Information: Eastern Cape Interior |
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| Jansenville |
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This little town of Jansenville owes its origins to the Dutch Reformed Church which formed a parish there in 1854 named after the last Dutch Governor of the Cape.
A must is a visit to the local artist called Koper Ketel in main road. |
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| Barkly East |
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Nestled between the picturesque mountains of the Southern Drakensberg, between Lady Grey and Elliot in the North Eastern Cape, this small town has a lot to offer the passing tourist or holiday-maker.
Barkly East is a pretty little town, known for its crisp winters as snow is commonplace, its breathtaking scenery and beautiful starry nights. |
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| Graaff-Reinet |
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Drostdy Hotel
Copyright: www.ingrids-welt.de |
Graaff-Reinet is perhaps the quintessential Karoo town and is often referred to as the gem of the Karoo. It is built in a cleft in the magnificent Sneeuberg range on a defensible bend of the Sundays River. It is the fourth oldest town in South Africa and it has a superb architectual heritagethat, fortuanitly, has been recognised and restored. Over 240 buildings have been declared national monuments and they range from Cape-Dutch houses with their distinctive gables to classic flat-roofed Karoo cottages and ornate Victorian villas.
The excellent Karoo Nature Reserve is within walking distance of town. In 1786 a landdrost - an official whose duties combined those of local administrator, magistrate and tax collector - was was sent from Cape Town to establish order in the lawless Cape interior. When not fighting with themselves, the trekboers were in almost permanent conflict with the Khoisan and the Xhosa. The citizens in 1795 drove out the landdrost and formed a short-lived independent republic.
The British re-established control, but the restless Boers continued to provoke trouble. Between 1824 and 1840, the Boers' continued dissatifaction with the British led to the Great Trek, and Graaff-Reinet became an inportant stepping stone for the Vooertrekkers heading north. The Karoo Nature Reserve surrounding the town protects mountainous veld, typical of the Karoo. The flora is extraordinary, with the weird Karoo succulents well represented. There's also game, interesting birdlife, spectacular rock formations, and great views overlooking the town and the plains. |
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| Aberdeen |
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Aberdeen is a small town in the Cacadu District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Founded in 1856, Aberdeen has numerous examples of Victorian architecture and is one of the architectural conservation areas of the Karoo.
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| Baviaanskloof |
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Road through Baviaanskloof
Copyright: Baviaans Municipality |
Baviaanskloof: (ONLY 4X4 TRAVEL) Between the Kouga and Baviaanskloof mountains the "Valley of Baboons is the most spectacular nature conservation area in South Africa. It's rugged passes, towering gorges and numerous river crossings make for a spectacular and never-to-be-forgotten 4X4 drive. A large variety of wild life can be found. The Cape Buffalo and Mountain Zebra have been re-introduced and the rare Leopard is also seen from time to time. Numerous encounters with baboons are a certainty. Entrance to the valley is either from Patensie, Willowmore or Steytlerville. There is accommodation in both villages and in the a few within the conservancy. |
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| Cradock |
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The Tuishuise
Copyright: Die Tuishuise
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It was in 1814 that Sir John Cradock decided to build a series of forts along the lower Fish River and all the way up to the Cradock to try to contain the Xhosa people to the East of the Fish River which had been proclaimed the boundary by the Government of the Cape. In 1848 Thomas Baines, the explorer and painter passed through Cradock and said that it had a population of about 9000 persons. He was impressed with the great buildings, of both English and Dutch architecture. Die Tuishuise capture the period of Thomas Baines’s visit as they were built circa 1840 – 1870 in both English and Dutch style, and housed the artisans, namely harness makers and wainwrights who made a living from the wagons and oxen and horses that passed through to the Great Northern line. Today Cradock is the capital of the Cape Midlands and is one of the thriving rural towns. Prosperity has come with the ability of the farmer to utilize the indigenous flora such as Karoo Bushes to produce of the best wool and mohair and to impart that typical Karoo flavour to the mutton. Cradock hosts the Great Fish River Canoe Marathon with over 1 000 paddlers every year. |
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| Burgersdorp |
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| Burgersdorp, with its rich cultural historical background, may truly be called the "cultural heart of the North Eastern Cape". The crisp clean air, the friendly people and the various tourist attractions make the town a popular stop-over place. Many tourists, on the look out for something "truly South African", take the alternative route to pay the town a visit. |
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| Aliwal North |
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Aliwal North lies on a strategic ford on the Orange River which was used by the Bushmen and the Voortrekkers. This was upgraded with a pontoon in 1872.
The town developed simultaneously as a health resort and transport centre with the railway from East London reaching the town in 1885. This prompted rapid development as a commercial centre for the north-eastern region of the British colony.
The town’s principle assets are two popular hot mineral springs, which have extremely high concentrates of minerals and gases. The concentrate of gas is so high that the first restaurant built here was able to maintain its cooking fire from gas funnelled from the springs. |
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| Queenstown |
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Queenstown was proclaimed in 1847 by Sir Harry Smith, the original hexagonal layout is unique and was planned to enable the defence of the settlement along each of the streets, radiating like the spoke of a wagon wheel from the central point. The hexagon became became the market place and later with its beautiful fountain and gardens, was declared a national monument.
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| Hogsback |
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Madonna and Child Waterfall
Copyright: Familie Harbord
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The village and holiday resort are magnificently sited on the slopes of the Amatole Mountains, overlooking the rivers and fertile plains of the Tyume Valley in a region dominated by three ridges said to resemble the bristles on a hog's back. There are also large tracts of indigenous forest, where the rich variety of birdlife includes parrot and Loerie. Rivers tumble prettily to the plain, creating a number of small but spectacular waterfalls such as Madonna and Child, Swallowtail and Kettle spout - where the water flows through a natural spout in the rocks and, in windy conditions, arches up in a feathery plume some 9 m high.
Walks and trails range from 3 km to 20 km and some of the routes - which include places of historic and natural interest - are marked with painted hogs. The hiking trail covers a 2 day walk. The locally produced guidebook is an essential investment for visitors, especially those interested in exploring this lovely area on foot. |
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| Cathcart |
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| Cathcart was established as a military post in 1856 after the Eighth Frontier War. The Town Hall built in 1905 is an excellent example of art nouveau architecture. The original Acetylene gas lamps, now electrified, still stand in front of the building. |
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