away.

There’s loads to see and do at Addo! Common animal sightings include zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, hyena and, of course, their elephants. There is a population of around 600 elephants in Addo Elephant National Park. On our safari through this park, we drove alongside a whole line of elephants, basically a family group, including cute baby ones!

If you’re lucky, you might also spot a rhino or a big cat like a lion or leopard. Many of these species are becoming endangered so, we were really excited to see lions up close, as they’re only seen occasionally in the park.

AJ took some stunning wildlife photographs, which you can see if you follow our Facebook page. One amazing shot was of the flightless dung beetle. This creature plays an important part in the local eco-system, and has a right-of-way on any road through the national park.

Gorah Elephant Camp

Within Addo Elephant Park, you can stay at the Gorah Elephant Camp. We spent the night there in a luxurious thatched lodge, facing the elephant watering hole. At one point we counted at least 14 elephants drinking from this pool! Being able to stay overnight in the national park and get up close to all the animals was a dream come true for both of us!

Late night visitors

Whilst staying at Gorah Elephant Camp, as sunset approached, an inquisitive family of elephant came right past our veranda to pay us a visit. It was amazing to see these majestic animals so close. Later in the evening, a lonesome hyena also visited us! I love hyenas – these animals always get a bad rap, but they are actually wonderful creatures!

In the next part of our African adventure, I’ll be sharing more about hyenas and other stories. If you want to hear these stories in person (or you need a chat about business!), just book a one to one with us!

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