Tourism Routes
Travellers who find their way to the Eastern Cape are rewarded with the very best South Africa has to offer. Here you'll discover a diversity of cultural, natural and historical treasures that capture the essence of our Rainbow Nation unlike anywhere else. Only a region so rich in contrasts could offer custom made adventures for every interest. From scuba diving to snow skiing, watersport to whale watching, there's something for everyone, all the time. Explore eco-trails on foot, mountain bike or horseback, in a 4x4 or canoe! Take in Big 5 game viewing in malaria-free reserves (Add the gentle giants of the ocean and make it the Big 7!) Plunge into our colourfull past or meet the warm-hearted locals who are our future. Each of the 9 tourist routes weaving through the Eastern Cape is an extraordinary thread in our complex tapestry. For more information about any of the following routes visit these websites www.ectourism.co.za www.ecprov.gov.za or www.traveleasterncape.co.za Tsitsikamma Adventures
Explore this breathtaking stretch of the Garden Route, where majestic mountains, deep river gorges and forests meet the sea. This is natural beauty at its finest - an abundance of indigenous animals and birds amid ancient yellowwoods and magnificent fynbos. For the adventurous there is blackwater tubing down the Sorms River and the world's highest bungee jump (217 metres) from the Blaaukrantz Bridge. Explore scenic trails on foot or on mountain bikes. See our world from a different perspective -take a Tree Top Canopy Tour or plumb the ocean's depts in diving gear. Hike the renowned Otter Trail, a five-day walk along rugged, unspoilt coastline! In springtime drive the spectacular Fruit Route in the Langkloof Valley - when apple, apricot, plum and peach orchards burst into blossom.
Contact Tsitsikamma TourismKouga Region
Enter the Place of Dreaming where lush coastal forest and fijnbos meet the scub and bushveld of the interior. Here you'll find evidence of early cultural activity and the first use of fire by humans. This is where the ancient Khoisan people left their legacy of rock art on caves throughout the region. It is also here that their ill-fated icon, Sarah Baartman, was finally laid to rest. Explore the spectacular twinn valleys of the Gamtoos & Langkloof . The Gamtoos includes the rugged, unspoilt 200.000 ha Baviaanskloof Wilderness area, while the fertile Langkloof produces a cornucopia of fruit. From the forests to farmland, marine estuaries to nature reserves, yo're at one with nature all the wa. Catch the coastal vibe from St. Francis Bay to Jeffrey's Bay, whre you'll find the 'perfec wave and where the cold Atlantic meets the warm Indian Ocean, Kuga boasts one of the highest, most diverse concentrations of marine mammals worldwide. For more information visit www.jeffreysbaytourism.comSunshine Coast
Encounter a region where holiday options ar as endless as its sun-splashed coastline. At the Gateway to the Eastern Cape, enter Nelson Mandela Bay. Here the Friendly City of Port Elizabeth offers diverse leisure options -from watersports to township tours.You'll find excellent seafront accommodations, vibrant nightlife, beautiful beaches, nature trails and the best sailing and windsurfing condition on the South African coast. Midway between Port Elizabeth and East London discover Port Alfred. This resort town, affectionaltely known as the heart of the Sunshine Coast, offers the holidaymaker every kind of watersport, including fishing, canoeing, boating, water-skiing, scuba diving and safe swimming. Chill out Sunshine Coast style - on hundreds of kilometres of unspoilt beaches, renowned as some of the best in the world. For more information visit www.kenton.co.zKaroo Heartland
Discover the unforgettable, ancient majesty of Karoo Heartland. This is South Africa's vast central plateau - a place of stark beauty and living silence - Here magnificent mountains flow into boundless semi desert plains. Awesome mountaineering and paragliding await the adventurous. Enjoy spectacular game viewing and bird watching. Visit farms and fascinating museums. View Bushman engravings and fossil collections. Explore off the beaten track! Savour succulent Karoo cuisine in picturesque historical towns, where you can sleep in victorian guesthouses or even old slave quarters. And when darkness falls, enjoy the best stargazing in the world. Succumb to the spirit of the Karoo. You'll be back for more. For more information visit www.karooheartland.co.za or or visit www.graafreinet.co.zaFrontier Country
