One park, several full-day safaris, and the details that decide which one suits you: the vehicle, lunch, the park fee and the pickup.
Pick a day, or the first and last day you are around Gqeberha or Addo. We check the booking calendar of every safari and show which ones still have places.
In the next 7 days, all 5 tours on this page still have places.
Park: Addo National Park
Park: Addo National Park
Park: Addo National Park
Park: Addo National Park
Park: Addo National Park
A full-day safari from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) is the most straightforward way into Addo Elephant National Park without a hire car. The park’s southern gate is roughly 30 to 45 minutes from the city and Main Camp about an hour, so a guided day runs for 8 to 9 hours, with the drive there and back included.
On the booking platforms these safaris look almost interchangeable: similar durations, similar photos of elephants at a waterhole, and “all-inclusive” in more than one title. The differences sit in the small print, and they change the day more than the title does: a closed, air-conditioned vehicle or open sides, lunch in the package or something to sort out yourself, the park fee covered or not, and a pickup at your hotel or at the cruise terminal.
Below, the full-day safaris come first, each with the same facts. After the cards we go through those points one by one, then the table puts everything side by side.
One full-day safari per priority, chosen on the facts in its listing. All of them follow further down.
A full day in a closed, air-conditioned 4x4 with a window seat for every guest. The park fee and lunch in the park are included, with pickup in Gqeberha, Bluewater Bay, Colchester or Addo. 9 hours, groups of up to 10.
Built for cruise passengers: pickup at the harbour and a return planned with a buffer before all-aboard. Closed, air-conditioned vehicle and park fee included; meals are not, so lunch at Main Camp is extra. 8 hours.
The braai has three kinds of meat and salads, vegetarian on request, with white wine, beer, juice, tea and coffee. Hotel or harbour pickup depending on the option, park fee included. Not suitable for travellers with reduced mobility.
A full day from Gqeberha in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle, with the park fee included and, according to the description, a light lunch in the park. Pickup from your hotel or the harbour. 8 hours.
Each card opens to the meeting point, what to bring and what to know beforehand, taken from the safari’s product page.
A closed, air-conditioned 4x4 with the park fee and lunch both included, so the full day in Addo leaves nothing to add on. 9 hours.
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.
Meeting point, inclusions and notes as the safari operator lists them on GetYourGuide.
Built around a braai lunch with beer or wine, park fee included, and pickup from the cruise port available as an option. 9 hours.
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.
Hotel pickup or pickup from the Gqeberha cruise port, depending on the option you choose when you book.
Meeting point, inclusions and notes as the safari operator lists them on GetYourGuide.
A full day in the park with a braai lunch and the park fee included. 9 hours.
A full day in Addo Elephant National Park with a braai (South African barbecue) lunch and the park entrance fee included.
Meeting point, inclusions and notes as the safari operator lists them on GetYourGuide.
Closed, air-conditioned vehicle and park fee included, and a light lunch in the park according to the description. 8 hours.
A day safari from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle, with the park entrance fee included.
The list of inclusions names light refreshments; the description and the itinerary add a light lunch at a park restaurant, with about an hour for it.
Meeting point, inclusions and notes as the safari operator lists them on GetYourGuide.
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.
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.
Gqeberha harbour: pickup at the cruise port.
Meeting point, inclusions and notes as the safari operator lists them on GetYourGuide.
