A couple of young elephant bulls drinking at Gwarrie Dam in the Addo Elephant National Park. Gwarrie is one of the waterholes where you often get to see elephants but unfortunately also one of those spots where a lot of idiots get out there cars for a better look. Luckily I didn't encounter any clowns on this visit, just these two dudes.
Addo Elephant National Park offers horse riding in two locations within the Greater Addo park. The first is down by the Main Rest Camp where the ride takes place either within the game viewing area or outside the fence if there are predators close by while the second is up on the Zuurberg Mountains. The drive up the Zuurberg Pass is an experience on it's own with beautiful views and a visible change in vegetation as you get higher. Once…
Most people associate Addo Elephant National Park with elephants only, but its really so much more than that. The park has had Cape Buffalo right from the start although they stuck to the bush and lived a nocturnal life due to hunters in the early days. After lions were introduced into the park the buffalo changed the behaviour back to normal and visitors started seeing them more and more. My last visit was on a rainy day and we found a big…
The underground hide close to the Addo Elephant National Park's Main Restcamp waterhole is a great spot to watch elephants from when they visit. You can get a lot closer to them than from the lookout with the only drawback the fact that you cut their feet and the edge of their trunks off because of the angle.
Kids are doing it. Students are doing it. Triathlon athletes are doing it. Chad le Clos is doing it. Heck, even the weavers in my garden are doing it thanks to the birdbath. So why not the elephants? Elephants don't have sweat glands so they stay cool by flapping their ears and using the blood running through their ears like water running through a radiator. They also like to throw water over themselves to stay cool and occasionally they like…
Baby elephants never venture very far from their mothers and isn't always that easy to photograph as they zig-zag in-between legs and duck under adults. This little guy looked quite at ease just playing around while mommy and the other big elephants were browsing next to the road in the rain. We were about an hour into our game drive at Addo Elephant National Park and even though we've already has some great ellie sightings, having them so close to…
A couple of elephant bulls interacting at Hapoor waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park. Nothing wrong with a bit of brotherly love or bromance.
A herd of elephants taking it easy after drinking at the Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park
A breeding herd (or family group) of elephants led by the matriarch on their way to the Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park
Watching elephants doesn't always have to be done from a back of a game viewing vehicle or your own car. Addo Elephant National Park has a waterhole with a nice viewing area at its main rest camp and often visitors arriving at the park gets to see elephant here before they even drive into the game viewing area.