Eastern Cape

In a Nutshell
Warm waters, unspoiled beaches, excellent surfing, malaria-free game parks, a dry but beautiful interior and many historic reminders of South Africa's turbulent history make the Eastern Cape a top class visitor destination. Leading on from the Garden Route, the Sunshine Coast and the Wild Coast offer hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches. The region's two principal cities, and ports of entry, are Port Elizabeth and East London. Other important town of note are Graaff Reinet, with its superb Karoo architecture, the settler city of Grahamstown, and Umtata.

Area 168,580 sq kms

Population approx 7 million

Regions

• Western - centred around Algoa Bay, this sun-splashed region stretches up the coast to Port Alfred, down the coast to Cape St Francis and Jeffreys Bay, south-west to the verdant Tsitsikamma Forest and inland to the Karoo towns of Graff Reinet and Cradock, as well as Grahamstown

• Amatola - extending from Port Alfred to the Great Kei River, this region is divided in two by the Buffalo River and the port city of East London. The coast offers many lovely beaches and river lagoons.

• Northern - a scenic mountainous region overlooking the dry Karoo and containing the only ski resort in Southern Africa. The Gariep Dam on the Orange River offers holiday accommodation and many water sports.

• Wild Coast - the region extends from the Kei Mouth to Port Edward in the north, along a stunning coastline studded with coves, lagoons and beautiful, unspoiled beaches; inland, it stretches beyond Umtata to the highland towns of Elliot, Maclear and Mt Fletcher.

Best time to go: The Eastern Cape climate is kind to visitors. Coastal areas are at their best from January to May. The interior is hot in summer, but dry and sunny in winter.

How to get there

By Air: Port Elizabeth and East London are serviced several times a day by SAA and BA/Comair flights. The Wild Coast may be reached via airports at Umtata and Port St Johns

By Train: There is a daily train between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth and a weekly service between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. (tel 021 507 2400). There is also a daily train between East London and Johannesburg via Bloemfontein (tel 043 700 2719)

By Bus: Greyhound (tel 041 330 555), Translux (tel 041 507 1333) and Intercape Mainliner (tel 041 5860055) operate regular services from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape respectively. The Baz Bus (tel 021 439 2323) runs to Cape Town and via East London to Durban

By Car: Port Elizabeth and East London may be reached via the N2 highway from KZN to the Western Cape, and the N1 and N10 from Gauteng via Bloemfontein and Cradock. Car travel is not possible along most of the Wild Coast

Visitor Information

Eastern Cape Tourism Board Port Elizabeth 041 585 7761 www.ecapetourism.co.za
East London 043 743 9511
Umtata 047 531 5290
Aliwal North 051 633 3569
Graaff Reinet Publicity Association 049 892 4248

Useful numbers

Port Elizabeth Airport 041 507 7319
East London Airport 043 706 0306

Links to Useful Sites

www.ectourism.co.za

Eastern Cape | Free State | Gauteng | KwaZulu Natal | Limpopo
Northern Cape | North West | Mpumalanga | Western Cape