Taken from the listings. Where a listing does not say, the field says so.
| Safari | Park | Park fee | Food | Pickup | Vehicle | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-inclusive full-day safari in Addo Elephant National Park from Gqeberha | Addo National Park | Included | Lunch | Hotel | Closed | 9 h |
| Full-day Addo Elephant National Park safari with braai lunch | Addo National Park | Included | Braai lunch | Hotel or harbour | Not stated | 9 h |
| Full-day Addo Elephant National Park safari with braai | Addo National Park | Included | Braai lunch | Hotel | Closed | 9 h |
| “All-inclusive” day safari in Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth | Addo National Park | Included | Light lunch (per description) | Hotel or harbour | Closed | 8 h |
| Addo Elephant National Park shore excursion with port pickup | Addo National Park | Included | No meals | Cruise harbour | Closed | 8 h |
From the GetYourGuide listings, checked in October 2026. The duration is the provider’s figure. Schotia safaris include the private reserve’s own fee.
| Safari | Vehicle | Lunch | Park fee | Pickup | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-inclusive full-day safari Afroventures |
Closed, air-conditioned 4x4 | Included | Included | Gqeberha, Bluewater Bay, Colchester or Addo | 9 h |
| Full-day safari with braai lunch Addo Game Drives |
Not named in the listing | Braai, with beer or wine | Included | Hotel or cruise port, depending on the option | 9 h |
| Full-day safari with braai African Sightings |
Closed, with windows that open | Braai | Included | Gqeberha, Bluewater Bay or Colchester, otherwise meet at Matyholweni reception | 9 h |
| “All-inclusive” day safari Into Tours |
Closed, air-conditioned | Light lunch, according to the description | Included | Hotel or harbour in Gqeberha | 8 h |
| Shore excursion with port pickup Into Tours |
Air-conditioned | Not included | Included | Gqeberha cruise port | 8 h |
Inclusions as listed on each product page. Where a point is not stated there, we say so instead of guessing.
This is the choice that shapes the day most, and the titles rarely mention it. A closed, air-conditioned vehicle keeps you cool and out of the dust on the park’s gravel roads, which matters in the southern summer, when temperatures in Addo can climb above 40 °C. The trade-off is the view: you look out through windows rather than over open sides.
An open safari vehicle gives all-round views and easier photography, and it feels closer to the classic safari picture. In return you sit in the sun and the wind, and a long summer day in the open can be tiring.
Among the full-day safaris here, the Afroventures safari uses a closed, air-conditioned 4x4, the Into Tours day safari a closed, air-conditioned vehicle, the Into Tours shore excursion one as well, and the African Sightings safari closed vehicles with windows that open. The Addo Game Drives listing does not name its vehicle. If an open vehicle is what you want and a full day is not essential, the Schotia port safari runs in an open vehicle, though in a private reserve and not in Addo. Our page Addo or Schotia? sets the two side by side.
Lunch is part of the package on the Afroventures safari and on the braai safaris. The braai safaris build the day around a South African braai (a barbecue), and on the Addo Game Drives safari beer or wine comes with it.
The Into Tours safaris differ here. The shore excursion includes no meals or drinks, so you buy lunch at Main Camp. On the day safari, the list of inclusions names only light refreshments, while the description and the itinerary include a light lunch at a park restaurant, with about an hour for it.
The Into Tours day safari from Port Elizabeth includes, according to its description, a light lunch at a park restaurant, along with the vehicle and the park fee. The Into Tours shore excursion from the harbour includes no meals, so plan on buying something in the park or bringing your own. If a full lunch or a braai matters to you, the Afroventures safari or one of the braai safaris fits better.
Every full-day safari on this page includes the Addo Elephant National Park entrance fee, so there is nothing to pay at the gate. For reference, the SANParks conservation fee for international adults is R565 per person under the tariff valid until 31 October 2027; SANParks adjusts its tariffs every 1 November.
That is not the case for every Addo safari. The half-day safari from Addo village leaves the conservation fee to you, which is worth factoring in when you compare a half day with a full one.
If you arrive by ship, the pickup is the first thing to check. The Into Tours shore excursion collects you at the Gqeberha harbour, and the Addo Game Drives braai safari offers a port pickup as an option you choose when booking. Gqeberha’s cruise season falls in the southern summer, and a port day leaves no room for delays: compare the 8 to 9 hours of an Addo day trip with your ship’s all-aboard time before you book. The shore excursion page covers the port day in detail.