Frontier Country is a vibrant melting pot of history and culture, where South Africa's major peoples first met, leaving quaint villagers and forts, battlefield and monuments in their wake. The Frontier Wars were fought on and of for a century but there were times when traders, missionaries, explorers, hunters and black and white farmers co-existed in peace. This turbulent beginning, filled with colourful, resilient, heroic figures, shape the journey to our present Rainbow Nation. Begin in Grahamstown, steeped in British Settler history and world-renowned for Rhodes University and ist annual Arts Festival in July. Nearby, view Africa's Big 5 up close at Shamwari, Kariega, Amakhala, Kwandwe and Lalibela Game Reserves. Then stop on at towns like Alicedale, Bathurst Fort Beaufort, Salem & Sidburry. This ecologically diverse, malaria-free region offers excellent game iewing and the best mix of conservation and culture in the country. For more information visit www.grahamstown.co.za or www.grahamstown-accommodation.co.zaGreater Addo (inc. the Sunday's River Valley)
In springtime, orange blossoms perfume the Sundays River Valley, one of SA's major citrus producers. Less than an hour from Port Elizabeth, you can pet a cheetah, walk an elephant and you'll find the world-renowned Greater Addo Elephant National Park. See lion, buffalo, rhino and elephant at twilight gatherings around the watering holes. Experience the magic of the African bush on foot, horseback, in a car or 4 x 4, and stay on in a variety of accommodation options. From the river to the Zuurberg Mountains, many private hunting and safari lodges, as well as holiday farms, abound with nature- based outdoor adventures. You're also invited to the Wildlife Festival in June and the Rose show in October. Finally follow the Sundays River to the Mouth as it flows through the Alexandria Dunefields - the highest south of the Namib Desert- For more information visit www.greateraddo.comAmatola Mountain Escape
The mystical Amatola Mountains boast unsurpased scenery stretching from Adelaide in the east to Stutterheim in the west. This is nature lovers'territory, with quaint towns and villages, such as charming Hogsback, steeped in Xhosa culture and early Settler history. This is where the Britisch Empire fought her longest and most expensive colonial war. A magical region, thickly forested with cascading waterfalls, it is also filled with a variety of trees and wild flowers - a spectacular sight expecially in spring. Arts and culture festivals abound throughout the year. At Alice, the University of Fort Hare is the alma mater ofmany great African leaders, including Nelson Mandela, and houses a stunning African Art collection. Get inspired and get into action! This is also great outdoor adventure country - mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and fly-fishing for trout. For more information contact Amatola Mountain TourismFriendly N 6
Take a faxcinating journey along the Frindly N6 from bustling Bloemfontein in the Free State through magnificent landscape to the coastal city of East London. Discover a treasure chest of outdoor attractions and beauty along the way in magical mountain hidaways and lush forests. Explore quiet settlement, like historic Barkly East, Rhodes, Lady Grey, Elliot. Tackle the ski sloes of Ben McDhui, see ancient rock art in secret caves, fish in cold trout streams of rimply enjoy the hospitality of farmers. Whatever you discover, the friendliest locals, who give the route its name, will alsways welcome you. For more information visit www.ectourism.co.zaWild Coast
From East London to Port Edward, this unique area boasts spectacular scenery and a rich cultural heritage. Kilometres of unspoilt coastline lure the adventurous. Swim, dive, surf or hook a prize catch in waters teeming with more tha 800 fish species. Hike through exquisite riverine and coastal forests complete with rare mangrove legends, scatered with famous ship-wrecks and strand-loper caves. Embrace authentic Xhosa culture and visit the birthplace of Nelson Mandela at Qunu. In Umtata, the Nelson Mandela Museum showcases the extraordinary life of Sa's first black president. East London, the only river port in South Africa, is gateway to the Wild Coast in the east, and Friendly N6 to the north. The beach front boasts an aquarium and museum with faxcinating coastal history exhibits, incluing the legendary coelacanth. If you think your zest for living is extinct, rediscover it on the Wildcoast!. For more information visit www.ectourism.co.za
Page last updated, 31 July 2010,
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