1. The Magic of South Africa’s Eastern Cape

South Africa’s Eastern Cape region is an unrivalled world of diversity. In less than a days driving, the landscape dramatically changes from semi-arid Karoo in the far west to snow-capped mountainous ranges in the extreme northeast. In-between comes lush wilderness, awesome big five safari destinations, and a rich historic and cultural heritage. The warm waters of Indian Ocean wash the regions’ 800 km of coastline. The coast is rich in dolphins, whales and other marine life, and offers adventure in the rugged scenic splendour of the Wild Coast.

The Eastern Cape lies to the south east of the country. It is caught up between the Western Cape – home to Cape Town –to the west and KwaZulu Natal to the northeast. International visitors to the region usually get in either through Johannesburg or Cape Town, and then take
a domestic flight to Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth itself lies 1080 km to the southeast of Johannesburg, and 770 km northwest of Cape Town.

Relative to other South African regions, large parts of the Eastern Cape are poorly developed- which is largely a legacy of the Apartheid years. The region nonetheless remains calmly stunning, presenting a vast
acreage of pristine magnificence, and is the perfect getaway.

The Eastern Cape region starts out as Karoo heartlands in the west. The Karoo is an extensive semiarid plateau region of southwest South Africa, characterised by changing vistas of vast open plains and rugged peaks.
The heartlands spread inland as far as Cradock- north of Port Elizabeth, and covers interesting locations such as Aberdeen, Graaff Reinet, Mountain Zebra National Park, Zuurberg and Somerset East. This is an exciting place to enjoy mountaineering, game watching and birding, hunting and expressive rock art and fossil sites.

Graaff Reinet is a remarkable small town that lies at the foot of the Spandau Kop Peak of Sneeuberg Mountains, and is referred to as the ‘Gem of the Karoo’. Founded in 1786, it is one of South Africa’s oldest towns. It is beautifully lined with old settler buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Some of its attractions include the 1806 restored residence of freed slaves- that now serves as the Drostdy Hotel; the Hester Rupert Art Museum that features contemporary works; the Old Library –a museum of fossils and art, and the 19th century Dutch
Reformed Church that showcases ancient valuables.

The town is engulfed in 160km² of the Karoo Nature Reserve; an area designated to keep the encroaching Karoo in check. A steep ascent 1.5 km west from the town reveals breathtaking sceneries. >From the viewpoints, the extent of the Great Karoo can be seen southwards, the Sneeuberg ranges –northwards, and the entire town eastwards.

Right below the viewpoints is the Valley of Desolation, a narrow and deep gorge that was in 1935 declared a Scenic National Monument. Nearby, the Van Ryneveld Dam offers excellent birding and game viewing. Other places to visit are: the Reinet House Museum for its furniture exhibits
from three centuries ago; the Nieu Bethesda sculptor museum, which also has an old residency history museum displaying a collection of hunting rifles, and a garden with an 1870 vineyard.

East of Graaff town is Cradock, a modest country town dotted with dated Dutch and English architecture that lies on the lower banks of the Great Fish River. Its quiet and calm setting makes the town a perfect stopover
for those traversing the panoramic countryside and the Sneeuberg ranges. Playing host to the annual Great Fish River Canoe Marathon, Cradock is great for sporting activities. The local Great River Fish Museum displays the area’s history and artefacts.

A little south of Cradock is the Mountain Zebra National Park. This nature reserve dates back to 1937, and was created to safeguard the survival of the endangered Cape Mountain Zebra. The park fulfilled its mandate, and is today used to replenish other parks’ zebra count, scoring about 20 relocations annually.

The 200 sq km sanctuary is presently home to approximately 230 Cape zebras, along with other endangered mammals such as the Cape buffalo, and the Kenyan species of the black rhino. Other common residents include black wildebeest, red hartebeest, caracal, eland, grey rhebok, and gemsbok. The park offers a unique combination of Karoo flora and birdlife, magnificent sceneries, an archaeological museum, and caves decorated with bushman paintings. All year round, the park is excellent for nature trailing and camping, and offers a good hiking challenge.

En-route to Port Elizabeth via Somerset East is the Zuurberg National Park, set in the Winterhoek Mountains. The hilly range with deep ravines and abundant plant life offers unique hiking and pony trekking experiences, and exquisite accommodation. The hills give way to an important wildlife haven - the Addo Elephant National Park. Established in 1931, it started out as a sanctuary to save the remaining 11 bush elephants in the area. It is considered a great success story, with the elephant count having multiplied to reach its current population of 450 individuals.

With the reintroduction of other wildlife species, Addo now offers spectacular game viewing around its six waterholes and at the observation platform at park entrance. It has a resident population of Cape buffalos, black rhinos, bush pigs, jackals, lions, anteaters’, spotted hyenas, various antelope species, and 185 species of birds. The park has five of South Africa's seven major vegetation zones, and in addition to its terrestrial wildlife, it is home to whales and great white sharks.

Page 2 Article on South Africa's Eastern Cape

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