The Eastern Cape boasts some of the most popular hiking trails in South Africa and takes you through a wide variety of magnificent terrain.. Stutterheim Nestled at the foot of the Amatola Mountains, Stutterheim is located 75km from East London on the N6 en route to Bloemfontein. The landscape is extremely diverse. The high rainfall in the mountains is due to orographic rains. More Info Updated: September 2017. Surrounded by mountainous rugged landscape, with 4X4 drives and hideaway cottages set deep within these mountains of the Eastern Cape, the Mountain Zebra National Park promises not only zebra, but lion, cheetah and San rock art. Tiffindell and its ‘snow’ slopes is just up the road. Coega is the largest infrastructure development in post-apartheid South Africa. They are part of Amatola and Stormberg region that includes large cities like Grahamstown, East London and Port Alfred. So, it’s almost as easy to find mountain view cottages in South Africa as it is beach cottage stays. Eastern Cape Mountain Passes, Poorts & Scenic Drives Spectacular veiw of the 2011 snowfalls experienced in the mountains of the Eastern Cape Just south of Lesotho, the tail of the Drakensberg chain of mountains curls all the way from Lady Grey in the west past the village of Rhodes to link up with the KwaZulu-Natal Berg north of Mount Fletcher. Vaal rehbuck , klipspringer , mountain reedbuck... enjoy our premium hunting area for mountain game in Eastern cape , South Africa.with Big hunting Spain The charming village of Hogsback is in the heart of the Amathole mountains. Port St Johns. General Motors and Volkswagen both have major assembly lines in the Gqeberha area, while East London is dominated by the large DaimlerChrysler plant, now known as Mercedes-Benz South Africa. [6] Overall the province only contributes 8% to the national GDP despite making 13.5% of the population. Amatola Trails . The interior can become very cold in winter, with heavy snowfalls occasionally occurring in the mountainous regions between Molteno and Rhodes. If you’re traveling from Cape Town or Port Elizabeth, take the N2 to Grahamstown. The Wild Coast. The district municipalities are in turn divided into 27 local municipalities. Exploring these mountains of Eastern Cape is the realm of fearless journeymen content to follow the path less travelled… The construction of the deepwater Port of Ngqura was completed and the first commercial ship anchored in October 2009.[9]. This led to the establishment of a Dutch settlement by the name of Graaff-Reinet named for founder Governor Cornelius Jacob van de Graaff and his wife Reinet Graaff. Later during the Napoleonic wars Britain had motivated its citizens to move to the Cape Colony as a means to boost the British population in the area. It was originally continuous with the Ventana Mountains near Bahía Blanca in Argentina, the Pensacola Mountains (East Antarctica), the Ellsworth Mountains (West Antarctica) and the Hunter-Bowen … Further east, rainfall becomes more plentiful and humidity increases, becoming more subtropical along the coast with summer rainfall. Forest, Hiking Trail. In the late 18th century the cape colony was slowly expanding to the east of the country. Divided into the Succulent, Nama, Klein and Grassy Karoo it straddles most of South Africa’s inner country, hogging the west coast, sprawling as far east as Cradock and Smithfield, extending north... Pet- and wheelchair-friendly, guest farms, golf lodges, etc, Must-Visit in the Mountains of Eastern Cape, This stunning, intimate #beachlodge on the #Elepha, Farmhouse elegance meets coastal chic in this #Kom, This little cottage is nestled in the Breede River, Luxury meets the breath-taking ocean views of Camp, Only an hours drive from #CapeTown, Big Sky Cottag, SPECIAL OFFER – 30% discount at the cute cottage, Uninterrupted views of the sea and garden in Pater, 20% OFF UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER 2021 (MIN 2 NIGHTS STAY, This contemporary #Johannesburg apartment comes wi, Sip coffee on the veranda while taking in the view, If tree-top cabins with unbelievable valley and mo, Win A Two-Night Stay at Valley Pod in the Melozhori Game Reserve, Win A Two-Night Stay at Mabula Game Lodge in the Waterberg, Add Zip to Your Trip - New Ziplines in Harkerville, Win A Two-Night Stay at Melozhori Cottage in Breede River Valley, 15 of South Africa's most famous visual artists, 20 most Beautiful Natural Places in South Africa, The Highlights of Bree Street - Where to Hang Out & Shop on Cape Town’s Hip Foodie Strip. The Mountain Zebra National Park is situated 12 km from the picturesque town of Cradock, and is 280 km from Port Elizabeth, 800 km from Cape Town, 800 km from Johannesburg and 1 050 km from Durban. The basis of the province's fishing industry is squid, some recreational and commercial fishing for line fish, the collection of marine resources, and access to line-catches of hake. It includes the southern