Kragga Kamma Game Park Safari: 3 of the Big 5 near Port Elizabeth

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration3h

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

See three of Africa's Big 5 without the long drive inland

A guided game drive at Kragga Kamma Game Park, a 203-hectare reserve on Port Elizabeth's outskirts, takes 3 to 3.5 hours and includes park entry, a professional English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport and binoculars. You'll see lions (rescued from a circus in Ukraine), white rhinos, buffalo, cheetahs in a private enclosure and giraffes—three of the Big 5 in a smaller park that avoids the crowds of Addo Elephant National Park. The guide explains the reserve's history and the meaning of its name, "place of water," given by the San people. Lunch at the on-site restaurant is available at your own expense after the tour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided game drive at Kragga Kamma

Arrive at Kragga Kamma Game Reserve
See lions, white rhinos, and buffalos
View cheetahs in private enclosure
Observe giraffes and other species
Stop at lion enclosure rescued from circus
Learn about reserve history and name
Optionally have lunch at restaurant

The Experience

If you've just landed in Port Elizabeth or have a free afternoon, the game drive at Kragga Kamma gets you into wildlife viewing without a full-day commitment or a long inland journey. The reserve sits close enough to the city that you're on the vehicle within minutes of pickup, and the 3- to 3.5-hour tour holds the whole experience—entry, guide, transport and the animals—in one morning or afternoon slot. The air-conditioned vehicle keeps you comfortable between sightings, and binoculars are provided so you're not squinting at distant shapes.

The park's 203 hectares are smaller than the famous reserves further inland, but that's part of why it works: you see three of the Big 5 (lions, white rhinos and buffalo) plus cheetahs in a private enclosure and giraffes, all without spending six hours on a dirt road. A stop at the lion enclosure is built into the route—these animals were rescued from a circus in Ukraine, and the guide walks you through that history. The reserve's name, Kragga Kamma, means "place of water" in the San language, and your guide explains what that meant to the people who lived here first. Giraffe sightings are common here in a way they're not at Addo, the larger park most tours head toward.

After the drive ends, you have the option to eat lunch at the restaurant and curio shop on-site if time allows—that's separate from the tour price. Bottled water is included during the drive. If the scheduled times don't fit your calendar, the operator says to ask about custom departures.

What’s included

Park entry and a guided drive in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional English-speaking guide.
binoculars for wildlife viewing.
bottled water during the tour.
stops at key sightings including the lion enclosure.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Carlin's Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in Port Elizabeth and want to see African wildlife without traveling inland—the reserve sits on the city's edge, so you can fit it around other plans.