For the other safaris, the product page sets out where and when you are picked up; pickup areas can differ between operators, so check that your accommodation is covered. On the African Sightings safari, one critical review reports pickup information that turned out to be wrong and delayed the start, and one five-star review found the vehicles at the port hard to spot at first. It is worth confirming the meeting point on the product page the day before.
The Into Tours safaris run for 8 hours, the others for 9. With roughly an hour’s drive each way between Gqeberha and Main Camp, the time on the park’s roads is shorter than the headline duration. That is normal for a day trip from the city, and it is the reason the drive is part of the plan rather than a detail.
Addo is best known for its elephants, and they are the sighting the day is built around. The park is also home to the Big Five, but no safari can promise them: lions turn up some of the time, while leopard and rhino are rare. The park is malaria-free.
Season shapes the day as well. From November to March the heat is the main factor, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water. February and March are among the wetter months, and the December–January school holidays are the park’s busiest weeks. More on the best time to visit.
If you are staying near the park, the half-day safari from Addo village keeps the day short. If you would rather have an open vehicle and a shorter outing from the port, the Schotia safari with harbour pickup visits a private reserve next to Addo (see Addo or Schotia?). And if one day feels rushed, there is a two-day Addo safari on the home page. Have a hire car? Our page on self-drive or guided tour weighs up both. Travelling from Cape Town along the coast? Start with from Cape Town and the Garden Route; the multi-day trips themselves are compared on our sister site gardenroutetour.com.
Want comfort in the heat and lunch taken care of? Look at the Afroventures safari in its closed, air-conditioned 4x4. Want a braai in the bush? The Addo Game Drives and African Sightings safaris build the day around one. Arriving by ship? The Into Tours shore excursion includes the harbour pickup, and the Addo Game Drives safari offers it as an option. Every safari here includes the park fee, and only the Into Tours shore excursion leaves lunch to you.
Sort by duration or price with a tap on the column header.
| Photo | Safari | What's in it | Rating ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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All-inclusive full-day safari | Closed air-con 4x4 · park fee + lunch included · 9 h | ★ 4.8 (973) | R 3,100 per person | Book now |
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Full-day safari with braai lunch | Park fee + braai lunch with beer/wine included · port pickup option · 9 h | ★ 4.8 (380) | R 2,995 per person | Book now |
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Shore excursion with port pickup | Harbour pickup · air-con vehicle · park fee included · lunch not included · 8 h | ★ 4.6 (222) | R 2,850 per person | Book now |
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“All-inclusive” day safari | Closed air-con vehicle · park fee included · light lunch per description · 8 h | ★ 4.7 (205) | R 3,150 per person | Book now |
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Full-day safari with braai | Park fee + braai lunch included · 9 h | ★ 4.8 (98) | R 3,250 per person | Book now |
Safari prices in this table come live from GetYourGuide, with taxes and booking fees included. On the half-day safari from Addo village, the SANParks conservation fee comes on top of the price shown. “What’s in it” summarises the inclusions listed on the product page. Check the full details there before you book.
Guests on these full-day safaris, quoted from GetYourGuide.
★ 4.8 (973 reviews)
“Alan picked us up right on time. He is a friendly guide who was able to tell us a lot about the park. Truly excellent. The lunch was also well organized. We had no points for improvement.”
“Way too overpriced! We got one water for 8 hours on an "all-inclusive" safari at 35 degrees. The food was in plastic boxes, which isn't great either. No snacks or drinks were provided. …”
Most reviews of this safari praise the guides and the close elephant sightings. The critical reviews collected tell of a long day: four describe a lot of driving with long spells without animals beyond the elephants. Two mention a flat tyre that cost time, and two the heat: one in a vehicle whose air-conditioning did not work properly, one with too little water. One found the “all-inclusive” catering thin. The 9 hours include the drive from Gqeberha and back, and no safari can promise what the park shows on the day.
