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Things to do in Port Elizabeth

Our most recommended things to do in Port Elizabeth

Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

1. Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

Get picked up from your hotel in Port Elizabeth, Bluewater Bay, or Colchester. Spend a full day exploring the third largest National Park in South Africa with an expert local guide. The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area.  Today you can see a variety of predators, antelope, zebra species, endangered black rhino as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo.  The park is also the only one in the world to conserve the “Big 7” – the Big 5 as well as the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast.  An excursion to the Addo Elephant park is a must when visiting this unique area.

Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Safari Full-Day Tour

2. Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Safari Full-Day Tour

Explore the 3rd largest national park in South Africa. The Addo Elephant Park is now the only park in the world that can boast having the "Big 7": Cape buffalo, African elephants, leopards, lions, rhinoceroses, southern right whales, and great white sharks. Begin your tour with pickup from your accommodation in Port Elizabeth. Enjoy a 35-minute scenic drive through the South African countryside and then begin your game drive. Spot animals such as the Big 5, zebras, warthogs, and antelopes. Traveling in a closed vehicle, your guides will do their best to introduce you to as many animals in the park as possible with regular stops. Discover the flora and fauna of the reserve and learn more about the area’s history and biodiversity. Stop at a lookout point to enjoy views of the park while sipping a refreshing cider and snack. Enjoy a lunch break at the main camp and visit the curio shop and information center. Shop for souvenirs before being dropped off at your accommodation.

Full-Day All Inclusive Safari with Traditional Braai Lunch

3. Full-Day All Inclusive Safari with Traditional Braai Lunch

Your experienced and enthusiastic guide will do their best to locate as much of the game available in the area and interpret their behavior for you during your drive. The first few hours of the tour are usually good to see antelope, zebra and lion. As this safari covers all time periods of the day, you should have the opportunity to see most game species. Stopping for a tea and coffee break at around 10:30 AM, you will continue on the game drive for sightings of elephants and buffalo near the watering holes. At lunchtime you can enjoy a delicious South African braai with juice, mineral water, beer and white wine. After lunch continue on the safari before being returned to your place of accommodation. Refreshments will be served throughout the drive.

Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Safari Shore Excursion

4. Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Safari Shore Excursion

Discover the Addo Elephant Park on a guided shore excursion from Port Elizabeth. Explore the third-largest national park in South Africa, with expansive grounds, lush vegetation, and unsurpassed views of the continent’s most iconic wildlife. Begin your tour with pickup from the cruise terminal and board an air-conditioned vehicle. Enjoy a 35-minute scenic drive through the South African countryside. Upon arrival at the park, and after check-in, begin your game drive. Spot animals such as the Big 5, zebras, warthogs, and antelopes. Your local guide will stop the vehicle for animal sightings.  During the drive, stop to stretch your legs at a lookout point where you can marvel at spectacular views of the park while sipping a refreshing drink and snack. Travel in a closed vehicle, making your way through the park from south to north, trekking along gravel and sand paths as well as tarred roads in search of the best viewing sites. Get acquainted with the incredible flora and fauna of the reserve and learn more about the area’s biodiversity. After working up an appetite, you can purchase lunch at the park restaurant. Use some free time to spend at the souvenir shop to find the perfect gifts, before continuing your safari and heading back south. Thereafter, you'll exit the park to be back in time for the cruise ship.

Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant National Park 2-Day Safari

5. Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant National Park 2-Day Safari

Spend 2 days exploring the 3rd largest national park in South Africa with a local guide and look for elephants and other animals in the wild. Learn how the park was created in 1931 when only 11 elephants remained in the area, and how the finely-tuned ecosystem is now home to one of the densest elephant populations on earth. Enjoy 2 game drives to look for some of the park's 600 resident elephants, along with lions, buffalo, and endangered black rhinos. Marvel at the landscape as you look for spotted hyenas and leopards, along with different species of antelope and zebra. Keep a close look out for the flightless dung beetle found almost exclusively in the area. The park is the only national park in the world to conserve the Big 7 – the Big 5 plus the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast. This 2-day safari includes 1-night accommodation, 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, a cruise on the Sundays River, and 2 game drives in the Addo Elephant National Park.

Port Elizabeth: River Cruise on the Sundays River

6. Port Elizabeth: River Cruise on the Sundays River

Enjoy a relaxing river cruise along the majestic Sundays River passing the Alexandria Coastal Dune field and many local birdlife feeding in their natural habitat. The cruise also includes a stop at one of the highest sand dunes. If you climb to the top, you will be treated to spectacular views of the bay. Tours are from 1.5 to 2.5-hours and are perfect for small or larger groups, families, friends, bird watchers or birthday parties, bachelor/ achelorette parties and year-end functions.    

