Addo Elephant safaris from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

Full-day and half-day game drives, cruise-port pickups, the Schotia private reserve and a two-day safari — compared on what decides the day: the vehicle, lunch, the park fee and where you are picked up.

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Malaria-free Big Five national park

~1 h from Gqeberha to Main Camp

Park fee included on the full-day safaris

Full-day safaris from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

Cruise-port pickup options

Park fee included on the full-day safaris

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Addo Elephant National Park lies about an hour’s drive from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and it is best known for exactly what its name promises: elephants. It is also malaria-free and home to the Big Five, which makes it a popular safari stop at the eastern end of the Garden Route — for travellers on a road trip, and for cruise passengers with a day in port.

The guided safaris from Gqeberha look alike at first glance: similar durations, similar titles, and “all-inclusive” used for rather different packages. What separates them is the vehicle, whether lunch and the park fee are included, and whether you are collected from your hotel or the cruise terminal. The cards below carry those facts for each safari.

Full-day Addo safaris from Gqeberha

A day in Addo Elephant National Park, with the park fee included on each. Open a card for the full details.

Afroventures Tours and Safaris

All-inclusive full-day safari

A closed, air-conditioned 4x4 with the park fee and lunch both included — the full day in Addo with nothing left to add on. 9 hours.

Duration: 9 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 3,100 ★ 4.8 (950 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A full day in Addo Elephant National Park from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in a closed, air-conditioned 4x4. The park entrance fee and lunch are both part of the package.

What's included

Game drive in a closed, air-conditioned 4x4
Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee
Lunch

Know before you go

Elephants are the park’s signature sighting; lion, leopard and rhino are possible but not guaranteed.
Addo lies in a malaria-free area.
Check the product page for pickup details before booking.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Addo Game Drives

Full-day safari with braai lunch

Built around a braai lunch with beer or wine, park fee included, and pickup from the cruise port available as an option. 9 hours.

Duration: 9 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 2,995 ★ 4.8 (377 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A full-day Addo safari built around a South African braai (barbecue) lunch, with beer or wine included alongside it. The park entrance fee is part of the package, and pickup from the cruise port is offered as an option.

What's included

Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee
Braai lunch
Beer or wine with lunch

Pickup & start

Pickup from the Gqeberha cruise port is available as an option — choose it when you book.

Know before you go

Check the product page for the vehicle type before booking.
Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

African Sightings Adventure Tours

Full-day safari with braai

A full day in the park with a braai lunch and the park fee included. 9 hours.

Duration: 9 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 2,958 ★ 4.8 (98 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A full day in Addo Elephant National Park with a braai (South African barbecue) lunch and the park entrance fee included.

What's included

Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee
Braai lunch

Know before you go

Check the product page for the vehicle type and pickup details before booking.
Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Into Tours

“All-inclusive” day safari from Port Elizabeth

Closed, air-conditioned vehicle and park fee included — but lunch is not, despite “all-inclusive” in the title. 8 hours.

Duration: 8 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 3,150 ★ 4.7 (205 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A day safari from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle, with the park entrance fee included.

Despite “all-inclusive” in the title, lunch is listed as not included — plan for a meal in the park.

What's included

Game drive in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle
Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee

Not included

Lunch (listed as not included, despite the title)

Know before you go

Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Into Tours

Addo shore excursion with port pickup

Set up for cruise passengers: pickup at the Gqeberha harbour, an air-conditioned vehicle and the park fee included. Lunch is not included. 8 hours.

Duration: 8 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 3,100 ★ 4.6 (222 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

The Addo safari set up for cruise passengers: pickup at the Gqeberha harbour, a day in the park in an air-conditioned vehicle, and the park entrance fee included. Lunch is not included.

What's included

Pickup from the Gqeberha cruise port
Game drive in an air-conditioned vehicle
Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee

Not included

Lunch

Pickup & start

Gqeberha harbour — pickup at the cruise port.

Know before you go

Compare the 8-hour duration with your ship’s all-aboard time before booking.
Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Half day, private reserve or two days

A shorter game drive from Addo village, the neighbouring Schotia private reserve, or two days in the Addo area.

Crisscross Adventures

Half-day safari from Addo village

Four hours in the park for travellers already staying near Addo. It starts in Addo village, and the SANParks conservation fee is paid on top.

