Sorita Spies, owner of Ellie Tours, is a highly qualified and dedicated guide of the highest caliber. She started her career by working as a full time guide at Addo Elephant National Park and then started her own guiding, tour and transfer business. This has culminated in ten years of daily extensive experience taking tourists out in Addo Elephant National Park, freelancing for famous private game reserves and lodges. Sorita is one of the first guides in the Eastern Cape to have studied German as the demand of explaining nature’s treasures became apparent.

Packages:

Valley Tour:

The Valley Tour shows the heart of the valley and what the people are made of, the reason why things are like it is today, and where it all started.

During the valley tour we visit:

• The old Moravian church in a little village at the foot of the Zuurberg Mountains where it seems as if time has stood still;
• A citrus pack house (in season). Once the citrus is picked from the orchards it is send to the pack house. Here you can see how it is graded, sorted and packed. It is fascinating to see how machinery and labor work together;
• The Fitspatrick look-out point;
• A crèche in a township. Here you see love at work and children that loves to be children. The children singing for us are always the highlight. We also view a house to see how the people live.

Snacks and drinks are available during the tour.

Zuurberg Mountain Walk:

The walk in the Zuurberg mountains shows you four of the five biomes (vegetation types) and gives you an idea of the vastness of the park. During the walk we do birdwatching and plant identification, as well as some history that adds a bit of flavor to the experience. Sometimes animals like Hartebeest, Bushbuck and Baboons are spotted.

We recommend the one hour walk for tourists as it is an enjoyable walk with beautiful scenery. The four hour walk is for the ‘fitter’ tourist with more time on their hands. We stop halfway on the walk for snacks and drinks, and, on a hot day, walkers can enjoy a dip in the natural pool to cool off.

Addo Elephant National Park Game Drive:

The Addo game drive is a minimum of three hours, excluding driving time to Addo and back. During the game drive we stop for a picnic where we have something to eat and drink. I am flexible and adapt to my guests’ needs, especially when there are children – then we can do one more stop. The game drive price includes the gate fees, snacks, drinks and transport.
Sightings in Addo:

We do concentrate on the Elephants, but we definitely look out for the smaller creatures, like the Mongoose, Dung Beetles and Meerkats/Suricates. Antelope like Kudu and Hartebeest are normally to be seen, and often, Warthogs are about. On cooler days we have a chance of seeing Cape Buffalo. Leopard in Addo National Elephant Park are very scarce and from time to time, we do spot the Lions. It is advisable to do a sunrise, sundowner or night game drive for species like Rhino, Lion and other nocturnal animals, although, spotting these animals are not guaranteed.

Transfers:

Ellie Tours & Transfers also offer transfers to and from Port Elizabeth Airport as well as from accommodation to activities and day excursions to:

• Addo National Elephant Park;
• Private Game Parks;
• Elephant Back Safaris; and
• Door-to-door transfers in and around the Eastern Cape.