The Eastern Cape, which offers a mix of wildlife, culture, and geography, is often overlooked by South African travellers in favour of flights to Cape Town or Kruger. We believe that the Eastern Cape is worth a visit on your next South African holiday.
1. The wildlife
The Eastern Cape has a rich diversity of fauna and flora. This includes the “Big Five”: elephant, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalo and in malaria-free areas. Mountain Zebra National Park is an important conservation area. Addo Elephant Park is another. The Eastern Cape Game Reserves includes a remarkable selection of private concessions, award-winning private reserves and lodges. The coast waters are rich in marine life with many dolphins and occasional whales being spotted off the beaches.
2. The beaches
Some of South Africa’s best beaches are found in the Eastern Cape. This stretch of beaches has approximately 800km worth of undeveloped coastline. It is home to stunning sand dunes and beautiful views. There are many options for those who don’t want to travel to Cape Town and Durban. The Eastern Cape offers a variety of alternatives that make it more relaxing. Donkin Heritage Trail & Beaches, Jeffreys Bay and Nahoon Beach are just a few of the best beaches in South Africa.
3. The history
The Eastern Cape is an incredible treasure trove of history for anyone interested. Port Elizabeth is situated in an area that was home to the first British settlers in South Africa. This city is filled with fascinating stories about the settlers. These include the Donkin Heritage Trail and the old colonial buildings, as well as museums. Transkei, which was an area designated as a ‘Bantustan during Apartheid, is home to many of South Africa’s most prominent political activists like Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo.
4. The surf
The Eastern Cape has some of the best and most beautiful surf beaches in the world. Jeffreys Bay, in the Eastern Cape, is undoubtedly the best place to surf. This is the best spot for surfing in the world. It is no surprise that it hosts the annual Billabong Pro(tm), a surf event in which the best surfers on the planet compete for the title.
5. The National Arts Festival
The South African National Arts Festival, the largest annual celebration on the African continent of the arts, is an important part of the South African cultural calendar. It begins at the end June/beginning Jul and runs for 11 days in Grahamstown, a small university located about 90 minutes from Port Elizabeth.
