15 Tours in Port Elizabeth to Build a Day Around

1.Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 687 reviews · from $185Our pick

Set out at 8am from Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club on a twin-engine catamaran limited to 20 people. Raggy Charters guides, including Jake and an experienced crew, search Algoa Bay for humpback whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, and African penguins at St. Croix Island. The four-hour cruise runs once daily and supports tree planting to offset its carbon footprint.

“Every part of this trip was excellent. Staff friendly, real attention to safety, communication from booking and of course the wildlife The crew ensured we were all looked after and expertly navigated to ensure we could all see the wonderful nature Read more”

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 345 reviews · 9 hours · from $186

Join Steven, Stephen, Mostaff, or another English-speaking guide for two game drives in Addo Elephant National Park. The small group is limited to nine people, with pickup from Port Elizabeth or Colchester, refreshments all day, and a generous braai lunch served inside the park.

“Our guide, Steven was great. Very informative and found a lot of wildlife for us. The lunch was very good. All in all a great day.”

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3.Schotia Game Reserve Safari with Port Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 263 reviews · 5 hours · from $233

Join Sundays River Adventures for a five-hour safari at Schotia Private Game Reserve, near Addo. Ride from Port Elizabeth Harbor in a transfer bus, then switch to an open safari vehicle with guides such as Norman, Marilyn, Donald, or Robert. Expect elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and plenty of smaller wildlife, but no guaranteed sightings.

“It was the absolute best experience and we can 100% recommend this tour to anyone! Pick up & transfer to the reserve was really uncomplicated. We saw 4 out of the Big 5. Our guide Donald was really knowledgeable and funny and always communicated with the other guides so we could drive to the best spots. The little lunch was really lovely prepared and all the crew were the nicest people. We felt in good hands at all times :)”

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 256 reviews · from $147

Spend about nine hours exploring Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth in an air-conditioned 4x4 with a professional guide. Expect large elephant herds, buffalo, zebra, lions, warthogs, and more, plus lunch and hotel pickup. Guides such as John, Sidwell, Wanele, and Elvis are praised for sharp animal spotting and clear local insight.

“Excellent safari and the driver was very knowledgeable. Highly recommended and would use this tour company again”

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5.Addo Elephant Full Day Safari with a Traditional South African Braai (BBQ) Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 218 reviews · from $172

Join a small group of up to nine for morning and afternoon game drives in Addo Elephant National Park. Guides such as Stephen, Siya, and Eddie are praised for spotting animals and explaining their behavior. The day includes park fees, refreshments, and a cooked braai with meat, salads, rooster brood, beer, wine, and vegetarian options by request.

“Our guide was knowledgeable about the area, knew where the lions were, gave us plenty of great photo opportunities, and cooked a mean braai! Thanks for your efforts! I would recommend this tour and go again!”

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6.Addo Elephant Park Shore Excursion with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 141 reviews · from $164

Meet your Into Tours guide at Port Elizabeth cruise terminal for a full-day Addo safari in an air-conditioned vehicle. You’ll enter through Mathloweni Gate, search for the Big Five, eat a fire-cooked braai lunch at a cultural lapa, and explore Addo’s northern section. Guides such as Nina and Gary are praised for attentive, family-friendly service.

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7.River Cruise on the Sundays River

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 112 reviews · 90 - 150 minutes · from $37

Set out from A Taste of Africa near Colchester with a local English or Afrikaans-speaking guide, then cruise the Sundays River past the Alexandria Coastal Dune field. You will pause at a high dune for wide bay views. The 90 to 150-minute trip suits families, bird watchers, small groups, and sunset outings. Bring drinks, snacks, sunscreen, and a warm layer.

“Very relaxed guide in stunning remote location. Just us on the river”

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8.Addo Elephant National Park Full Day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · from $169

Spend about nine hours exploring Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth with guides such as Joel, Allan, or Stafford. Search for elephants, lions, black rhinos, zebras, buffalo, and other wildlife, then enjoy tea, coffee, and a freshly prepared South African braai with vegetarian and vegan options.

“Fantastic experience and wonderful day. Wz have been able to see 3 of the big fives, hundreds of animals including baby elephants. Joel and Loreen are so nuce and organized an incredible barbecue for lunch. Allan, the guide during the day was also great in his explanation and lustening.”

