Hot & Useful Links
Official Guide on Sale
New Official Guide on Sale at the park’s shop for R40.00
This 48-page full-colour brochure gives the visitor a complete overview of the park, its fauna & flora, history, new developments, accommodation and activities.
Highly recommended!
Addo Elephant National Park
How to get there
Gates Are Open At The Following Times:
The following gates have approximate opening times.
NB: Times may vary according to sunrise and sunset. Kindly check times on arrival at the Park.
Main Entrance Gate
07h00 to 19h00
Matyholweni Gate
07h00 to16h00
Main Game Area Gate
November - March: 06h00 - 18h30
April - May: 06h30 -18h00
June - August: 07h00 - 17h30
September - October: 06h30-18h00
Southern Gate (Addo Heights Gate)
November - March: 06h00 -18h00
April - May: 06h30 - 17h30
June - August: 06h30 - 17h00
September - October: 06h30 - 17h30
How to get there
Many visitors to Addo are self-drive visitors as this allows them to freedom to explore the Park at their own leisure. If traveling from further afield, it may be advisable to fly to Port Elizabeth Airport and then hire a vehicle.
GPS Coordinates
Main Gate (Addo Entrance) S-33.44431 E25.73872 146m altitude.
Main Camp (Reception, Toilets, Shop, Restaurant, Petrol) S-33.44428 E25.74581 137m altitude.
Air
• The nearest domestic airport is in Port Elizabeth, 75 km from the park. A number of hire car agencies have depots at the airport.
• International airports are situated at Johannesburg and Cape Town, with connecting flights to Port Elizabeth available.
Car Hire and Coaches
Cars can be hired from various agencies at the airport in Port Elizabeth or from all major towns in South Africa. Please see contact details on the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism Website.
A number of coach operators have organized tours to the park. Please see contact details on the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism Website.
There are tours and shuttles that run from PE to Addo Elephant National Park.
You can also try one of the following:
Ezethu Tours, Tel: 041 463 3698 or 083 4938741
Friendly City Tours, Tel: 041 5851801
Bietjie Rus, Tel: 082 7060965
Imperial Chaffeur Drive, Tel: 041 5814214 or 083 3867204
Bay Tourism, Tel: 041 5840622
Inner City Taxi's, Tel: 082 2113874
King Cab, Tel: 041 3685559
Johan Gerber, Tel: 072 2214106
Sorita Spies, Tel: 082 7060965 or 042 234 0336
(Remember to add international dialing code prefixes if you are phoning from overseas).
Internal Road Network
The entrance road and some of the tourist loops in the Park are tarred. Other tourist roads within the Park are of a good gravel standard. All tourist roads are accessible to normal sedan cars. A 4x4 vehicle is only necessary if visitors would like to take the 4x4 route within the Park (see Activities).
Vehicle Restrictions
Buses may access most of the tourist roads within the Park except for the southern access road from Matyholweni to where it joins the road network near Hapoor waterhole and the second part of the Gorah Loop. Turnaround points for buses are provided at these places.
The speed limit on the roads is 40 km/h but a speed of 20-30 km/h is advised for maximum game viewing enjoyment.
There is a height restriction for vehicles on the entrance road to Addo Main Camp of 4.42 metres.
Directions and Distances
Directions from Port Elizabeth (PE) to Addo Main Camp
There are 3 alternatives:
1) Take the N2 highway towards Grahamstown. Take the turnoff to the left signposted “Motherwell” and “Addo Elephant National Park”. Turn left at the top of the off-ramp and proceed through Motherwell. Follow this road until you see the entrance to the park on the right. Distance: about 72 km or one hour travelling time.
2) Take the N2 highway towards Grahamstown and carry straight on until the N2 splits off to the left from the N10. Carry straight on, following the N10 towards Cradock/Cookhouse. Take the R342 to the left when you get to the intersection with Paterson on your right. This will be sign posted “Addo Elephant National Park”. Follow this road, looking out for the entrance to the park on your left. Distance: about 120 km or one hour, 15 minutes travelling time.
