The Eastern Cape markets itself as the province of Adventure, and its backcountry and wild coastal terrain, provide the perfect fodder for such explorations.
The Eastern Cape highlands hug the craggy border of Lesotho and extend from one mountain pass to the next, criss-crossed by rivers and pinned by quaint villages. The communities that inhabit places like Rhodes, Wartrail and New England are a tad quirky, exceptionally friendly, and especially proud of where they live. Outdoor fun comes in the form of hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, fly fishing, rock art, 4x4 routes, and even winter snow sports such as skiing.
The 800km of Eastern Cape coastline – of which of the Wild Coast is our speciality – offers some of the most pristine and least-developed beaches in South Africa.
Officially in the Eastern Cape province, this hike goes from Oyster Bay to Cape St Francis. The terrain includes fishermen’s footpaths and jeep-track over two moving dunefields and along the untamed ‘wild side’ of the Kouga shoreline. Highlights of the trail include a sundown cruise on the famous St Francis canals, and a calamari tasting at Port St Francis, the only privately owned working harbour in South Africa. The trail is professionally guided and catered for.