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9.Schotia Safaris: Best Wildlife Encounters in Port Elizabeth

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 89 reviews · 6 hours · from $227

From Port Elizabeth, Addo, or Kirkwood, you’ll ride to Schotia Private Game Reserve for four hours in an open 4x4 vehicle. An English-speaking local guide leads the drive, with chances to spot elephants, lions, zebras, and giraffes. Pickup, return transport, water, snacks, and refreshments are included.

“Mir ist klar, dass es in einem Reservat keine "normalen" Straßen gibt, dass es eben einfache Wege sind. Aber in diesem Reservat sind die Wege dermaßen stark ausgefahren, dass riesige Löcher und Fahrrillen entstanden sind. OK - das kommt vor. Aber wenn dann der Fahrer mit Vollgas in diese reinfährt, damit er auf der anderen Seite auch wieder rauskommt, dann passiert es leider mehrfach, dass es einen aus dem Sitz katapultiert und man mit dem Kopf gegen das Dach des Fahrzeuges knallt. Das hätte ich nun wirklich nicht gebraucht. Wir haben mit anderen Besuchern gesprochen, die die Safari in diesem Reservat über einen anderen Veranstalter gebucht hatten - die hatten…”

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10.Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth – FD01

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $155

Travel from Port Elizabeth to Addo Elephant National Park for a full-day guided safari in a group of no more than eight. Your guide may be Anthony, Mervyn, Graeme, Andrew, or Alan. Expect elephants, zebra, kudu, warthogs, birds, and the chance of lions and buffalo, with park admission and refreshments included.

“Saw everything you could want to see. Guide was great and organisation was spot on. A really fantastic day”

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11.Schotia Safaris Game Reserve Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · from $207

Spend five hours in Schotia Private Game Reserve near Addo, riding in an open 4x4 with an English-speaking guide. Look for lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, antelope, and birds. Hotel pickup, park entry, water, and snacks are included.

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12.Addo Elephant Park:Safari Tour meet Big 5 to be satisfied

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 73 reviews · 6 hours · from $221

Meet Otto of OTTOURS at the Port Elizabeth harbour gate, then ride into Addo Elephant Park for a six-hour wildlife search. Expect an enclosed vehicle rather than an open safari truck, a picnic lunch, drinks, the Interpretation Centre, and a second game drive. Bring ID, a camera, binoculars, and a warm jacket.

“Otto hat hat sich super um uns gekümmert und versucht alle Tiere für uns zu sichten. Das Picnic war auch hervorragend. Alles in Allm empfehlenswert.”

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13.Addo Elephant 5 hour Morning Safari.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · from $123

Join Addo Game Drives for a five-hour morning safari from Port Elizabeth into Addo Elephant National Park. Your guide may include Langston or Steven, both praised for their animal spotting and warm service. Expect antelope, zebra, buffalo, lions, and plenty of elephants, plus a picnic brunch and round-trip transfers.

“Being very close to an elephant and seeing him drinking water from a puddle. Our safari guide were very knowlegeable”

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14.Addo Elephant Park Shore Excursion & Safari

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 72 reviews · 8 hours · from $159

Spend eight hours exploring Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth, with air-conditioned transport, guided wildlife drives, park entry, snacks, drinks, and a grilled lunch at Jack’s Picnic Site. Expect large elephant herds, zebras, warthogs, and possible lion, buffalo, hyena, and rhino sightings. Pickup is available from the port, airport, and nearby towns.

“Overall, a very nice excursion. We saw many elephants, zebras, warthogs, and even a buffalo. During the lunch break, we enjoyed a shared meal with freshly grilled food, which was great. However, our guide didn’t provide much explanation, and we drove through the park in a closed van, which slightly diminished the safari experience. Still, a worthwhile trip for wildlife enthusiasts.”

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15.2hr Guided Game Drive at 10h00; Kragga Kamma Game Park Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 69 reviews · from $28Best value

Join a professional guide at 10:00 for a two-hour open-vehicle drive through Kragga Kamma Game Park near Port Elizabeth. Look for giraffes, zebras, rhinos, buffalo, lions, and antelope, with cheetahs kept in a private enclosure. Bring binoculars, sunscreen, and a camera. Food and drinks are available to buy.

“It was such an awesome experience and our tour guide was so amazing, she did everything to make sure we get close to all the animals so we can get clear views and pictures of them, she’s so patient and sweet. I also learnt so much about the animals and their habits. It was wonderful! Also a lucky day for us, we got to see most animals in the park.”

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