|
Eastern Cape Province
Eastern Cape is situated between Western Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal and bordered by the Orange River and Drakensberg
Mountains. It was established in 1994 from the former homelands
of the Transkei and is the capital city of this Province.
Most of its regions are hilly with different climatic conditions
in all towns.
The western region is largely arid Karoo with
dry and scarce rainfall during winter of summer, frosty winters
and hot summers. The eastern region is more humid with more
rainfall which is evenly distributed. The coastal city of
Port Elizabeth has subtropical climate with summer rainfall
and temperatures 7º c to 20º c during winter months
(April to August) and 16º c to 29º c in the summer.
The major towns in Eastern Cape are Port Elizabeth -a crucial
center of the anti-apartheid movement, Bisho, Umtata, Grahamstown,
East London, Uitenhage, Port Alfred, Graaff-Reinet and Jeffreys
Bay.
Eastern Cape has a wide range of attractions
such as the parks, Museums and game reserves like Shamwari
Reserve, Addo Elephant Park and Nelson Mandela Museum with
an inspiring story of Nelson Mandela's history; National Arts
Festival with colourful events from the local and imported
talent which is held in Grahamstown; beaches and the unspoilt
and rugged wild coast with spectacular scenery, all water
sports and many thrilling activities; villages and towns reflecting
the region's multi-cultural history; Tiffindell, a skiing
resort in the southern Drakensberg on the slopes of the highest
mountain peak in the Eastern Cape; The vast open spaces of
the Karoo Desert, one of the richest fossil sites in the world,
and the wooded mountainous areas, perfect for walking, climbing
and fishing; 4x4 trails suiting all skill levels.
Along the coast there are many fine leisure
resorts, each a paradise for water-sports lovers.
Eastern Cape has delightful coastal resorts,
luxurious accommodation, superb game reserves, excellent facilities,
scintillating experiences and exciting city life.
Port Elizabeth
The town of Port Elizabeth was founded due
to the growing influence of Britons at the Cape. In 1799,
they built Fort Frederick here primarily to gain better control
over the rebellious Boers of the hinterland. It was founded
in 1820 by Sir Rufane Donkin, and she is situated in the Eastern
Cape Province in the dazzling shores of Algoa Bay. In 2000,
Port Elizabeth became the sixth sister city to Jacksonville,
Florida. An admistrative area, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
municipality covering Port Elizabeth, neighbouring towns and
surrounding agricultural areas was formed in 2001. The seaport
is one of the major ports in South Africa- it is the third-biggest
and has become an important container terminal.
Port Elizabeth is 260km from Knysna and south
of Addo Elephant National Park & the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University. The seaport town was named after Donkin's late
wife, Elizabeth and is nicknamed as the 'friendly city' or
the 'windy city' with a population of approximately 1.1 million.
The major languages spoken are Xhosa, English and Afrikaans.
The locals call Port Elizabeth '10 minutes city'- it is 10
minutes drive from the airport, 10 minutes from the hotels
to the major shopping centers, 10 minutes to town, the beaches
and to 3 local golf courses.
Port Elizabeth has a modern airport and is
fully linked to the South African Airways network. The airport
serves the city but international visitors to the city must
pass via Johannesburg or Cape Town and use domestic flight
to Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth depends largely on car-manufacturing
industry- Ford and Uitenhage-VW have their production plants
here. The wool export also plays an important role in the
economy of this country. Foreign currency may be exchanged
at any commercial bank and at Harvey World Travel. Visitors
are advised to use major credit cards such as American Express,
Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa and also travelers' cheques.
The Indian Ocean gives the city a magnificent
weather. Winters are mild and pleasant with a maximum temperature
of 25º c in January to March while the summers are warm
with a very temperate humidity levels and stretches from April
to October. Moderate temperature all year with scattered rainfall
makes the climate a major contributor to the reputation of
the outstanding quality of life.
The city is a superb holiday Mecca with diverse
attractions for family and adventure holiday destinations.
The city and its environs are an ethnic mosaic on the gateway
to thee Eastern Cape. Some of the attraction include horse
memorial in honour of the horses which died over the second
Boer war between 1899-1902; theatres like the Ford Little
which is a home for the Port Elizabeth music & drama society;
the Algoa Bay National sailing week held in May every year
and has racing yachts from all over South Africa; Boardwalk
casino and entertainment complex that is set around a series
of man-made lakes and beautiful gardens has extensive shopping
centre with tourist souvenirs and local craftworks, restaurant,
cafes and movie houses; Baywood Oceanarium complex where guests
are educated and entertained by Lady Dimple and her dolphin
and other sea animals; the Donkin Reserve was created in honour
of Elizabeth;
One can have a visit at the Private Shamwari
Game Reserve, home for the big five and any other reserve
to enjoy an African safari, nature trails & an exiting
wild life experience; Seaview Lion Parks gives visitors an
opportunity to see and hug the cubs; Algoa Bay has whales,
dolphins, seals, great white sharks, penguins and plenty of
sea birds; Settlers park boasts of beautiful flora & fauna
and the elephant park.
Historic & cultural heritage guarantees
history lovers a unique insight into the region's remarkable
past- Nelson Mandela's birth place and other historic sites
are places to explore while in Port Elizabeth. The Dolphin
Heritage trail allows the visitors to follow in the footsteps
of the 1820 settlers on their journey of discovery and settlements.
Port Elizabeth has an over abundance of golden
and warm water beaches, rivers and kloofs. There are endless
opportunities for surfing, angling, yachting, power boating,
jet skiing, board sailing and diving off the many shipwrecks
and reefs.
The city has excellent sporting facilities
for soccer, rugby, hockey and water-sports along the coastal
location. Other exiting and soft adventures are mountain climbing
or biking, kayaking, horse riding, fishing, canopy tours,
surf lessons, sand boarding in the best dunes and hot-air
ballooning which is a breathtaking and unique chance to view
the African bush and animals from the air.
Port Elizabeth caters for a wide spectrum
of visitors in her diverse accommodation range from luxury
5-star hotels to self catering, holiday apartments, guest
houses, game lodges and farm stays. Accommodation is in luxurious
furnished rooms that are fully equipped for any budget conscious
traveler whether for holiday or business.
Port Elizabeth is a superb value for money
holiday base with great sunshine and adventure. It is a city
that is affordable, accessible, flexible, friendly and worth
your visit.
Subscribe to our
Free Newsletter
Our FREE bi-monthly e-mail newsletter is the best way
to keep you informed about your favourite travel destinations
in Africa.
Subscribe and recieve tons of tips relating to African travel,
exclusive up to the minute offers on exciting tours, safaris,
hotels, car hire, general travel news and other travelers
experiences.
Do you know that some of our best offers are only available
to subscribers of the newsletter?
Just fill out the form below and be a subscriber
today!
Note: We do not disclose any personal
infomation of yours to anyone and also do not condone spam
or junk email.
|
