About this hotel
General information
Gorah Elephant Camp holds a 5,000-hectare private concession deep inside Addo Elephant National Park — the first private concession ever granted in a South African national park, and still the only one in Addo. The park was proclaimed in 1931, when just eleven elephants were left in the area; today there are more than 450, and Addo is said to have the densest elephant population on earth. Lion, leopard, buffalo, black rhino, hyena and many antelope complete the Big Five picture, alongside the flightless dung beetle found almost nowhere else and some 320 recorded bird species.
At the heart of the camp stands Gorah House, an 1856 homestead and declared national monument, restored with period furniture, its original fireplaces and a small reference library. A waterhole lies just beyond the main veranda, drawing elephant and other game throughout the day. Guests stay in 11 thatched tented suites styled after the classic safaris of the early twentieth century, and children are welcome from the age of 10.
Location
In the Sundays River valley of the Eastern Cape, in the middle of Addo Elephant National Park, about 70 km north-east of Gqeberha and its airport. The drive follows the N2 and then roughly 16 km of park roads to Gorah's own gate; the camp advises against relying on GPS for the camp itself and navigating to the park gate instead.
Sports & leisure
Days revolve around the wildlife of Addo Elephant National Park.
- game drives with experienced guides, close enough to follow family life within the elephant herds and the encounters between them
- gentle guided walks along old paths, focused on plants, birds, insects and the smaller life of the bush
- waterhole watching from the viewing deck in front of the house and the open verandas
- a library of books on Gorah's history and on the region's mammals, birds, insects and trees, plus chess and backgammon
- wedding ceremonies in the bush, with the house and the elephants at the waterhole as a backdrop
For children
Children on Safari: guides spend dedicated time with young guests on game drives and around camp, telling the story of the house, the animals and the landscape, and showing how the area's earliest inhabitants lived.
Restaurants & bars
In winter dinner is served by candlelight and firelight inside Gorah House, including in private dining rooms; in summer the doors stand open to the veranda. Tables are also set on the front veranda facing the waterhole and the plains, and at the boma, an open-air fire circle where African dishes are cooked over wood and coals. Estate wines and international drinks accompany the meal, and the kitchen caters for any dietary needs.
Swimming
A swimming pool set within a planted garden, with a deck and loungers, plus sun decks and shaded porches around the house.
Rooms
11 tented suites beneath thatched canopies, each with a private deck looking out over the plains, furnished in the spirit of early twentieth-century safari.
King-size bed with cotton linen, sofa, fireplace, underfloor heating, air conditioning and ceiling fan, minibar, tea and coffee, free Wi-Fi, safe, bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer, bespoke toiletries and a complimentary sherry.
Tented Suite
A spacious thatched tent for two with a king-size bed, a sitting area by the fireplace and an en-suite shower room. The private furnished deck faces the savannah plains.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.