Addo Elephant National Park was one of the highlights of our week-long road trip across the south coast of Africa.
We’d read that it was 180,000 hectares in size, but hadn’t really appreciated just how huge the park was, sweeping down in a huge crescent from Darlington in the north to the Sundays River mouth on the coast.
The objective of our visit was to see African elephants “in the wild”, but the first animal we spotted was the warthog pictured above which we saw near the gate, but the animal sightings became rather scarce thereafter.
We did catch sight of some elephants away on a distant hill and I was beginning to suspect that the photo on the right was going to be the only one I would get which would have been a bit of a letdown.
Time was running out. We hadn’t arrived at Addo until two in the afternoon and we had to be at our next stop in Plettenberg some 150 miles away by evening.
I was beginning to calculate whether the Nissan Tiida saloon might cope with the rutted dirt tracks that lead to the distant hill when our luck changed.
We rounded a corner a came across a group of mother elephants and their young of various ages happily ripping up tufts of grass by the side of the road.
We stayed to watch them at close quarters for ten minutes or so to the soundtrack of my camera clicking away furiously, then it was time to go, but we hadn’t finished with elephants yet.
Driving south we came face to face with a large bull that was walking slowly towards us down the centre of the road. Fortunately, he gave way and ambled off towards a waterhole as you can see left.
Addo is the most incredible place and to give you just a taste of its scale, I leave you with this panorama showing one corner of the park.
PS: If I hadn’t be doing SA, my A might have been the Anti Powerpoint Party!
Well, I for one think you can pull off your mission! good luck.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
You lived a dream I have always had…to visit Africa.
Your pictures are wonderful. So looking forward to your A-Z in Africa.
There is nothing like seeing animals in their natural habitat. Terrific shots.
I can’t wait to see the next letter for your trip.
Looks like a nice place.
Awesome panorama and look forward to more safari themed ABC posts
I’d like to go to South Africa! We have relatives overthere, so… Who knows! Great post ! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your images and impressions, SP. Lovely. x
Oh I do hope that you can go through the alphabet with photos from your trip.
Linda
ABC Wednesday Team
I shall do my best, There are a few letters that have me worried!
What a wonderful place to visit! To get close to an elephant – wow!
Great choice for A!
Fantastic shot!
Thanks for sharing. And thanks for visiting my place and taking the time to comment;o)
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Have a nice and happy day****
What an incredible trip this must have been. Excellent and engaging post. Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment.
Fascinating but may I make a small observation about your first photograph? It may not be a warthog, it looks very much like a certain British politician on holiday – namely my own local MP Mr N. Clegg.
I hope to see your African pictures all the way through Z!
Addo Elephant National Park was an Awesome way to start your African journey through the ABC… can’t wait to tag along. And I’m so glad you DID get your fill of this Amazing Animal!
that is a big park!!
cool! very interesting collection….thanks for sharing…:)