Elephant House

• Open 4x4 game drives into Addo with experienced ranger
• Largest elephant concentrations are close by
• Friendly and hospitable
• Lots of deep sofas, Persian carpets and Africana art

Elephant House in Addo is an exclusive thatched country house lodge only minutes from the Addo Elephant National Park in the sun-drenched Sundays River Valley. Surrounded by rolling lawns and indigenous trees, this is the perfect place to return to after game viewing in the bush.

Elephant House oozes character: deep verandas furnished with comfortable sofas and antiques form a series of courtyards which are a defining feature of Elephant House. The cool interiors are decorated with Persian carpets, fine antiques and a fascinating collection of Africana art. Cool off in the pool, relax in the summerhouse or retreat to the Map room for pre-dinner drinks. Nine air-conditioned bedrooms, stylishly decorated with Moorish, African and Colonial influences, all open out onto covered verandas or courtyards.

A sumptuous candlelit dinner is served on silver and crystal under the African stars and is prepared with personal attention and great flair. Light lunches can be enjoyed by the pool. The guesthouse also offers afternoon tea & cake.

Activities

Game drives into the Addo in an open 4x4 safari vehicle are available with their in-house ranger as well as tours along the Sundays River Valley or to the Elephant Back Safaris in the Zuurberg mountains.

Other options include a guided paddle along the Sundays river, horseback riding or hiking in the nearby Zuurberg mountains. You can also visit some of the private game reserves in the area such as Schotia  or Amakhala, or explore the Settler towns of Grahamstown and Bathurst. Note that ideally you need to have your own rental car to enjoy some of these excursions but transfers can be arranged for many (but not all) of the activities.

Families at Elephant House & The Stable Cottages

Children are most welcome with excellent babysitters available on request. The children also have use of the ‘Club Room’ which has a selection of games and a DVD library.

Elephant House also owns the nearby Stable Cottages & Wine-bar which is literally across the lane. Set in 4 hectares of expansive lawns are six large cottages all with reed ceilings and private verandas. Two of them are family suites with a separate inter-leading bedroom for children. The Wine Bar and Deli has  a fabulous wine selection with a simple a la carte menu.