The Frontier and Garden Route Parks

[Panthera Pardus]

@@Kitsafari - the Burchell's Zebra (Plain's Zebra) has shadow stripes and a fading of the markings on the leg and sometimes the rump.

 

The Cape Mountain Zebra have a chocolate orange colour on their muzzles, a small dewlap on their necks, larger ears, narrower stripes with no shadow stripes, fully striped legs, a white belly and a fetching gridiron pattern above their tails.

[Panthera Pardus]

The Addo Elephant National Park

 

History

 

References:
1. Scott Ramsay, Year in the Wild
2. Information Map you get when booking in at Addo

Addo was born from a very tragic and violent history. In the 1700’s settlers moved into the area and hunted the abundant wildlife they encountered. In 1879 and 1853 the last lion and rhino respectively were shot. The Addo bush was also being decimated. It was used to stoke the kilns of expanding brick making business. This resulted in further loss of habitat for the wildlife.

By 1918 there were no more than 140 elephants left near Addo. Here the elephants hid away in the dense spekboom, a rubbery, near impenetrable succulent bush that grows prolifically in the area. The elephants melt and disappear silently into the spekboom, which incidently grows to the same height as the elephants.

Surrounded by citrus farms the elephants had nowhere to go and found the orange orchards very tempting and juicy to ignore. At night they would emerge from the spekboom and raid the crops.

The angry farmers petitioned the government to kill the elephants and Major PJ Pretorius was contracted to shoot the elephants. Between 1919 and 1920 he shot about 114 elephants. In one hunt he shot and killed 22 elephants in just a few minutes. At the end of the macabre year there were only 16 elephants left.

The public finally woke up to the tragedy, but it was another decade before the authorities acknowledged the need to save the Cape elephant.
In 1931 Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed. The few remaining elephants were chased into the area but it was not fenced so the elephants kept returning to the farms and came into conflict with the farmers again and again, further reducing the numbers to 11.

Another 23 years passed before Warden Graham Armstrong developed a unique fencing system of railway sleepers and Otis lift cables, unbreakable by elephants. It is called the Armstrong fence.

Finally elephants had a safe haven, safe from the guns of hunters and angry farmers. For the next few decades the elephants still feared or hated anything that smelt like a human. They would hide in the spekboom during the day or chase people and overturn cars when they could.

They say an elephant never forgets but thankfully the elephants of Addo have forgiven us for hunting and hurting them. The more than 650 elephants mingle peacefully between the tourist cars.

Although Addo was about saving the elephants it is today all about conserving the biomes and their animals and plant species. Key animals to conserve are the flightless dung beetle, the black rhino and the disease free Cape buffalo. Then there is the remarkable plant, the spekboom. Besides giving the elephants a safe haven, its medicinal value and the ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, it’s able to sustain high concentrations of animals, including elephants.

Elephants love spekboom! It is full of water, has a high protein and vitamin content and, unlike savannah trees and bushes it grows back very easily after it has been browsed. Even if a branch has been broken and left on the ground it can result in a new plant. It is not just the elephants that love this wonderful plant. The Black Rhino hide within the spekboom bushes during the day and 60% of the buffalo’s diet is made up of the spekboom. The antelopes and especially the kudu are thriving on spekboom diet as well.

These thriving herbivores make a space for happy predators. Lions and spotted hyenas were introduced and are doing very well. Six lions were introduced from KTP and the numbers have risen to twenty two. The eight spotted hyenas introduced from Kruger have grown to twenty. Addo is separated into sections by fences, public roads and the highway. The main section has most of the game but there are activities like hiking, fishing, horseback riding, etc. in other areas too.

The mountains of Zuurberg are one of the oldest wilderness areas in Africa. It can only be reached by horseback or hiking.
The coastal Woody Cape section’s lush temperate forest abuts the Alexandria dune field, the largest in the southern hemisphere. The protected offshore St.Croix and Bird Island are home to critically endangered African Penguins and Cape Gannets.

