
Easily accessible from Port Elizabeth, malaria free and perfect for self-drive options, visit the remnants of huge populations of elephant which used to roam the Eastern Cape at Addo National Park. When the park was created in 1932 only 11 elephants remained in the 120,000 hectare reserve. Today there are over 400. Recently re-introduced, there are now lions in the park as well as zebra, giraffe and myriad birds.
For the Big 5, visit the Amakhala Game Reserve. On land that was used to ranch cattle and sheep until 1999, since then the challenge has been to return the vegetation to a natural state and encourage wildlife that used to roam here at will.
There's 6 lodges to choose from all of which are highly accredited. Learn about the work of the reserve, track big game all day in an undulating landscape punctuated with rivers, and finish the evening in front of the fire with other guests, great food and a couple of drinks.