Addo and Mountain Zebra National Park

Safari feeling

At the Rest Camp in Addo National Park we get that “safari feeling” for the first time, even if it’s not quite the big feeling yet. Many South Africans have adventurous-looking vehicles that exude a safari atmosphere. It’s not like in Europe. In Europe, the motorhomes drive onto the narrow camping plot and the first thing you see is the satellite TV dish being raised. Hey guys, do you actually want to camp and be closer to nature or do you want it to be like home? Not so in southern Africa.

The “South African” lives mainly outside. Go in shorts and barefoot, even if we would already get the “cow nail” on our feet and hands. He perseveres outdoors, even when it is cold or very windy. We always cook and eat outside. One of the first things the “South African” does: he puts wood on the braai (barbecue area) that is available at most camps and then fires and fires until late into the night. The wood is burned slowly to create a beautiful and long-lasting ember – and the meat is then cooked until tender. So there’s no need to turn up the TV dish and the like. Oh yes, a dazzlingly bright outdoor lamp is used instead of the TV dish. Sometimes it blinds us and the smoke and the taste of burnt fat permeates our camper …

Addo National Park

Addo Elephant National Park is located about 70 km north of Port Elizabeth. It now extends all the way down to the coast and is roughly the size of the canton of Zurich. The Cape elephants are protected in Addo National Park. This time, however, we don’t see as many elephants as on previous visits, but we do see zebras, which we hadn’t seen before. That’s what makes the national parks so exciting, every new day can bring new surprises, which is why it’s worth staying a little longer.

Mountain Zebra National Park

Situated high in the mountains, it offers protection for the remaining mountain zebras, a somewhat smaller and stockier breed than the plains zebras. However, the animals are widely scattered and can therefore only be seen with binoculars. A visit is also worthwhile because of the fantastic landscape and, with a bit of luck, you might even see cheetahs or lions – we are still waiting for this luck.

Travel day

Today we drive over 600 km on good main roads with little traffic from the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock to Upington. The next day to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park. Stepping on the gas pedal and “eating up the kilometers” – that’s what you need from time to time. Wonderful lonely landscapes pass us by – the route can often be seen over 20 to 25 km, as we measured it. We really enjoy a wide horizon and an open sky above us – and both in a figurative sense.