Paterson, Greater Addo

In the foothills of the Zuurberg Mountains, bang in the middle of game reserve country, lies the little village of Paterson - named after its founder, John Paterson. Not quite midway between Shamwari and the Addo Elephant Park, you would be right to assume it an obvious stopover for game viewing enthusiasts, just off the N10 en route to Cradock - its six grain silos a significant mark against the skyline otherwise dominated by thicket.

Just over an hour’s drive from the beautiful beaches of the Sunshine Coast and Port Elizabeth, this part of the world is popular for those wanting a true taste of the ‘bushveld’ without the fear of malaria or having to drive thousands of kilometers to experience bushveld country. Valley bushveld (thicket) is endemic to this part of the world, which supports a larger number of insects, birds and animals than any other on earth, so it’s little surprise that the area is given over to so many private game reserves, all of which offer one a chance to experience the beauty of the Greater Addo.

Lodges, game farms, old-style farmhouses, stonewalls and thatch are the measure of the day and go hand-in-hand with tranquility and the silence of star-studded night skies, broken only by cicadas and calls of night animals.