spur of the Drakensberg, rising to more than 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in the northeast, and descends southward from the great interior plateau (Highveld) of southern Africa to form a relatively narrow coastal plain along the Indian Ocean. Eastern Cape: Confluence of Bell River, Sterkspruit and Joggem River at Moshesh's Ford, Eastern Cape Drakensberg: Orange River: Aliwal North: Kromdraai Spruit: Mpumalanga: Krom River: Eastern Cape: Krom River: Western Cape, Stellenbosch: Kuils River: Western Cape: Kwenxura River: Eastern Cape… People in the former Transkei region are dependent on cattle, maize and sorghum-farming. The latter anomaly has fallen away with amendments to municipal and provincial boundaries. Amatola hiking trail. Within the context of local street searches, angles and compass directions are very important, as well as ensuring that distances in … [23][24], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}32°S 27°E / 32°S 27°E / -32; 27, Location of the Eastern Cape in South Africa, List of cities and towns in the Eastern Cape, List of municipalities in the Eastern Cape, "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab", "Eastern Cape remains SAs poorest province", "Billion investments coega special economic zone", "VWSA steps up production as export demand grows", "New liquid bulk tank farm at port of ngqura a step closer - Transnet", "As Zuma woos support, Eastern Cape suffers", "Premier's bold plans to deal with the education crisis in Eastern Cape", "Eastern Cape is a 'failed state' - education expert", "Special Investigating Unit to probe Eastern Cape education", "Motshekga has to account for her role in the education crisis – especially in the Eastern Cape", "Matric pass rate 'a significant achievement, "Matric: Eastern Cape remains worst province", "Tripartite alliance to address E Cape education crisis", "Matric results 2015: Pass rate drops to 70.7%", "R530-million of unspent EC budget meant for poor schools given to other provinces", "EC to return unspent R1bn: challenge is 'incapacity to utilise funds, "Systemic "failure in Eastern Cape education, "Eastern Cape initiation claims another victim", "Nine boys in hospital after botched circumcisions", Eastern Cape National Government information, Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eastern_Cape&oldid=1011359449, States and territories established in 1994, Articles with dead external links from December 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Pages using infobox settlement with bad settlement type, Articles containing Afrikaans-language text, Pages using infobox settlement with no coordinates, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from May 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2019, Pages using columns with the default column width, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-LCCN identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Pearson Institute of Higher Education (campuses in East London and Gqeberha), Eastcape Midlands TVET College (6 campuses in Uitenhage, 1 in Grahamstown, 1 in Graaff-Reinet, and 1 in Gqeberha), Various independent FET Colleges (Further Education and Training), Eastern Cape Pool Billiards (8 Ball Pool) - (, This page was last edited on 10 March 2021, at 13:35. We aimed for the saddle at the head of Chase's kloof - we went up by the rocky ridge to the West of the peak and descended the … The Alexandria-Grahamstown area produces pineapples, chicory and dairy products, while coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. How to get here . The first premier was Raymond Mhlaba and the current premier is Oscar Mabuyane, both of the African National Congress. A full page Google map showing the exact location of 74 mountain ranges in Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions, including 800 kilometres (500 mi) of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches, and "big-five" viewing in a malaria-free environment. South Africa has some of the most spectacular uncharted mountain ranges that often go unpublicised and remain unknown, even to return visitors. There is much fertile land in the Eastern Cape, and agriculture remains important. Most towns were established by English settlers and were either named for places in England or the original founders. Every year for 11 days the town's population almost doubles, as over 50,000 people flock to the region for a feast of arts, crafts, music and sheer entertainment. The Eastern Cape Baviaans-Kouga 4x4 (BAVIAANSKLOOF) The Baviaans-Kouga 4x4 route is a Grade 2/3 4x4 route starting (unofficially) at the turnoff on the tarred R62, one km east of Kareedouw and ends some 70 km further north at the Doringkloof farmstead in the Western Baviaanskloof. The wind farm is huge, straddling three sheep and cattle farms in the district, its turbines huge against the open sky. The little fairytale village is a must-visit at any time