Eastern Cape – The Land of The Great Karoo

Filled with sunshine the whole year around, the Eastern Cape is one great place to go for a vacation. If it is the seaside you are searching for or beautiful greenery and unspoiled areas of natural beauty then, the Eastern Cape is the place for you. A great hit amongst people wanting to get away from hurried, strenuous city life, the Eastern Cape serves as a respite with its innumerable mountains, game reserves, beaches and beautiful landscape. It is the second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces with world famous leaders like Nelson Mandela born here.

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The capital city of Eastern Cape is called so because it offers fun and attraction for families interested in a nice vacation filled with wildlife, nature trails and plenty of water sports. Port Elizabeth is the largest city on the coast between Cape Town and Durban.

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The large open spaces, the mountains, the towns and villages embedded with history and tradition and the beautiful sunsets personify all that is Eastern Cape in South Africa. The beauty of the rocky mountains and the succulents apart from the varies animals make a visit to Karoo Heartland a great experience.

Don’t miss out on East London, the only river port city here filled with wide unending stretches of white beaches. The place boasts of its African lineage very harmoniously revealing its English and German connections too. People are very friendly here adding to your holiday pleasure.

Do visit Sunshine Coast that is filled with beaches, water sports, sheltered coves and the nature reserves. Its main charm is that it is yet to get commercialized unlike other tourist destinations.

Visit the Addo Elephant Park which also contains the Sundays River Valley a, crook formed within the Elephant Park.

Visit the Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu which gives you an insight into the life of the man who freed mankind from the shackles of discrimination. See the Bhunga Building in Umtata, Mvezo, the birthplace of Mandela and Qunu, a village where the Youth and Heritage Center stands today.

Don’t miss Tsitsikamma which is a splendid piece of land surrounded by ancient trees and homes of wild animals. Gorges carve their way out through the mountains and trickle into clean streams, pools and even waterfalls. The Storms River is one such river. Canopy tours are available here.

Play with real lion cubs in the Seaview Lion Park in Port Elizabeth. Other animals like the giraffe, zebra, duiker monkeys and other species walk freely in this natural reserve.

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The airports are at Port Elizabeth and East London. When you get into Eastern Cape, moving around in a car is the best option especially between cities and towns. Minibuses are also available for longer distances. The train service is best suited for areas like the Wild Coast for the beautiful scenery otherwise; road travel is the best here.