3) Take the N2 highway towards Grahamstown, pass Coega harbour on your right. Cross the Sundays River bridge. Turn off to your left at the sign that says “Camp Matyholweni”. Follow this road for about 3 km until you enter Matyholweni Gate at Camp Matyholweni. Follow the southern access road inside the Park until you get to Addo Main Camp. You will cross over a gravel public road. Distance: about 40 km from PE to Matyholweni and then 36 km through the Park (which takes about one and a half hours at the 40km/h speed limit). NB: this route is not accessible to caravans and buses.
Directions from Grahamstown
Take the N2 towards Port Elizabeth. Follow this road until you see the turnoff to the N10 towards Cradock/Cookhouse. Take this turnoff and carry straight on, following the N10 towards Cradock/Cookhouse. Take the R342 to the left when you get to the intersection with Paterson on your right. This will be sign posted “Addo Elephant National Park”. Follow this road, looking out for the entrance to the park on your left. The journey covers about 90 km and will take about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Directions from Cape Town
Take the N2 towards Port Elizabeth and then follow the directions given above. Note: travelling time from Cape Town to the Park by vehicle is approximately 9 hours.
Directions from Johannesburg
Take the N1 towards Colesburg. At Colesburg, take the N10 towards Cradock and Paterson. Take the R342 to the left when you get to the intersection with Paterson on your right. This will be sign posted “Addo Elephant National Park”. Follow this road, looking out for the entrance to the park on your left. Note: travelling time from Johannesburg to the Park by vehicle is approximately 12-14 hours.
Directions within the Park
Directions from Addo Main Camp to Zuurberg (for horse and hiking trails)
Exit the Main Camp and turn left. About 1 km down the road, turn off towards Zuurberg Mountain Inn. Follow this gravel road (the Zuurberg Pass) for about 15km. Please take care when driving on the Zuurberg Pass as the road is fairly narrow and winding. You will see the Zuurberg Inn/Hotel on your right and the turnoff to the Park offices on your left. Follow this narrow gravel road until you reach the Park offices where you park your vehicle. The trip will take about 30 minutes.
Directions from Addo Main Camp to Narina Bush Camp
Exit the Main Camp and turn left. About 1 km down the road, turn off towards Zuurberg Mountain Inn. Take the first turn to your left, signposted Enon/Slagboom. Follow this road and then take the turn to your right, signposted Slagboom. Follow the road and pass the turnoff to Slagboom police training camp. Carry on along the gravel road, passing through a number of open gates, until you see the turnoff into Narina Bush Camp on your right. Leave your vehicle at this parking lot and walk about 500 metres to the camp across a river bridge and through the forest. This trip is about 27 km and will take about 45 minutes.
Directions from Addo Main Camp to Kabouga
Exit the Main Camp and turn left. Follow the R335 towards the town of Addo. Turn off onto the R336 towards Kirkwood. Follow this road until you reach the town of Kirkwood at a four-way intersection. Carry on straight through the intersection (you would turn left for the Main Street of Kirkwood) and travel over a small bridge. Turn right after the bridge and follow the road, which becomes gravel past a township until you see the turnoff into Kabouga (Park signage) on your left. Follow this road until you get to a boom gate at the ranger’s station where you enter the Park’s property. The trip will take about one hour.
Directions from Addo Main Camp to Woody Cape
Exit the Main Camp and turn right. Follow the R342 to the Paterson intersection with the N10. Turn right onto the N10 and follow this road until the R72 turnoff on your left. Follow the signs towards Port Alfred and Alexandria. You will see the turnoff to Woody Cape just before you enter the town of Alexandria. Just before the town of Alexandria, take a gravel road to the right and follow signposts for Woody Cape Section. You will see the entrance to the Park offices on your right. The trip will take about one hour, 15 minutes and covers about 105 km.
Distances
Note: all distances are approximate.
Port Elizabeth to Addo Main Camp 72 km
Main Camp to Paterson 22 km
Main Camp to Kabouga 45 km
Main Camp to Narina 27 km
Main Camp to Woody Cape office 105 km
Main Camp to Matyholweni 39 km
Main Camp to Zuurberg office 17 km
Have a question? Why not ask at the forums?
