REGIONAL MAP AND INFORMATION

Situated in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, home to species found nowhere else in Africa, we offer some of the finest plains game hunting in the area. Our magnificent range of trophies have been conserved through five generations of professional game management. South Africa is one of the most diverse and enchanting countries in the world. Exotic combinations of landscapes, people, history and culture offer a larger-than-life experience for the traveller in search of a truly unique and inspiring experience. South Africa’s vast landscape includes savannahs, snow-covered mountains, forests, tropical swamps, endless beaches, tranquil rivers and… bustling urban epicentres.

EASTERN CAPE

Where else can you surf the world’s biggest waves, ski down the only snow slopes in Africa, go on a `big seven’ safari, visit the birthplace of Nelson Mandela and bungee the highest bridge in the southern hemisphere? The Eastern Cape, of course.

The second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, the diverse Eastern Cape landscape ranges from the dry desolate Great Karoo to the steamy forests of the Wild Coast and the Keiskamma Valley. The area also embraces the fertile Langkloof, renowned for its rich apple harvests, and is cradled by the mountainous southern Drakensberg.

Here, widespread hills are juxtaposed with sandy beaches; here small-town South Africa comes to greet you – gently offering hospitality and friendship and asking for nothing in return. This is where the `big seven’ roam, and where the tropical forests share their space with abundant birdlife and nature at its most generous.
A brief history

The Eastern Cape was fraught with frontier battles. The 1820s saw the arrival of shiploads of British immigrants to Algoa Bay. Despite its colonial past, the Eastern Cape remains the home of the Xhosa-speaking people of South Africa.

The people

With its almost seven million people, the Eastern Cape has the third-largest provincial population, living on about 169 600 km2 of land.

Language

The main language spoken is isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and English.

Location

The shoreline of this province extends from the Umtamvuna River in KwaZulu-Natal, to the Storms River mouth on the scenic Garden Route, in the west, and stretching inland, to the north, bordering on Lesotho. Today, the Eastern Cape incorporates the previously independent `homelands’ of the Ciskei and Transkei.

Climate

The Eastern Cape climate varies considerably but has, a year-round holiday climate. The Eastern coastal regions enjoy hot summers and moderate winters and Port Elizabeth experiences a daily average of 7 hours sunshine. Northern regions are much cooler. Certain areas receive rain throughout the year albeit erratic.

Off-The-Beaten Track

The Eastern Cape offers unlimited adventure possibilities in a virtually unspoilt part of the world. A number of routes can be taken off-the-beaten track. However, road infrastructure can be limited at times – so, ensure that you have the right vehicle, adequate directions and safety instructions to ensure the best possible experience.

Coastal Treasures

The main feature of the Eastern Cape is its never-ending Indian Ocean coastline. The area offers long stretches of undisturbed sandy beaches, rocky coves, secluded lagoons and towering cliffs.

Bio-Diversity

A virtual Eden exists in this part of the world. Age-old forests suddenly appear in all their glory at Keiskammahoek, Dwesa, Port St Johns and Bathurst; dune forests can be found at Alexandria; and mangroves along the Wild Coast. Rolling grasslands dominate the eastern interior of the province, while the western central plateau is pure savannah heartland.

Forestry

Extensive exotic forestry plantations in the high rainfall areas of Keiskammahoek provide employment for large numbers of the population. The province is a summer-rainfall region with high-rainfall along the coast, but becoming gradually drier behind the mountain ranges into the Great Karoo.