Port Elizabeth Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Port Elizabeth tours and safaris in South Africa’s “Friendly City”: track the Big Five and huge elephant herds in malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park, game-drive the private Schotia and Kragga Kamma reserves, follow the stunning Garden Route, meet local communities on a township tour, and explore the wild ocean coast. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Port Elizabeth by interest
Whatever brings you to Port Elizabeth — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Port Elizabeth
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Addo Elephants
Huge herds.
Big Five
Game reserves.
Garden Route
Scenic coast.
Townships
Local culture.
PE Coast
Beaches & bay.
Addo Park
Malaria-free.
Safari Drives
Open 4x4.
Friendly City
Historic centre.
1 hr awayAddo Elephant Park
Malaria-free Big Five.
1.5 hr awaySchotia Reserve
Big Five drives.
2 hr awayTsitsikamma
Garden Route forests.
City awayTownships
Local culture.
City edge awayCape Recife
Coast & penguins.
30 min awayKragga Kamma
Nearby game park.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Port Elizabeth visitor asks before booking.
Summer (Nov–Mar)
Warm and sunny — beaches and safaris.
Autumn (Apr–May)
Mild and pleasant, with good wildlife.
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Cooler and dry — excellent game viewing.
Spring (Sep–Oct)
Warming up, with whales offshore.
For safari
Winter’s sparse bush makes spotting easier.
Best overall
Year-round, with winter best for wildlife.
One day
An Addo safari and a Big Five game drive.
Two days
Add a Garden Route day trip.
Three+ days
Add townships, coast and more reserves.
For wildlife
Addo and the Big Five reserves.
For scenery
The Garden Route and coast.
For culture
A township tour and city sights.
By car
A car is best for reserves and the Garden Route.
Tours & transfers
Safaris and tours include hotel pickup.
By air
Port Elizabeth Airport links major cities.
On foot
The beachfront and centre are walkable.
Where to stay
Stay near the beachfront or Summerstrand.
South African rand
South Africa uses the rand; cards widely accepted.
Addo safari
Go early for the best elephant sightings.
Big Five
Choose an open 4x4 reserve for close encounters.
Garden Route
Allow a full day for Tsitsikamma and the coast.
Township tour
Book a local guide for an authentic visit.
Bring a zoom
A telephoto lens captures distant wildlife.
Malaria-free
Addo is malaria-free — no anti-malarials needed.
Addo safaris
Popular Addo safaris sell out — book ahead.
Big Five drives
Private reserve drives fill up — reserve early.
Garden Route trips
Full-day trips fill up — book ahead.
Private safaris
Private tours fill up — reserve early.
Township tours
Small-group tours fill up — book ahead.
Summer holidays
December to January is busiest — book well ahead.
Addo safari
Around $90–160 for an Addo elephant safari.
Big Five drive
About $120–190 for a Big Five reserve safari.
Garden Route trip
Roughly $110–180 for a Garden Route day trip.
Township tour
Around $40–70 for a township tour.
Coast tour
About $45–80 for an ocean and coast tour.
How to save
Join group safaris to save over private ones.
Port Elizabeth through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Beaches & safari.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm.
- Best for
- Mild wildlife.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant.
- Best for
- Game viewing.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Dry.
- Best for
- Whales offshore.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.