Gorah Elephant Camp
Bastion of imperial glamour
Stunning South African savannah
Around Gorah Elephant Camp, warthog families ferret for food, while dazzles of zebra trot past tortoises to reach the waterhole. Embraced by the wilderness of Addo National Park, this luxury safari lodge merges Victorian colonial style with modern creature comforts.
Planes
The nearest major airport is Port Elizabeth, which can be reached on stopover flights with many major airlines. Hire cars are available for the 70-km drive from the airport to Gorah.
Trains
The closest train station is in Port Elizabeth, roughly 80km from the camp.
Automobiles
Cars are protected from any elephant-based damage by an electric fence which keeps the game clear of the carpark. From Port Elizabeth (roughly an hour and 45 minutes), travel east on the N2, continuing until it becomes the N10. There are two exits to the Addo Elephant National Park, don't take the first (Addo Elephant National Park, Motherwell), which is 10.4 kilometres from the airport; the correct exit is Camp Matyholweni Gate about 30 kilometres from the airport. Turn left here and drive until you see the Addo National Park sign, then turn right and follow the road to Addo National Park Matyholweni Gate. Drive for about 16 kilometres (past Vukani loop, Mbotyi loop, Ngulube loop and Harveys loop), then exit through the N10 gate. The camp entrance will be to your left.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Lions and leopards and elephants and buffalo and rhinos, oh my! You can spend your days in safari-mode, searching for the big five on game drives at Gorah Elephant Camp. Bring binoculars and a zoom-equipped camera: if you’re lucky, elephants may even lumber up to camp as you enjoy a little downtime. Adventurous types who would rather keep going can explore the camp’s walking trails, ride horses or go mountain biking. For an adrenaline rush of a non-safari nature, head south of Addo Elephant National Park and try sandboarding by Sundays River. If that’s a bit too dry for you, wakeboarding on the river is available too. Port Elizabeth, one of South Africa’s largest cities, is 70km southwest of Addo Elephant National Park. There you’ll find Jeffreys Bay, a blue-flag beach and (according to CNN and the Travel Channel) the number two surf spot in the world. Get more use out of your trusty binoculars and head to the coast for whale watching. You can often spot Southern Right Whales from shore, or take a tour from Port Elizabeth with Raggy Charters, which works with the Baywatch Marine Conservation Project, to get closer to the action. You might also see dolphins, penguins and Great White sharks. And there are a number of other South Africa National Parks within driving distance, if you’d like to branch out from Addo.
