Friendship is a wonderful gift and unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience this fully. While we meet many people on our journey through life, only a select few truly leave a lasting impression. Having the opportunity to travel and explore my beloved country with close friends, especially those from abroad, makes friendships even more meaningful and precious.
It is no secret that I love my city (Gqeberha previously known as Port Elizabeth) and although it is not perfect it is the place I call home and where I find peace and solace. Showing off the beauty of Nelson Mandela Bay is always a privilege and honour.
Needless to say, the Addo National Elephant Park is always at the top of the list of every tourist when visiting the Eastern Cape, one of 9 provinces of South Africa. Addo, derived from the Khoisan language, means ‘poison ravine’ which is a succulent that grows in the area.
However, today the Spekboom, or Elephant Food as it is known locally, is regarded as a miracle plant and plays a vital role in our ecosystem. Not only is it a very hardy and drought-resistant plant, but it also grows easily and provides nutrition to many animals in the Park, and in particular enjoyed by the kudu, black rhino, and of course the African elephant. According to the Biodiversity Institute of South Africa (https://www.sanbi.org/), the Spekboom has an excellent ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and create its own plant tissue.
Although a day-long trip through the Park is somewhat exhausting it is worth the effort and highly recommended. Not only did we see hundreds of elephants and antelope, but a wide variety of birdlife, the endangered dung beetle, warthogs, zebras, hyenas, buffalo, springbok, and even a white rhino emerged from their naps to grace us with their presence.
Any lover of wild animals should at least visit Africa once in a lifetime. South Africa with its vibrant natural landscapes is a popular safari destination and offers many malaria-free game parks though preventative prophilaxis is recommended in some areas of the Limpopo province.
Although it is always safer to do a game drive with an experienced or hop-on tour guide, self-drive game drives are very popular in many of South Africa’s parks and give you the freedom to extend your stay if you wish.
Addo Elephant National Park is home to the Big 5, i.e. the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and of course the African elephant. Add the Southern Right Whale and The Great White Shark and you get the Big 7. All of them can be found in the Eastern Cape and in particular Port Elizabeth and Addo Elephant National Park. Since 2000, the conservancy of the Great White Shark as well as the Southern Right Whale formed part of Addo’s ongoing effort to save our endangered animals. Elephants are the largest land animal in the world but sadly their numbers are declining because of the illegal ivory trade.
What started off in 1931 as a small game reserve of only 2 000 hectares and 11 elephants has now become the third largest park in South Africa with more than 600 free-roaming African elephants on 180 000 hectares of land.
Sidwell, our knowledgeable tour guide, made sure we had a thrilling game-viewing experience in our search for the Big Five. After a quick shower, a refreshing glass of ice-cold South African wine, and a lovely dinner at our secluded eco-reserved Country Lodge, Hitgeheim, we retired to our rooms. While resting we reflected, and realized once again that the making of a repository of memories is by far the most remarkable human gift. Elephants are a sacred symbol in some religions as they represent loyalty, power, wisdom, and fertility. True to the making of memories…
Indlovu ayilibali An elephant never forgets. What they don’t tell you is that you never forget an elephant once you’ve looked him in the eye.
GALLERY
Photo Credits: The Lopez family from Spain
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