We went to Port Elizabeth for a long weekend from 29.1 to 2.2.2004. We visited the forest of the Tsitsikama National Park and the Addo Elephant park. In the Tsitsikama Forest an enterprising South African has installed a Treetop Canopy Tour for adventurous tourists. You are strapped into a harness and using a roller device you roll down steel cables from one tree to the next. This is the first such contraption in South Africa and it was inspired by what some tree researchers set up in Costa Rica. More sites are being set up.
The other outing took us to Addo Elephant park. There we had many excellent sightings of elephants, wild boar, warthogs, red hartebeest and ostrich. The park was set up to preserve the Cape Elephant and seems to have done a good job of it.
Port Elizabeth as a city seems to be a bit of a forgotten jewel as far as South African tourism goes. Nobody speaks of it. The city, however, is making an effort. The road from the close airport is neatly planted with trees and flowerbeds that lack the usual highway rubbish. The place where the hotel was is being developed nicely with excellent restaurants in abundance. The beach is clean and a valley between the hotel and the casino has been made into a pretty park - probably to prevent shady figures lurking that might molest the tourists on their way to and from the casino. All in all it's an attractive city and one I would recommend not to miss.
Sandra gliding from treetop to treetop in Tsitsikama National Park
Richard gliding from treetop to treetop in Tsitsikama National Park
Richard filming the Canadians coming down the line
Richard observing Elephants in the Addo Elephant park
Sandra in Addo Elephant park
Elephant enjoying a mudbath in Addo Elephant park
Elephant passing a Ford Fiesta in Addo National Park