From trying to save the elephant on a small patch of land, Addo has become a sanctuary for a wide variety of species of plants and animals. The spekboom, cycads, yellowwood trees, Black Rhino, Dung Beetles, Great White Sharks and Southern Right Whales.

 

The main entrance to Addo

 

There are a number of camps at Addo and different types of accommodation to cater for most tastes. We stayed in the main camp in the chalets. You get a kitchen and lounge area, bedroom, en suite bathroom and you can self cater.

 

 

 

There is an information area with displays

 

 

 

 

Addo has a number of mammal and bird species as you would have seen in the history section above and is today marketed as a Big 7 Park as you do have an opportunity to see the Great White Sharks and Soutern Right Whale from the Coastal Woody Section of Addo.

 

However, the main attraction is the Elephants, they will be waiting for you as you wait for the gates to open for your early morning drive

 

 

 

[Panthera Pardus]

The Gentle Giants of Addo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sit back and enjoy.

 

 

See the Mum and aunts trying to get the little one over the bank

 

[Jochen]

That 2nd to last pic is an award winner!

[Game Warden]

@@Panthera Pardus Thank you I hope to be visiting Addo with @ after the WTM Africa and We are Africa shows next month This is enthusing me no end!

[Panthera Pardus]

Lions have been reintroduced in Addo, but the Elephant is King of Addo

 

We found these two lionesses at a waterhole one morning

 

 

and got ready to take some shots but they were soon up and running

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Elephants soon moved on and the lions could get back to drinking water

 

 

Hey that is my head you have there

 

 

 

We also got a brief look at these two males the next morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Panthera Pardus]

More Images to show the mammals and vistas of Addo.

 

Zebra

 

Warthogs

 

Black Backed Jackal

 

Kudu

 

Eland

 

Red Haartebeest

 

Buffalo

 

These photos show the spekboom vegetation in the background

Bushbuck

 

Kudu

 

I love these zebra images

 

 

Rock Monitor

 

The Main Camp at Addo has an "Underground Hide". The hide is below ground level so that the viewing window is at the level of the waterhole. It puts different perspective to things

 

 

[penolva]

Now I know what those red marks are on the Rhino! I learn so much from you, thank you. Elephants have a lot to forgive don't they! Pen

[Panthera Pardus]

Some Birds of Addo

 

Mother Goose and her brood

 

My favourite raptor, the black shouldered kite, doing a balancing act

 

 

 

 

Yellow Billed Kite

 

 

Booted Eagle

 

Greater double banded sunbird

 

Bokmakierie

 

Juvenile Pale Chanting Goshawk

 

Next we go to the Garden Route Parks

[Bugs]

Great work @@Panthera Pardus.

[penolva]

I am looking at the finances and I think we might be able to do a trip like this! However we would be looking at February next year. What is your advice re temperatures,

rainfall etc? We will have around 28 nights and will hire a 4x4. This will be our first touring holiday in South Africa and I am just starting the research and would welcome

any advice. thanks Pen

[Panthera Pardus]

@@penolva - February will be good as it is the quiet time of the year. Us Saffies are back at work and low in finances after our summer holidays. The temperatures will still be hot and our rainy season is from Sep to Apr (except for Cape Town and surrounds which have rain from Apr to Aug) so you could get days with rain. Depending on which part of the country you are temperatures could be anywhere form 25 to 35 Celcius in the day time, even hotter in some parts.

 

28 Days is enough days to see quite a bit of the country. I take it you want to mix safaris with cities and other places of interest. What do you want to do, how much of the country do you want to cover. Would you rather prefer one part of the country.

 

@ please also chime in here - thanks.

[Panthera Pardus]

The Garden Route National Park (GRNP)

 

It can get confusing, as the GRNP is actually three National Parks, and it took us a while to figure it out too, when we planned this trip. The three parks are the

Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Wilderness Sections. Tsitsikamma is further divided into the the Storms River Mouth Camp and Happy Valley Camp.

