You've heard about the Big 5. Now meet the Big Seven!

LLion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo…and Southern Right whales and Great White sharks.

With two-thirds of our country surrounded by coastline, a trip to South Africa is not complete without seeing Southern Right whales and Great White sharks. And if you’re looking to see the Big Seven in one outing, the Eastern Cape is the place to head to.

Famed for its elephants, the Addo Elephant National Park is home to all seven of the biggest species in Africa. Not only can you see the famed Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) but you can also turn your gaze towards the ocean.

In 2000, the Addo Elephant National Park extended their conservancy to include the ocean. Every year, about 2500 Southern Right whales make their way around South Africa’s coastline to calve, swim and play offshore. As locals know, the sharks are there all-year round.

Did You Know?

BBryde’s whales are keen streamlined hunters who turn and pounce with such speed they look like giant torpedoes.

SSeabird sites are also protected – the park’s marine reserve now includes Bird Island and St Croix where you can see Cape gannet and African penguins. Birders will be pleased to spot the endangered roseate tern and the black oystercatcher.

AAmong these islands, Southern Right whales and Great White sharks swim and feast. If you are there at the right time, you’ll also see Humpback whales, plus a resident group of Bryde’s whales. And the dolphins? If you’re out on the Indian Ocean, they’re almost always around, frolicking in the waves or moving through the open sea.

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