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Free Entry to Addo Elephant Park
www.MyAddo.co.za: The Addo Elephant Park has been a driving force behind the SanParks Week programme, to launch today
The South African National Parks (SanParks) Week will be launched today at the West Coast National park - one of five national parks in the Western Cape. The objective of the week, with the theme "Know Your National Parks", is to encourage pride in the country's natural, cultural and historical heritage.
During the week, access to national parks for all South African day visitors carrying an official Identity Document (ID), will be free. Scholars and persons under the age of 16 years will be allowed entry without an ID.
Meanwhile SanParks reserves in the Eastern Cape are holding a free entrance week for disadvantaged communities this week. SanParks has an active policy to ensure that the benefits from eco-tourism are passed on and that people who live near reserves are educated about the environment and the importance of conserving it.
The Addo Elephant National Park draws tourists to the Eastern Cape, and has been a driving force behind this programme. Megan Bradfield from the Addo Elephant National Park says they have a number of projects to help communities bordering the park.
South African Spring Break
www.MyAddo.co.za; American students Drew, Melissa and Josh are spending five months at the University of Stellenbosch, the following is an account of their time spent at the Addo Elephant National Park after a trip up along the Garden Route:
Wednesday ......That evening, we drove inland toward Addo National Elephant park and stayed overnight on an orange plantation in little African huts. It was so cool!
Thursday - 6 AM safari where we saw WILD elephants, cape buffalo, warthogs, ostriches, kudu, duiker, hartebeast (these last three are deerlike animals), monkeys, jackals, and lions. In fact, the three lions we saw actually walked mere feet from our frozen vehicle and laid in the grass about 8 meters from us (even the tour guide who works in the park was taking pictures)! So out of the big 5, which includes elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions, and leopards, we saw 3. Not too shabby, I’d say, considering we haven’t yet been to Kruger National Park (we are going there mid-December). We stayed in the park finding animals until 12:30 and then spent the afternoon relaxing at the beach. There always seems to be a beach nearby here in South Africa... Yep, I knew I loved this place!
Elephant Footprints
www.MyAddo.co.za: A Photographic Journal of the Gorah Elephant Camp in the Addo Elephant National Park
Possibly the best available account of the story and History of the Gorah Elephant Camp and the Addo Elephant National Park to date along with the beautiful account of spirituality associated with the Park. Elephant Footprints is the personal journey of Nicola Schwim who lived at the parks private Gorah Elephant Camp for nearly six years and was so obviously and deeply touched by the history and the essence of the old farm and the story of the Addo National Park and what it is today. Nicola’s stories and deep involvement with the Gorah and Addo Park will captivate the reader for hours as the book takes one on a journey through secrets, myths, legends and factual stories all associated with Addo, the old Gorah Farm and all the creatures who abide in the Park today and the road these elements have all traveled together in the past 150 years of Eastern Cape History.
Enhancing the book is a beautiful selection of photographs, and drawings all taken within the Park. Anyone who has been to Gorah or the Addo National Park should surely be in touch with the deeply loving stories of its unique elephants and remarkably different essence. The pride of the Eastern Cape. The book is a high quality 286 page coffee table book richly deserving a space in a superb collectors range of books.
Elephant Footprints is a very limited range and special niche book. There were only 500 copies printed, and the book is only available from the Gorah Elephant Camp and directly from the author. For personal contact with the author and for a signed copy of the book contact Nicola Schwim nicolaschwim[at]gmail.com. The limited edition Elephant Footprints book costs R795.00.