 

We stayed in the Ebb and Flow Camp in Wilderness and the Storms River Mouth Camp in Tsisikamma. Below is a link to the history of these parks

 

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route/tourism/wilderness_history.php

 

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route/tourism/tsitsikamma_history.php

 

The Ebb and Flow Camp is situated on the Banks of the Touws River. This is not a safari park but more for recreation, hiking, birding, angling, kayaking and enjoying the great outdoors and beautiful scenery.

 

 

 

Different trypes of accommodation from log cabins, to chalets and camp sites are availble. These Parks are very crowded during the Xmas/New Year Period and I will avoid them during this time of the year. There are five birding trails available and three hides. Our mission was to find especially two birds, the Knysna Turaco and the Half Collared Kingfisher (HCKT). The trails are named after Kingfishers so you get Half Collared KingFisher Trail, pied Kingfisher Trail, Giant Kingfisher trail, etc.

 

Planning our hike and best to be in your swimming gear as the trail ends at a waterfall which is graet for your packed lunch and for a swim

 

 

There is a boardwalks all along the HCKT and it is a beautiful walk through the forest. Not far into the trail we ticked of theKnysna Turaco

 

 

 

We searched for the Half Collared but were not successful. We did see the Pied and Giant Kingfisher along the way

 

 

You have to cross the river and a pontoon is available to do this. You could also just step over on rocks at another point.

 

 

The end of the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[penolva]

@@penolva - February will be good as it is the quiet time of the year. Us Saffies are back at work and low in finances after our summer holidays. The temperatures will still be hot and our rainy season is from Sep to Apr (except for Cape Town and surrounds which have rain from Apr to Aug) so you could get days with rain. Depending on which part of the country you are temperatures could be anywhere form 25 to 35 Celcius in the day time, even hotter in some parts.

 

28 Days is enough days to see quite a bit of the country. I take it you want to mix safaris with cities and other places of interest. What do you want to do, how much of the country do you want to cover. Would you rather prefer one part of the country.

 

@ please also chime in here - thanks.

We were thinking just to explore along the southern coast visiting parks like Addoo and those on your trip. Not rushing seeing scenery, coast, parks but not large towns. This will be an extra trip to our one to Kruger and Kgalagadi. Would not mind some rain but not for the whole trip. Cape Town could be our starting point driving east. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Pen

[Bugs]

 

@@penolva - February will be good as it is the quiet time of the year. Us Saffies are back at work and low in finances after our summer holidays. The temperatures will still be hot and our rainy season is from Sep to Apr (except for Cape Town and surrounds which have rain from Apr to Aug) so you could get days with rain. Depending on which part of the country you are temperatures could be anywhere form 25 to 35 Celcius in the day time, even hotter in some parts.

 

28 Days is enough days to see quite a bit of the country. I take it you want to mix safaris with cities and other places of interest. What do you want to do, how much of the country do you want to cover. Would you rather prefer one part of the country.

 

@ please also chime in here - thanks.

We were thinking just to explore along the southern coast visiting parks like Addoo and those on your trip. Not rushing seeing scenery, coast, parks but not large towns. This will be an extra trip to our one to Kruger and Kgalagadi. Would not mind some rain but not for the whole trip. Cape Town could be our starting point driving east. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Pen

 

Self drive, in Self catering lodges is the easiest, best and least expensive way to travel SA. You can pretty much wing it. There is an abundance of very comfortable self catering chalets en-route. If all else fails SAN Parks provide reasonably priced and adequate accommodation for travelers.

 

Bontebok national park have great chalets. George (try Herolds bay), knysna (Try the Brenton side), Plett (Arch rock cabins, cottages), Mossel Bay (yellowwood cottages) (or stay at Botlierskop reserve) even Natures valley - (try the SAN Parks hut there). PE - the obvious one is Kragga Kamma, or of course Addo, but the list of places to stay there are endless. We have been to Scotia - which we enjoyed. Then you may wan to turn round and return to cape Town inland. stopping at MZNP, Karoo national park Beaufort West, pull in to Montegue (montegue vines)..

