Safety and construction warnings: Avoid the R335 via Motherwell when driving to Addo Elephant Nation

Travel sellers planning itineraries between Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and Addo Elephant National Park should advise clients to avoid the R335 route via Motherwell. This guidance is essential for ensuring client safety and smooth transfers, especially for self-drive and private transfer bookings. Agencies should update route notes and pre-arrival briefings to reflect the latest official warnings and recommend only the approved alternatives.

Both South African National Parks (SANParks) and Addo Tourism have issued clear, ongoing warnings against using the R335 via Motherwell. The route is affected by major construction work, but the more serious concern is security: repeated incidents of vehicle hijackings and other criminal activity have been reported along this stretch. These risks have led authorities to strongly discourage its use for all visitors, including international and domestic tourists.

Instead, SANParks and Addo Tourism recommend two alternative routes for safe access to Addo Elephant National Park. Travellers can take the N2 highway towards Colchester and enter the park through Camp Matyholweni Gate. This route is well signposted and widely used by tour operators. Alternatively, visitors can travel via Paterson to reach Addo Main Camp, another established and secure entry point. Both options are considered safer and more reliable for all types of vehicles.

The warning about the Motherwell route is not new. SANParks first issued this advice in November 2022 following a series of security incidents. Addo Tourism reiterated its recommendation in December 2025, and the guidance remains current as of November 2026. The consistency of these advisories underlines the seriousness of the risks and the importance of following official route recommendations.

Addo Elephant National Park is South Africa’s third-largest national park and a major tourism icon in the Eastern Cape. Located about an hour from Gqeberha, the park is famous for its thriving elephant population, diverse wildlife, and spectacular landscapes ranging from dense thicket to dune fields and marine environments. Addo offers excellent game viewing, family-friendly activities, and easy self-drive experiences throughout the year, making safe and reliable access a priority for the travel trade.

Sources: SANParks, travel advisory, ongoing; SANParks, visitor information, ongoing; Addo Tourism, recommended route, 2025