★ 4.7 (205 reviews)
“What a beautiful day! We saw everything we hoped to see except the lion... Gary, our guide, was exceptional, extremely prepared to answer any question, and very professional. A significant detail is that the guide does his job with extreme passion and it shows. Go there!”
“We expected more, didn't see 3 of the Big 5. Constantly sitting in the bus, there are the typical safari cars. Most of the animals were on the right side, could only take pictures through the window when I was sitting on the left because the back window couldn't be opened. Lunch took too long.”
Recent reviews of this safari are dominated by praise for the guides and for the number of elephants. The critical reviews with text all date from 2019 to 2024, and six of them describe the same thing: a closed minibus with few opening windows (dirty ones in one case), where good photos depend on having a window seat. The product page lists a closed, air-conditioned vehicle, so if open sides matter to you, this is the point to weigh. Two five-star reviews add smaller notes: one found the snack meagre, one struggled to find the meeting point at the cruise terminal.
★ 4.8 (98 reviews)
“We had a brilliant day on safari at Addo with Joel. His knowledge about all the plants and animals within Addo was second to none and his ability to be able to spot the animals was also insanely impressive meaning we got to see so many animals in just one day. Additionally Joel’s cooking on the braii was just incredible - easily the best meal we’ve had here in South Africa and the most memorable as well. …”
“The tour started on time and we were immediately welcomed. We were a small group of 16 people, even split into 2 vehicles. Guido Joe and his colleague Mister T were great, and the homemade food was a dream! We highly recommend this tour through African Sighting Adventure to everyone.”
“The excursion was nice, but the pick-up information was wrong, so the start of the excursion was much later and some animals could no longer be seen. In return, the guides then significantly extended the tour, so we were somewhat compensated”
Most reviews of this safari praise the guides, their eye for animals and the braai lunch cooked on the spot. Four critical reviews from March 2025 go back to a single day with a group of cruise passengers: three describe the vehicle breaking down and a wait of two and a half to three hours for a replacement, and one describes the vehicle’s poor condition and more passengers than promised, so that some passengers had no window seat. Since then, one critical review has been posted: it reports wrong pickup information that delayed the start, after which the guides extended the tour. A five-star review also found the vehicles at the port hard to find at first. Check the product page for the pickup point.
Reviews collected from the safaris' GetYourGuide pages. Shortened for length (marked with …), wording unchanged; names reduced to first name and country.
The full-day safaris from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) listed here run for 8 or 9 hours. That includes the drive: the park’s southern gate is roughly 30 to 45 minutes from the city, and Main Camp about an hour.
On the full-day safaris on this page, yes: the park entrance fee is part of the package. For reference, the SANParks conservation fee for international adults is R565 per person under the tariff valid until 31 October 2027; SANParks adjusts its tariffs every 1 November. The half-day safari from Addo village does not include it.
The Afroventures full-day safari includes lunch, and the braai safaris include a braai lunch, with beer or wine on the Addo Game Drives safari. The Into Tours day safari includes a light lunch at a park restaurant, according to the description. The Into Tours shore excursion includes no meals.
A closed, air-conditioned vehicle is more comfortable in the summer heat and on dusty gravel roads; an open vehicle offers all-round views and easier photography. The Afroventures safari uses a closed, air-conditioned 4x4 with a window seat for every guest, the Into Tours safaris closed, air-conditioned vehicles and the African Sightings safari closed vehicles with windows that open. The Addo Game Drives listing does not name its vehicle.
Yes. The Into Tours shore excursion includes pickup at the Gqeberha harbour, and the Addo Game Drives braai safari offers port pickup as an option. Compare the 8 to 9 hours of the day with your ship’s all-aboard time before booking.
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.
In the southern summer, from November to March, heat is the main consideration and a closed, air-conditioned vehicle helps; February and March are among the wetter months, and the December–January school holidays are the busiest time in the park.
The full-day Addo safaris in one table.
See the comparison