of year, but particularly when it’s ragingly hot elsewhere as you can depend on cool breezes and forest walks, picnic boltholes and the occasional call of the Cape parrot to cool things off. An olive nursery has been developed in collaboration with the University of Fort Hare to form a nucleus of olive production in the Eastern Cape. Flights ... Umngazi Hotel & Spa, Crawford's Beach Lodge, and Misty Mountain Reserve are all popular resorts for travellers staying in Eastern Cape. Eastern Cape mountains highlights. You’ll not only drive up one of the prettiest mountain passes in the area, but you’ll get to overlook the Valley of Desolation, also known as the Cathedral of the Mountains, and the flat of the Karoo beyond. [13] The Eastern Cape has since been the worst-performing province educationally and especially in terms of matriculation;[14] matriculants' results averaged 51% in 2009,[15] 58.3% in 2011,[16] 64.9% in 2013,[17] 65.4% in 2014, and 56.8% in 2015. [14], By 2011, basic education had so deteriorated that the national Department of Basic Education intervened under section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of South Africa, taking control of the province's educational administration. Mpondo people are more closely related to Xhosa, as they use Xhosa as their main home language. With one of the most dramatic settings in the country, Port St Johns is a treat to visit. Also known for its traditional black initiation schools, which perform coming-of-age ceremonies involving circumcision and bushwhacking. These tranquil parts are slow moving and filled with spectacular mountain scenery. The National Arts Festival, held annually in Grahamstown, is Africa's largest cultural event, offering a choice of the very best of both indigenous and imported talent. [citation needed]. Hunting in South Africa, specifically the Eastern Cape is an experience unlike any other available. Other mountains with high rainfall include the Outeniqua Mountain, mountains of the South-western Cape and the Winterberg and Amatola Mountains, in the central parts of the Eastern Cape. The parliament and other important government buildings are situated in the precinct. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 out of the Xhosa homelands or bantustans of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province. Eastern Cape Mountain Biking. It is 1,832 m above sealevel and is 16 km due south of the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. But the Eastern Cape’s interior, and the mountains of the Eastern Cape, remain an anomaly – a departure from your average visitor’s itinerary. It’s an obligatory stop for an impressive photo moment given its position against the Stormberg (particularly if the sky is heavy with clouds). Find and book hotels and accommodation in South Africa. Choose from a wide range of region map types and styles. Domestic stock farming is slowly giving way to game farming on large scale. There are many private clinics in most cities and also famous hospitals like Frere in East London and Dora Nginza in Gqeberha. In the Eastern Cape, at the end of the Garden Route, why not visit the Baviaanskloof Wilderness, 270 000 hectares of rugged mountain beauty. Farmers in the fruit growing area of the Langkloof have reported good snowfalls in the mountains but also at ground level. In Stormberg is a mountain range located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, are a continuation East of the Bamboesberge and form an outlier of the large mountain range of the Drakensberg mountains. A large number of black children rather choose to be schooled in them than to attend local schools in their communities due to the standard of teaching and pass levels. Whether you are a first time visitor looking for an all round introduction to hunting South Africa or a seasoned veteran looking for a new adventure, Lalapa Hunting Safaris South Africa can supply the hunt for you. The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions, including 800 kilometres (500 mi) of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches, and "big-five" viewing in a malaria-free environment. The rugged and unspoilt Wild Coast is a place of spectacular scenery. The area Tsitsikamma to Grahamstown receives more precipitation, which is also relatively evenly distributed and temperatures are mild. The fertile Langkloof Valley in the southwest has large deciduous fruit orchards. Only a small group of driven 4×4 enthusiasts enjoy the challenges of the 8 mountain passes of the Eastern Cape. There’s also a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk from the picnic site to a waterfall. Tel: +27 (0)43 492 0881 Email: info@ecpta.co.za . Whether you are a first time visitor looking for an all round introduction to hunting South Africa or a seasoned veteran looking for a new adventure, Lalapa Hunting Safaris South Africa can supply the hunt for you. From the early 1800s the Eastern Cape saw colonisation by the British until the formation of the Union in 1910. Its 743 km² offers sanctuary to 170 elephants, 400 Cape buffalo and 21 black rhino of the very scarce Kenyan sub-species. Hunting in South Africa, specifically the Eastern Cape is an experience unlike any other available. Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency . The Drakensberg rises to more than 11,400 feet (3,475 metres) and extends roughly northeast to southwest for 700 miles (1,125 km) parallel to the southeastern coast of South Africa. [20][21], Equal Education's 2017 report, Planning to Fail, found a "systemic failure in Eastern Cape education". Filled with state of the art machinery and more beds. Order the Print Book HERE and the Ebook HERE. Most of the best schools in the province are situated in the suburbs and are known as former "model c" institutions. This page provides a complete overview of MALUTI, Eastern Cape, South Africa region maps. The Drakensberg of the Eastern Cape is the most southerly section of this extensive mountain chain that stretches from the borders of the Eastern Cape, KZN and Lesotho all the way to Mpumalanga. Visit Helen Martins’ Owl House, the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre, various artists, sculptors and potters studios, book shops, the Sneeuberg Brewery and Two Goats Deli, or ride a donkey cart around town. Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency . This resulted in several anomalies including the fact that the Province has four supreme courts (in Makhanda, Gqeberha, Bhisho and Mthatha) and enclaves of KwaZulu-Natal in the province. The local community has a 10% stake in the renewable wind project. The access route to the park entrance, as well as all internal tourist routes are gravel, whilst roads in the rest camp area are tarred. The High Court that is superior to all courts in the region is situated in Grahamstown and has local seats in Gqeberha, East London and Bhisho. If uninhabited swathes of countryside, intrepid hikes, heart-stopping adventures, and gentle hammock time are your idea of a holiday then the mountains of the Eastern Cape are where you should head. The Karoo’s Sneeuberge (snow mountains) include some of the highest peaks found in the Great Escarpment west of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg and stretch for about 200 km. Get free map for your website. Eastern Cape: Blouberg: Blue Mountains: Limpopo: Bronberge: Source/Well Mountains: … Only Knysna’s is bigger. The access route to the park entrance, as well as all internal tourist routes are gravel, whilst roads in the rest camp area are tarred. The Baviaanskloof is a gorge that stretches for over 100 kilometres between the Baviaanskloof and Kouga mountain ranges. Tenahead Mountain Lodge is located in Eastern Cape Rhodes. The Eastern Cape Drakensberg. It’s named after a particular breed of sheep popular with farmers in the area bred by crossing Dorset Horn with Blackhead Persian sheep (as a result almost 85% of them are white with black heads!). The west is dry with sparse rain during winter or summer, with frosty winters and hot summers. Nieu Bethesda is famous for the work of artist Helen Martins who transformed her house with glass and cement into the ‘Owl House’, a popular tourist attraction. The west is mostly semiarid Karoo, except in the far south, which is temperate rainforest in the Tsitsikamma region. The Drakensberg’s southernmost slopes extend into the Eastern Cape encompassing eight mountain passes, San rock paintings in sandstone caves, and a myriad shaggy sheep farms in and around the mountainside hamlet of Rhodes. The little mountain village of Hogsback lies at the top of a mountain pass surrounded by forest and mountain peaks, one of the major attractions of the Amathole Mountain Escape Route – a series of experiences between Hogsback, the Great Fish River, and the Dwesa/Cwebe Nature Reserve. The waters here are noted for having "supertubes", good waves for surfing. Exploring these mountains of Eastern Cape is the realm of fearless journeymen content to follow the path less travelled…. [8], Environmental-friendly projects include the Fish River Spatial Development Initiative, the Wild Coast SDI, and two industrial development zones, the East London Industrial Development Zone and the Coega IDZ near Gqeberha. The province is the location of Tiffindell, South Africa's only snow skiing resort, which is situated near the hamlet of Rhodes in the Southern Drakensberg. Rhodes is located in the Eastern Cape Highlands, near the escarpment in the southernmost end of the mighty Drakensberg mountain range in the magisterial district of Barkly East. Oscar Mabuyane has a mountain to climb, if he wants to turn around the fortunes of the Eastern Cape. The Cape Fold Belt is a fold and thrust belt of late Paleozoic age, which affected the sequence of sedimentary rock layers of the Cape Supergroup in the southwestern corner of