Port Elizabeth:2-Day Schotia Safaris & Addo Wildlife Reserve

The best part of this two-day safari is the contrast between a sunset game drive at Addo Wildlife Private Reserve and a full wildlife day at Schotia Safaris. You get open-sided 4×4 vehicles, a night in a comfortable Addo-area lodge, and time to see more than elephants alone.

I like the small group size, limited to 10, and the fact that dinner, breakfast, lunch, park fees, transfers, and accommodation are bundled into the $716 price. Guide Richard has also earned praise for explaining the animals, birds, plants, and Eastern Cape setting as he drives. The main caution is coordination: pickup and activity times need clear confirmation, especially for cruise passengers and the morning walk.

Key points at a glance

• Two distinct safari settings: Visit Addo Wildlife Private Reserve and Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve rather than spending both days in one place.
• Sunset and morning wildlife: The first evening drive is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., followed by another game drive on the second day.
• Open-sided 4×4 vehicles: You have unobstructed views for photography and animal watching.
• Bush dinner under the stars: Dinner may take place outdoors, depending on availability and capacity.
• Small-group format: The vehicle holds no more than 10 participants, giving you a more personal guide experience.
• Lodge comfort included: Your overnight stay, three meals, park entrances, and transfers are part of the package.

Why two reserves make this safari worthwhile

Addo Elephant National Park is the name most people know in this part of South Africa, but this experience also includes Addo Wildlife Private Reserve and Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve. That combination gives you two different ways to read the Eastern Cape bush.

At Addo Wildlife Private Reserve, the focus is on the feel of the country around Port Elizabeth: open spaces, native plants, birds, and animals moving through their own territory. The first drive takes place as daylight fades. This is a useful time to be out because the bush changes character as the sun drops, and you may see animals that are less active in the heat of the afternoon.

Schotia offers a more concentrated private-reserve experience. The second day includes about six hours at the reserve, with a guide-led game drive and the chance to look for lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. No safari can promise all five, and you should not book this expecting a checklist, but the route is designed around finding a wide range of African wildlife.

I especially like this pairing for a short visit. You are not spending a full week on safari, so two reserves help you see different habitats and guiding styles in a compact trip. The tradeoff is that the schedule is busy. You have a transfer, an overnight stay, a sunset drive, a morning program, and a long second safari packed into two days.

Day one: Port Elizabeth pickup and the Addo area

Pickup is scheduled for noon from Port Elizabeth, with collection available at the airport or cruise ship terminal. That timing suits a visitor arriving in the morning, but it gives you little room for a delayed flight, a slow disembarkation, or confusion at the port.

If you are coming off a cruise, confirm exactly where the driver will meet you and how you will identify the vehicle. One past pickup went smoothly at the port entrance, but the transfer became confused after that, with a wait of about 20 minutes while the driver worked out who was going where. That is a practical warning, not a reason to reject the tour. Clear instructions can prevent a small arrival problem from souring the first afternoon.

The drive to the Addo area takes about 70 minutes by bus or coach. Once you reach the accommodation, check-in is listed for 2 p.m. The property is Africanos Country Estate, and the accommodation is described as a luxury stay in the Addo area. The chalet and lodge setting have received particularly strong praise, so this is more than a basic place to sleep between drives.

You should have time to settle in before the evening activity. Bring a change of clothes if you are arriving after a flight or cruise, and pack a light layer for the open vehicle. The supplied packing advice also includes comfortable shoes, a hat, sunscreen, water, and a camera. Beachwear is listed too, although the safari program itself is the main reason to bring it.

The 4:30 p.m. sunset drive

The sunset safari is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in an open-sided 4×4. I like this timing because it gives you a proper first look at the reserve rather than rushing straight from a transfer into a vehicle. You can settle into the rhythm of a game drive, learn how the guide spots animals, and watch the light change across the bush.

An open-sided vehicle is a real advantage for wildlife viewing. There is less glass between you and the animals, and you can look to both sides without craning around a window frame. It also means you are more exposed to sun, dust, wind, and cooler air after sunset, so comfortable layered clothing matters.

The guide’s role is central here. Richard is specifically praised for leading the Addo drive and explaining what you see. The guiding covers Eastern Cape fauna and flora, not just large mammals. That matters because a safari becomes much more interesting when you understand the smaller details: the plants, birds, tracks, and behavior that can be easy to miss from the back seat.

The sunset drive is listed as one of two game drives included. The information also refers to a bush dinner under the stars, subject to availability and capacity. If it runs as planned, this is one of the more memorable parts of the trip. You eat in the open bush while hearing the sounds of the African night, rather than returning to a restaurant in town.

I would treat the outdoor dinner as a bonus rather than a guarantee. Capacity and conditions can affect it. Dinner itself is included, along with breakfast and lunch on the following day, so you are not left arranging meals during a fairly full schedule.

Overnight at Africanos Country Estate

A good lodge can make or break a short safari. Here, the overnight stay is one of the strongest parts of the package. The accommodation is described as luxurious, and the chalet has been singled out as beautiful. That gives you a comfortable base after the evening drive and before the next morning’s activities.

The value is not only the room. At $716 per person, you are paying for a two-day guided program, private-reserve access, transport from Port Elizabeth and back, accommodation, two game drives, and three meals. The price is substantial, but booking these pieces separately could involve more planning and several transfers. The package makes the most sense if you want convenience and a polished lodge stay rather than a budget safari.

