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How far is the waterhole from the view point?

Dear Proffie

The distance between the waterhole and the viewpoint is approximately 40 metres (the waterhole is floodlit at night). If you have more questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards
SA National Parks

I find it strange that the gate times at Addo Elephant Park in summer is from 06h00 to 18h30. We all know that the best time to view game is at sun rise and towards sun set, late afternoon. With the sun rising in the Eastern Cape in summer just after 05h00 and setting close to 19h30 it is obvious that the gates are closed when game viewing is at its best. It is even worse when you are a day visitor as the entrance gate only opens at 07h00.

I feel strongly that the general public should be afforded the best possible opportunity to enjoy what the park has to offer.

The main reason why the gate times are as is in the summer months is that this is our busiest time in the park. At any time between 06h00 and 18h30, there may be between 100 and 200 vehicles in the main game area. The extra daylight time before and after gate opening hours allows the wildlife in the park some quiet and undisturbed time.
Another reason is that we often have to deal with visitors who do not leave the game area by closing time or have some kind of vehicle break down. The extra daylight time allows the rangers to locate and help these visitors.
It is also our experience that when visitors exit the game area after an afternoon/evening drive, they wish to purchase supplies for the night from the shop. The shop opening hours are only until 19h00, as it is not feasible for them to open later.
The vegetation in the main game area is quite thick and experience has shown that the best elephant viewing is often at waterholes during the middle of day.
Although day visitors can only enter the park after 07h00, this allows the overnight visitors some privileges and advantage over day visitors.
Megan Bradfield
Addo Elephant National Park.

Thank you for your reply Megan.

The gate times at Kruger vary according to the seison and they must have similar problems with regard to the number of vehicles and possible breakdowns yet they afford their visitors the best opportunity to enjoy their park.

Roads cover a very small portion of Addo and any contact with the animals are for very short periods at a time. Surely an extra half an hour in the morning and afternoon will not affect the animals at all.

I have noticed that a number of privately operated, open safari vehicles are allowed to enter or stay in the park beyound the official closing time. Don't they disturb the animals or is it a matter of money can buy you anything?

The constraint with regard to shopping hours I acknowledge and I do not have a problem with awarding certain privileges or benefits to overnight visitors. My point however remains that a large number of animals (buffalo, kudu, lion, bushbuck, rhino, eland) are more active during the cooler hours of the day and a lot of visitors like myself would rather be in the park appreciating the wildlife than standing in the shop or sitting in the bungalow because the gates close an hour before sunset.

Addo is a great park and all comments/suggestions are made in an effort to improve the overall wildlife experience.

As an Eastern Cape resident I would like to see that we promote the national parks in our area and this include the parks in the Southern Cape as well as the wildernis areas like Baviaanskloof. Is it possible that you can act as moderator for the whole region and not just Addo??? This forum has huge potential in creating an awareness and an interest in the parks in our area.

I feel this is the best place in the whole park. Climbing over that fence on the steps, walking through the bush to the viewpoint is absolutely great. Each time when I visit the park I always see a herd of eliphant drinking or just splashing themselves with water on the way to Hapoor (perhaps the water there tastes better!)
Do yourselves a favour and next time as you climb back over the fence carefully check the bushes to make sure nothing is on their way to the water, this we did the first time when we sat waiting for about an hour and nothing happened, most of us was allready in the car when someone spotted a huge herd (could only see their brown backs over the bushes) and it caused a mad rush to get back in our seats for the show!

At night from the little stoep of some of the rondavels you can actually hear the eliphant and buffalo that come down to drink.

I agree, the Spekboom hide and Hapoor dam are really worth visiting. One morning in December 2004 we counted more than 120 elephant at Hapoor. It is also the only place where I have seen hyena in the park.

Another dam which is worth spending time at is Gwarrie.

Will they be putting a gate by the steps over the fence as I am sure for the lions it will be no problem climbing those steps? I really love wildlife, but even for me meeting Mr or Mrs Lion in the enclosure will be a shock

The spekboom hide now has an electric fence with an electrified gate at the bottom of the steps. But you still have to get out of your car to open the gate. When we were there in jan there was a skeleton next to the parking area.

Thanks Markw

If the skeleton was actually at some stage a "kill" can you imagine how great it would have been to see

The electric fence and gate will make the hide a lot safer than the fence they had on there previously, but it was part of the feeling of adventure that was special to the hide, but with lions in the vicinity safety comes first!

just come back from RSA. went to 4 different parks , including the Addo , which has the best, accommodations by far, very well equipped personable staff. keep up the good work, the kruger could do with a vist to Addo to see how stylish and cost effective accommodation is provided by Addo.

I agree fully!!

We normally stay in the forest huts and find it very economical accomodation for a family of four. The huts has four single beds, table, all kitchen utensils, cutlery, crockery, bathroom with shower and a communal kitchen for cooking. It also has its own barbeque in the bushes away from the pathway leading to the other huts.
Each little hut is situated in his own little "enclosure" of spekboom bushes that gives it a great atmosphere.

We have stayed in both the forest cabins and safari tents (last visit). I agree the forest cabins are very economical and great to stay in. The safari tents are also fantastic - they overlook the park at the fence, so you can sit on the stoep and watch the game (if any, we saw elephant, buff, warthog, spring hare, possible caracal + birds). Also, you can shine a tourch at night and spot game. Not sure I should say all this - we probably won't get into the tents next time?

Also find the staff at Addo very knowledgeable + helpful.

Hi....
We are looking at going to Addo in December for our annual 'rest'. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me whether there is access from within the park to the coast? If not, is it possible to leave the Park from time to time for a couple of hours and return later? Or is it 'once in..you're in until you check out'? We have never been to the Eastern Cape and would like to gather as much info as possible.