Duration: 4 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 1,435 ★ 4.7 (211 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A four-hour guided game drive that starts in the village of Addo, close to the park — the fit if you are already staying in the Addo area.

The SANParks conservation fee is not included and is paid on top: R492 per international adult under the tariff valid until 31 October 2026 (SANParks adjusts its tariffs every 1 November).

Pickup & start

Addo village — you make your own way to the start point.

Know before you go

Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Sundays River Adventures

Schotia private reserve with port pickup

An open-vehicle game drive in Schotia, a private reserve near Addo, with harbour pickup and reserve fee included. It does not enter Addo Elephant National Park. 5 hours.

Duration: 5 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 4,500 ★ 4.6 (310 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A game drive in Schotia, a private game reserve near Addo, in an open safari vehicle, with pickup from the Gqeberha harbour and the reserve fee included.

This safari stays in Schotia and does not enter Addo Elephant National Park — worth knowing, because the product link on the booking platform suggests an Addo shore excursion.

What's included

Pickup from the Gqeberha cruise port
Game drive in an open safari vehicle
Schotia reserve fee

Pickup & start

Gqeberha harbour — pickup at the cruise port.

Know before you go

Schotia is a private reserve, not part of Addo Elephant National Park.
Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Rawson Touring

Schotia Big 5 safari

Six hours in the Schotia private game reserve, with reserve entry included. Check the product page for vehicle and pickup.

Duration: 6 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 3,299 ★ 4.5 (169 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

A six-hour safari in the Schotia private game reserve near Addo, with the reserve entry included.

What's included

Reserve entry

Know before you go

Check the product page for the vehicle type and pickup details before booking.
“Big 5” in the title describes the species that live in the reserve — sightings are not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

Afroventures Tours and Safaris

Two-day Addo safari

Two days in the Addo area instead of one, park fee included. Listed meals: one breakfast and two lunches.

Duration: 2 days
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 9,595 ★ 4.3 (49 reviews)

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Full safari details

About this safari

Two days in the Addo area instead of one, with the park entrance fee included. The listed meals are one breakfast and two lunches — check the product page for the evening meal and the accommodation before you book.

What's included

Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee
One breakfast and two lunches

Know before you go

Wildlife sightings are possible, not guaranteed.

Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.

The full-day decision

Which full-day safari from Port Elizabeth?

Closed and air-conditioned or open to the air, lunch in the package or a braai in the bush, hotel or harbour pickup — the full-day safaris differ in ways their titles do not show. We line them up point by point.

Compare the full-day safaris →

Which Addo safari fits you?

Three quick questions — we’ll point you at the right safari.

What kind of safari are you after?

Where does your day start?

Travelling with children?

Your match

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Every Addo safari in one table

Tap a column header to re-sort.

Safari	What's in it	Rating ↕	Price ↕	Book
All-inclusive full-day safari	Closed air-con 4x4 · park fee + lunch included · 9 h	★ 4.8 (950)	R 3,100 per person	Book now →
Full-day safari with braai lunch	Park fee + braai lunch with beer/wine included · port pickup option · 9 h	★ 4.8 (377)	R 2,995 per person	Book now →
Schotia private reserve (port pickup)	Schotia only, not Addo · open vehicle · harbour pickup · reserve fee included · 5 h	★ 4.6 (310)	R 4,500 per person	Book now →
Shore excursion with port pickup	Harbour pickup · air-con vehicle · park fee included · lunch not included · 8 h	★ 4.6 (222)	R 3,100 per person	Book now →
Half-day safari from Addo village	Starts in Addo village · conservation fee not included · 4 h	★ 4.7 (211)	R 1,435 per person	Book now →
“All-inclusive” day safari	Closed air-con vehicle · park fee included · lunch not included · 8 h	★ 4.7 (205)	R 3,150 per person	Book now →
Schotia Big 5 safari	Schotia private reserve · reserve entry included · 6 h	★ 4.5 (169)	R 3,299 per person	Book now →
Full-day safari with braai	Park fee + braai lunch included · 9 h	★ 4.8 (98)	R 2,958 per person	Book now →
Two-day Addo safari	Park fee included · 1 breakfast + 2 lunches listed · 2 days	★ 4.3 (49)	R 9,595 per person	Book now →

All prices are live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees — the number here is the number at checkout. “What’s in it” summarises the inclusions listed on the product page — check the full details there before you book.