I would still ask what room type is assigned and whether any lodge activities are fixed at the time of booking. The day includes a listed visit and guided walk at Bellevue Forest Reserve, but the exact order and timing should be confirmed. A morning giraffe walk was once expected to begin at 9 a.m., only for the driver to arrive at 8:40 and explain that the group had already missed the correct departure time. That kind of mismatch is avoidable when the operator confirms the schedule in writing.

Day two: Addo, Bellevue, and Schotia

The second day is the main wildlife day. The plan takes you through the Addo area toward Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve, with a full-day visit and about six hours of guided game driving. A separate three-hour Bellevue Forest Reserve visit and walk is also listed in the schedule.

Because the supplied times do not spell out every transfer and activity in sequence, ask for the final morning timetable before departure. The package may include a walk before the Schotia drive, but the exact arrangement needs to be clear. This is especially important if you are interested in the giraffe walk or any other fixed-time activity.

Schotia is the day’s major attraction. The reserve is known in this program for its broad mix of wildlife, including the animals that make up the Big Five. Your guide will work with the reserve team to search for sightings and explain what you encounter. The guiding has been well received, and the Schotia staff are described as helpful with both animal identification and information.

A six-hour drive can feel long if you are not used to sitting in a safari vehicle, but it gives the guide time to follow signs, pause at sightings, and cover more ground. You will want water, sun protection, and comfortable clothes. The open vehicle also makes a camera useful, though you should keep expectations sensible. Wildlife is never arranged for a perfect photograph.

The full-day format also improves your chance of seeing a range of species. Elephants are a major draw around Addo, but the experience includes birds, plants, and other African animals too. One of the pleasures here is the variety between large mammals and the smaller living details around them.

Lunch in the bush and the return to Port Elizabeth

Lunch at Schotia is included and described as a safari lunch, with a barbecue meal also mentioned in the experience details. That gives the day a welcome pause. You can eat without ending the wildlife program and without needing to find a restaurant between drives.

After the Schotia visit, you return to Port Elizabeth by road. The transport portion is listed at about 70 minutes, although the overall timing can vary with the reserve schedule and the location of your final drop-off. Airport and cruise terminal transfers are included, which is useful for a short stop in the city.

Do not book a flight or arrange a tight ship departure immediately after the return unless the operator confirms the exact arrival time. The activity is designed to bring you back to Port Elizabeth, but safari days can run according to wildlife sightings, meals, and road conditions.

Guide quality and the small-group advantage

The strongest human element is the guiding. Richard is named as a guide for the Addo and bush-dinner portion, and Rawson is also praised as an excellent guide. You can expect English-language guiding throughout.

A group capped at 10 people is a good middle ground. You get the social feel of a shared safari without the scale of a large coach tour. A smaller vehicle also makes it easier to hear explanations and ask about a bird, plant, or animal without interrupting a crowd.

Still, the experience uses more than one guide and more than one reserve. That can be a strength, since each guide brings a different eye, but it also means the service may not feel identical from start to finish. The wildlife guiding has been a clear high point, while the transfer coordination has been less consistent.

Who gets the best value from the $716 price

I see this as a good fit for you if you have only two days, want accommodation and meals included, and prefer a guided plan to arranging Addo transport yourself. Cruise passengers and people flying into Port Elizabeth can use the included pickup and return transfer to keep the trip simple.

The price is harder to justify if you want a low-cost, self-drive park visit or if you already have accommodation in the Addo area. You are paying for the lodge, private reserves, guides, meals, park entrances, and transport, not simply for a few hours in a vehicle.

The package also gives you a better chance to see different types of wildlife than a single short drive. It does not guarantee the Big Five, and the private-reserve experience may not suit someone seeking a completely independent visit. For a first safari or a short South Africa stop, though, the bundled format has real value.

The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. You should be comfortable getting into an open-sided 4×4 and taking part in a guided walk. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Port Elizabeth plans are still changing.

Should you book this two-day safari?

I would book it if your priorities are excellent wildlife guiding, a comfortable lodge, and an efficient two-day plan from Port Elizabeth. The sunset drive, Schotia’s long wildlife day, included meals, and small group size give you a lot in a short period.

I would book only after confirming the pickup meeting point and the exact morning timetable. If you need a perfectly timed cruise connection or you dislike schedule changes, the transfer problems and confusion around the giraffe walk deserve attention.

For most visitors with limited time, the strengths outweigh the drawbacks. You get elephants and other African wildlife, two reserves, an open vehicle, a bush dinner when available, and guides such as Richard who help you notice more than the biggest animal in view.

FAQ

Where does the safari begin?

Pickup is available in Port Elizabeth, including Port Elizabeth Airport and the cruise ship terminal. Pickup is scheduled for 12 p.m.

How long is the experience?

The safari lasts two days and includes an overnight stay in the Addo area. The return journey to Port Elizabeth is listed as about 70 minutes by bus or coach.

What is included in the price?

The price includes luxury accommodation, entrance tickets for Addo Wildlife and Schotia Safaris, transfers to Addo and back to the airport or cruise terminal, two game drives, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.

What time is the sunset safari?

The sunset safari is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on the first day. Accommodation check-in is listed for 2 p.m.

Is this a private tour?

No. It is a small-group experience limited to 10 participants. The live guide speaks English.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes and clothing, a hat, sunscreen, water, a camera, and a change of clothes. Beachwear is also listed among the suggested items. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.