14/09/2026
A Day in Addo – Green Veld, Big Elephants & Great Food
We arrived in Addo on Friday, and what a welcome it was.
At the moment, Addo Elephant National Park was offering free entrance for a week, and the park is looking absolutely spectacular. The recent rains have transformed the veld into a lush, vibrant green. The downside, however, is that the animals are somewhat harder to find. With so much water lying around in the veld, there is little reason for them to make their way to the usual waterholes.
Just before reaching Main Camp, though, we had our own little wildlife-induced traffic problem.
A huge bull elephant decided that the road belonged entirely to him. With nowhere sensible to go, we had to slowly reverse our way out of his path. It was one of those moments where you simply sit back, give the big boy the respect he deserves, and wait.
The funniest part was watching him casually walk along with his trunk draped over his left tusk. We couldn't stop laughing. Sometimes the best wildlife encounters aren't the dramatic ones – they're the completely unexpected moments that leave you grinning from ear to ear.
The roads are currently being graded in parts of the park, while the road around Hapoor is showing the effects of the recent rains, with deep ruts and rain-washed gullies. For anyone visiting, a vehicle with decent ground clearance is certainly an advantage.
Leaving the park behind, we headed towards our home for the next two nights – Addo Wildlife Lodge.
As we approached the lodge, the air was heavy with the unmistakable scent of citrus trees in full bloom. It's one of those wonderful Addo experiences where you don't need to see anything to know exactly where you are.
And then came dinner…
My wife went for pork belly with vegetables and mash, finished with a roast jus, while I decided to try something a little different – a Tangelo Burger, made from a 50/50 blend of venison and beef.
And I have to say…
Superb!
The group staying at the lodge had opted for a private braai buffet, and what a spread it was.
They started with soup and homemade breads, followed by an assortment of ingredients to build your own Greek or fresh salad, with potato, pasta and bean salads also available.
Then came the main event:
Chicken kebabs
Venison steak
Venison boerewors
Paptert
Stuffed butternut
Mixed vegetables
Pan jus
For those unfamiliar with boerewors, it is a traditional South African farmer's sausage – and every butcher seems to have their own special blend of spices and meat. It's practically compulsory at a proper South African braai!
The paptert was another highlight – layers of maize meal, cheese, grilled mushrooms and bacon, with corn kernels sometimes making an appearance, all finished with a generous layer of grated cheese and grilled or baked until the top becomes crisp and golden.
And just when you thought you couldn't eat another thing…
Dessert arrived.
Fresh sliced fruit, homemade carrot cake and fridge cheesecake, followed by coffee or tea to bring the evening to a very respectable conclusion.
After all that, it was time to retreat to our immaculate chalet and prepare for a good night's sleep.
And that's when the rain arrived.
It came down hard and heavy during the night, and it's still going. Unfortunately, it did very little to cool things down. The weather remains warm and wonderfully humid – that unmistakable feeling that tells you you're definitely in the Eastern Cape.
Today is another Addo day.
We're off to breakfast, and after that we'll see what the day brings.
And with Stof-fel's Martyn judging the Potjiekos Competition at Addo Wildlife today, something tells me there could be some very interesting food, fishing, laughter and stories coming our way.
Addo never seems to disappoint. 🌿🐘🔥🎣
