The 15 Big Five Game Drives in Port Elizabeth That Earn Their Price

1.Schotia Game Reserve Safari with Port Pickup

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

From Port Elizabeth Harbor, ride to Schotia Private Game Reserve for a guided open-vehicle safari near Addo. Guides such as Norman, Donald, Marilyn, and Robert work hard to find lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, hippos, and more. Snacks, drinks, park fees, and round-trip transport are included.

“Norman the Tourguide did a phantastic job . All the best for him , he is such a friendly guy , and he knows a lot about the animals in the Park . Thank You very much .”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Schotia Safaris Game Reserve Safari

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

Ride into Schotia Private Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth for a five-hour English-language safari in an open 4x4. Your guide searches for lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, antelope, and birds. Pickup, entry, water, and snacks are included.

Check availability →Read our full review

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

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

Meet Otto of OTTOURS at Port Elizabeth Harbour for a six-hour Addo Elephant Park safari. Ride from the dock to the park, search for the Big Five and smaller animals, stop for a picnic and refreshments, visit the Interpretation Centre, then continue the search before returning to the harbour or your hotel.

“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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.2hr 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. Expect close views of giraffes, zebras, rhinos, buffalo, antelope, and possibly lions, plus cheetahs in a private enclosure. Bring sunscreen, a hat, binoculars, and a camera.

“If you don't have time to visit Addo and want to see lots of animals in a well cared for environment then this is the trip for you. As soon as you enter the park you'll be greeted by giraffes, zebras and ostriches grazing in the fields. We could have Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Schotia Private Game Reserve Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 35 reviews · 5 hours · from $230

From Port Elizabeth, ride into Schotia Private Game Reserve for a four-hour open-vehicle safari. Your English-speaking guide searches for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, antelopes, zebras, giraffes, and birds across savannah, forest, waterholes, and a large lake.

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Schotia Game Reserve Tour with Port Pickup, Next to Addo Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $184Top rated

Leave the Gqeberha cruise terminal for a 45-minute ride to Schotia Private Game Reserve, beside Addo. Guides such as Marilyn and Norman lead open-vehicle drives in search of elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo, hippos, giraffes, and crocodiles. Pickup, snacks, bottled water, and facility fees are included.

“Habe nicht erwartet daß ich so viele Tiere zu sehen bekomme. Wurde nicht enttäuscht. Im Gegenteil. Zebras, Strauße, Nilpferde, Löwen, Elefanten, Springböcke, Giraffen , Krokodile, usw. Es war unglaublich. Die Reiseleiterin Marilyn hatte sehr viel Fachwissen war nett und freundlich. Genauso wie das restliche Personal. Würde ich sofort wieder machen.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Schotia Big 5 Safari Port Elizabeth (optional accommodation)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $296

Spend about 5.5 hours on Schotia’s Tooth and Claw Safari in an open vehicle, with a meal cooked over open fires, drinks, and guides such as Roger, Carl, Nic, and Zane. Transport from Port Elizabeth adds about two hours, and the small group is limited to 15 people.

“This is an excellent safari. Roger was incredible in how he knew the animals and their habits. He was very informative. What a wonderful experience. It was the highlight of my trip to South Africa.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Full day big 5 addo Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · from $173

You’ll spend 7 to 8 hours exploring Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth, with a guide experienced in local wildlife tourism. Expect elephant herds, antelope, birds, and possible Big Five sightings, plus snacks, drinks, and African cuisine in a group of no more than 20.

“Tour was good however our guide talked us into upgrading to a full day with lunch so that we were ensured to see more animals. Didn't really need to do this.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Kragga Kamma Game Drive and Scenic Coastal Tour in Port Elizabeth

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $106

Join an English-speaking guide, often Kyle, for a half-day tour from Port Elizabeth. You will spend about three hours at Kragga Kamma Game Park, then visit Sardinia Bay, Schoenmakerskop, and Cape Recife Lighthouse. Transport, water, binoculars, park entry, and lighthouse entry are included.

“The tour guide and of course the animals. Kyle was professional from start to finish ..nothing was too much trouble. We went at our own pace and never felt rushed. We saw lots of animals up close. The beaches were amazing. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting on a cruise ship as we were picked up and dropped off at the ship.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Park View Game Drive at Schotia Safaris with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 4 hours · from $239

Join a small group of up to nine for a four-hour game drive at Schotia Safaris, the Eastern Cape’s oldest private reserve. Your English or Afrikaans guide leads you through a malaria-free reserve with over 40 mammal species, followed by drinks, snacks, and a traditional South African braai.

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Big 5 Tour from Port Elizabeth

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 7 reviews · from $193

Spend up to nine hours exploring Addo Elephant Park from Port Elizabeth with Namat Tours. Guides such as Jonathon and Simphiwe lead the game drive, with park entry, transport, refreshments, lunch, and a barbecue-style meal included in the tour plan.

“Jonathon was fantastic and I would recommend him highly. He always answered my question promptly when I communicated with him before the trip. He was prompt on time waiting for us at the cruise ship dock. Before going into tRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Game Drive in Addo Elephant National Park Private

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 8 hours · from $270

Join guide Alan for an eight-hour private drive through Addo Elephant National Park, with breakfast, lunch, pickup, and a fireside-style barbecue stop. Waterholes offer strong elephant sightings, while Algoa Bay adds a possible chance to spot Southern Right Whales and White Sharks.

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Schotia open vehicle safari game drive maximum 10 pax

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $198

Meet at Boardwalk Hotel in Gqeberha at 6:00 am for an open-vehicle safari at Schotia Tooth and Claw. Experienced local guides such as Walter lead the search for giraffe, antelope, elephants, lions, rhino, and other wildlife. Dinner is included, with pickup and return to the meeting point.

“Walter was very good with his communications, was on time to pick us up, and went beyond our time to make sure we saw as much as possible. He is very knowledgeable about Addo, it's history and animals, and is also very entertaining. Our only advice is to make sure vehicle windows are cleaned and work properly before each tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Addo Elephant Park Full day big 5 Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $210

Spend about six hours exploring malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park with an English-speaking guide such as Nick, looking for elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, zebras, and antelope. Transport, entry fees, snacks, and water are included, with picnic and 4x4 options available.

“Nous avons ete enchantés de cette journée avec notre guide si sympathique, si a l’ecoute… et connaissant tellement vien son sujet!! Bravo, nous avons vu un maximum d’animaux. Le repas etait delicieux. Nous reviendrons!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Kragga Kamma Private game reserve safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

You’ll ride in an air-conditioned van from Port Elizabeth to Kragga Kamma Game Park, where guide Mariska may help spot rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, lion, and other African game. The short outing also offers coastal forest, grassland, water, snacks, and room for photos.

Check availability →Read our full review