 

All these places we have stayed at. And if you do this, you will want to do it again. - Promise.

 

The West coast can be equally as enticing, and could include a few coastal stops in Lanagbaan (buffelsfontein), Veldrif (swartriet), and inland to Ceres, Tulbach, - wont disappoint.

Edited April 15, 2014 by dikdik

[Panthera Pardus]

Thanks didkdik. Penolva it is a beautiful part of the country. I will still be showing you Bontebok and Storms River but you don't have to stay in the SANParks accommodation when in this area. Like dikdik says there are plenty of lodges and B&Bs and definitely go self drive.

[Panthera Pardus]

I mentioned that there are three hides at the Wilderness National Park. The best one is the Malachite Hide and it lives up to its name. We saw a nice selection of birds from the hide but enjoy the Malachites first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[penolva]

Thanks both will look at the map and follow your suggestions. Pen

[Atravelynn]

The Malachite Hide would be worth the trip. Nice shots of your favorite bird too. Great report.

[penolva]

 

 

@@penolva - February will be good as it is the quiet time of the year. Us Saffies are back at work and low in finances after our summer holidays. The temperatures will still be hot and our rainy season is from Sep to Apr (except for Cape Town and surrounds which have rain from Apr to Aug) so you could get days with rain. Depending on which part of the country you are temperatures could be anywhere form 25 to 35 Celcius in the day time, even hotter in some parts.

 

28 Days is enough days to see quite a bit of the country. I take it you want to mix safaris with cities and other places of interest. What do you want to do, how much of the country do you want to cover. Would you rather prefer one part of the country.

 

@ please also chime in here - thanks.

 

We were thinking just to explore along the southern coast visiting parks like Addoo and those on your trip. Not rushing seeing scenery, coast, parks but not large towns. This will be an extra trip to our one to Kruger and Kgalagadi. Would not mind some rain but not for the whole trip. Cape Town could be our starting point driving east. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Pen

Self drive, in Self catering lodges is the easiest, best and least expensive way to travel SA. You can pretty much wing it. There is an abundance of very comfortable self catering chalets en-route. If all else fails SAN Parks provide reasonably priced and adequate accommodation for travelers.

 

Bontebok national park have great chalets. George (try Herolds bay), knysna (Try the Brenton side), Plett (Arch rock cabins, cottages), Mossel Bay (yellowwood cottages) (or stay at Botlierskop reserve) even Natures valley - (try the SAN Parks hut there). PE - the obvious one is Kragga Kamma, or of course Addo, but the list of places to stay there are endless. We have been to Scotia - which we enjoyed. Then you may wan to turn round and return to cape Town inland. stopping at MZNP, Karoo national park Beaufort West, pull in to Montegue (montegue vines)..

 

All these places we have stayed at. And if you do this, you will want to do it again. - Promise.

 

The West coast can be equally as enticing, and could include a few coastal stops in Lanagbaan (buffelsfontein), Veldrif (swartriet), and inland to Ceres, Tulbach, - wont disappoint.

Hi do you drive from Johannesburg area? Going to Addo first. Pen

[Panthera Pardus]

@@penolva, we live in the Joburg area and I would say it is best to go to Mountain Zebra first which comes before Addo.

[Super LEEDS]

Lovely report, thanks for sharing, PP.

 

Gosh @@penolva et al, get a room in the Trip Planning forum!

[penolva]

Lovely report, thanks for sharing, PP.

Gosh @@penolva et al, get a room in the Trip Planning forum!

Sorry!

[Panthera Pardus]

We going away to some of the Kwazulu Natal Parks for the Easter Break. More bird photos before we go - all seen from the Malachite Hide

 

Reed Cormorant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crested Grebe

 

 

 

Yellow Billed Duck and chicks

 

 

Common Moorhen and chick

 

 

 

White Throated Swallow

 

 

 

Will continue when we return in 10 days time

Edited April 17, 2014 by Panthera Pardus

[penolva]

Hope you had a great Easter break, but waiting to hear more from you on this thread. Pen