Worth knowing before you book

The Big Five are not a promise. Addo is home to all five, but leopard and rhino are rare sightings and lions turn up some of the time — elephants are the animal the park is known for. Summer is hot. From November to March temperatures in the park can climb above 40 °C, which is when a closed, air-conditioned vehicle earns its keep; bring a hat, sunscreen and water either way. Rain and crowds follow the calendar. February and March are among the wetter months, and the December–January school holidays are the park’s busiest weeks. “All-inclusive” can leave out lunch. The Into Tours day safari carries the word in its title but does not include lunch — the cards above say what each safari covers.

The park fee, in numbers

The SANParks conservation fee for Addo is R492 per international adult under the tariff valid until 31 October 2026; SANParks adjusts its tariffs every 1 November. It is included on the full-day and two-day safaris here and paid on top on the half-day safari from Addo village. The Schotia safaris include the private reserve’s own fee instead.

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Arriving by cruise ship?

Gqeberha’s cruise season falls in the southern summer. Look for a harbour pickup — the Into Tours shore excursion includes it, the Addo Game Drives braai safari offers it as an option — and compare the 8 to 9 hours of an Addo day trip with your ship’s all-aboard time. The Schotia port safari is shorter, but it stays in the private reserve and does not visit Addo.

Why this site exists

The Addo safaris on one page

No sales calls, no callbacks, no login. We show the bookable Addo safaris with the same facts for each, so you can compare them in one place. This is an independent guide, not the park’s official website. When you book through a link on this page, the booking platform pays us a small commission — it comes out of their margin, not out of your ticket price.

Addo Elephant safaris — FAQ

The questions people ask before they book.

How far is Addo Elephant National Park from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)?

The park’s southern Matyholweni gate is roughly 30 to 45 minutes’ drive from Gqeberha, and Main Camp about an hour. That is why the full-day safaris from the city run for 8 to 9 hours: the drive there and back is part of the day.

Is the park entrance fee included?

On the full-day safaris from Gqeberha and on the two-day safari listed here, yes — the park entrance fee is part of the package. The half-day safari from Addo village is the exception: there the SANParks conservation fee is paid on top, which is R492 per international adult under the tariff valid until 31 October 2026. SANParks adjusts its tariffs every 1 November.

Which safaris include lunch?

Lunch is included on the Afroventures full-day safari and on the braai safaris (Addo Game Drives also includes beer or wine). The Into Tours day safari does not include lunch even though its title says “all-inclusive”, and neither does the Into Tours shore excursion. The two-day safari lists one breakfast and two lunches.

Open or closed safari vehicle — which is better?

It depends on the season and what you want from the day. A closed, air-conditioned vehicle is more comfortable in the summer heat and keeps the dust out; an open vehicle gives all-round views and easier photography. The Afroventures full-day safari and the Into Tours safaris use closed or air-conditioned vehicles; the Schotia port safari uses an open vehicle. For the other safaris, the product page states the vehicle.

I arrive by cruise ship. Which safari works for a port day?

Look for a harbour pickup. The Into Tours shore excursion collects you at the Gqeberha port, and the Addo Game Drives braai safari offers port pickup as an option. The Schotia safari also starts at the harbour, but it visits a private reserve instead of Addo. Compare the duration — 8 to 9 hours for the Addo day trips — with your ship’s all-aboard time before you book.

Will I see the Big Five in Addo?

Addo is home to the Big Five, but no safari can promise them. Elephants are the animal the park is known for; lions are seen some of the time, while leopard and rhino are rare sightings. Treat every sighting beyond the elephants as a bonus.

Is Addo malaria-free?

Yes, Addo lies in a malaria-free area. If your wider trip includes other parts of southern Africa, check the current health advice for those regions separately.

What is Schotia, and is it part of Addo?

Schotia is a private game reserve near Addo, not part of the national park. The Schotia safaris on this site stay inside that reserve — the port-pickup Schotia safari in particular does not enter Addo Elephant National Park, even though its booking link mentions an Addo shore excursion.

Can I cancel my booking?

The safaris on this site offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The policy shown at checkout on the product page is the binding one, so give it a quick look before you book.

Coming from Cape Town? Our sister site gardenroutetour.com compares the multi-day Garden Route trips, including those that end in Gqeberha or pass through Addo.

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