South Africa. [18][19], In the 2015/2016 financial year, the province failed to spend R530 million of its allocated R1.5 billion budget for education, most of it intended for infrastructure development. Eastern Cape Mountain Passes, Poorts & Scenic Drives Spectacular veiw of the 2011 snowfalls experienced in the mountains of the Eastern Cape Just south of Lesotho, the tail of the Drakensberg chain of mountains curls all the way from Lady Grey in the west past the village of Rhodes to link up with the KwaZulu-Natal Berg north of Mount Fletcher. One is spoilt to choose between two major cities lining the coast, East London and Gqeberha. From simple outline map graphics to detailed map of MALUTI. And, since there’s no national park in the Eastern Cape Drakensberg, Rhodes serves as an ideal base from which to visit private farms in the area for hiking, MTB, 4×4 trails, trail running and fly fishing. "The views from the top are amazing breathtaking awesome, the fauna and flora is lush and spectacular amazing photo opportunities the walkways and paths are easy on your feet do wear takkies for comfort." Stream along the Amatola trail | © Alfred Payne / Flickr. … High up in the Stormberg Mountains, between the town of Sterkstroom and Molteno in one of the windiest and coldest parts of the Eastern Cape, is the 40 turbine-strong Dorper wind farm. The Eastern Cape is the poorest province in South Africa. Katberg Forest lies just west of the small village of Katberg in the Winterberg Mountains. This major 10 km long tarred pass lies on the R58 between Elliot and Barkly East in the high mountains of the Eastern Cape at an altitude of 2018m at the summit. The cold front that is moving across the country at present has brought rain and snow to large areas of the Eastern Cape. If you want extraordinary then head to the Camdeboo National Park. Visit the Amatola Trails website to submit an online query-form . It is part of the Sneeuberge mountain range, the second highest range in SA after the Drakensberg. Your best guide to this great and undiscovered region of South Africa is Road Tripper – Eastern Cape Karoo by Chris Marais & Julienne du Toit. Other sectors include finance, real estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade, eco-tourism (nature reserves and game ranches) and hotels and restaurants. Jeffreys Bay is an area with some of the country's wildest coastline, which is backed by some of Africa's most spectacular sub-tropical rainforest. The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is the 3rd most populous region in the country and was once the frontier between British occupied territory in the west and the grazing grounds of … Most of the province is hilly to very mountainous between Graaff-Reinet and Rhodes including the Sneeuberge (English: Snow Mountains), Stormberge, Winterberge and Drakensberg (English: Dragon Mountains). The forest lies just above the Kologha valley and Gubu Dam offering mountain biking paths, horse riders a chance to outride and a couple of great hikes on which you’ll hear, if not sight, Knysna turacos and perhaps the endangered Cape parrot. Visit the Amatola Trails website to submit an online query-form . Go for the Koedoeskloof 4×4 trail and the walking trails. The pass displays an altitude variance of 572m which converts into an average gradient of 1:17 which is … The Tsitsikamma coast in South Africa is exquisitely beautiful, boasting gorgeous terrain and the most popular hiking trails through lush forests, sandy beaches and misty mountains. Eastern Cape Mountain Biking. The innerland mountains of the Eastern Cape include the Amatholes, the Sneeuberge, the Stormberg (an easterly extension of the Bamboesberg), Winterberg, Witteberg and Drakensberg – tough, strong names for impressive massifs. The Eastern Cape gets progressively wetter from west to east. Rock and cave art several thousands of years old has been With three import/export harbours and three airports offering direct flights to the main centres, and an excellent road and rail infrastructure,[citation needed] the province has been earmarked as a key area for growth and economic development in modern South Africa. The Karoo is vast and places to visit in the Karoo are myriad. The real GDP of Eastern Cape stands at an estimated R230.3billion in 2017, making the province the fourth largest regional economy in SA ahead of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.[7]. The Eastern Cape Department of Education has been roundly criticised for poor primary and secondary education[10] resulting from dysfunction,[11] special interests, and issues with the South Africa teachers union, SADTU. And even fewer travellers realise that beyond the temperate rainforests of the Tsitsikamma, and the Indian-ocean washed beaches of the Sunshine Coast, is a province given over to the desert expanse of the semi-arid Karoo, and the waterfall-rich, mountainous landscape of the mountains of Eastern Cape.