Port Elizabeth: Sandboarding with Short Boat Trip

7. Port Elizabeth: Sandboarding with Short Boat Trip

Travel down the picturesque Sundays River to the Alexandria Dune field; the largest and most impressive dune field in South Africa. Suited to beginners and experienced sandboarders, choose from 2 or 3-hour sandboarding tours which give you ample time to learn some new skills and have a great time while doing it. If you are not quite comfortable to stand on the board, try a sit down or belly-board ride down the dune. Otherwise the guides will show you how to master the technique of standing on the board as you surf down the dune.

Port Elizabeth: City Sightseeing and Guided Safari Tour

8. Port Elizabeth: City Sightseeing and Guided Safari Tour

Start your Port Elizabeth tour with pickup from your accommodation or from the cruise ship port. Drive past exquisite Victorian-era buildings dating back to the early 1900s and listen to your guide's informative commentary as you go. Then head to the Donkin Reserve, one of Port Elizabeth's most important historical attractions. Admire the iconic stone pyramid built in 1820 that is now considered a National Monument. Climb the narrow wooden steps of an 1861 lighthouse and catch views of the city from high above. Continue to an African craft shop where you can sip on a cup of locally-roasted coffee while browsing the arts and crafts available for purchase. After getting your fill of the city, get transported to a nearby wildlife reserve for a guided safari experience. Get your cameras and binoculars ready as you drive through the park, in a 4x4 safari vehicle, making stops for animal sightings along the way. Look out for giraffes, white rhinos, waterbuck, buffalo, nyala, impala, and many more species that roam freely in this piece of South African paradise. Stop by the cheetah and lion enclosures to see these big cats up close and personal. Stop at Cape Recife which is the southeastern tip of Africa. Admire the black and white striped lighthouse built in 1851 surrounded by a beautiful stretch of beach. Enjoy afternoon drinks from a magnificent viewpoint overlooking natural dune vegetation, rocky outcrops, and an abundance of bird life. Get driven back to your Port Elizabeth accommodation after you've seen all that the reserve has to offer.

Hlosi Game Lodge: Half-Day Safari with Optional Boat Cruise

9. Hlosi Game Lodge: Half-Day Safari with Optional Boat Cruise

See local wildlife in its natural habitat on a half-day safari tour. Make your way to the Amakhala Game Reserve, about an hour's drive away from Port Elizabeth. Your experienced and knowledgeable ranger will show you around the malaria-free reserve. Experience unforgettable wildlife sightings and breathtaking scenery from the back of an open safari vehicle. Choose to take an optional 1-hour boat cruise on the beautiful Bushman's River, the lifeblood of the reserve that teems with rich birdlife. Have the chance of spotting hippos in the water and the Big Five on the riverbanks.

Port Elizabeth City Walking Tour

10. Port Elizabeth City Walking Tour

Explore one of South Africa's oldest cities on a 2-hour guided walk. Start at Port Elizabeth’s Campanile Memorial, at the entrance to the railway station. Continue to Route 67 and follow a trail that combines both historical and modern-day elements of the culture of the Eastern Cape. It pays tribute to Madiba’s 67 years of service to South Africans. Visit the Donkin Reserve at Belmont Terrace and the old lighthouse. Admire old Victorian churches, newly renovated terraced cottages, and a lighthouse that once guided ships into Algoa Bay. Other attractions include Fort Frederick, City Hall, Market Square, and St. Georges Park, which is the oldest cricket ground in South Africa.

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What people are saying about Port Elizabeth

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 480 reviews

To crowded.

It was the worst experience I had visiting anywhere. We had to que for about 3 and half hours. After getting in, it was so crowded, we couldn't admire the beauty of it. It was as if we were in a sardine can: people bumping into each other and it was so stuffy and hot I started to feel sick. I think they just sell all the tickets they can without thinking of safety. Granted we went peek touristic season in August. On the other hand the gardens looked beautiful from a distance, but we never got to go there because it was raining. You save no time by buying your tickets online.

Although our ship stopped at a different pier due to a medical emergency we were picked up early and brought to the park.Very nicht diverse and guide stoppen whenever animals were in sight.Very good braii on a campground.

We had a really great guide Steven. He always responded to our questions and requests. We saw a lot of animals. The lunch was delicious and lovingly prepared. A great day that we will remember for a long time!

One of favorite tours and our guide Lizwe Ndlovu was outstanding! He was so knowledgeable and fun. He made this tour - making every effort to see as many animals as possible. Highly recommend him and our tour!

Professionell, polite, good mood and perfect information