Discover Cacadu: Culture, Nature and Routes

Cacadu brings together a wide range of reasons to travel: hiking trails range from a multi-day circular route to a shorter stretch along the beach, while cultural sites, nature reserves and 4x4 routes offer other focal points. When choosing holiday accommodation in Cacadu, it is therefore helpful to start by asking which experiences you want your trip to revolve around. The specific differences between the trails, landscapes and cultural offerings can help guide your search.

Choose hiking trails and landscapes thoughtfully

The Alexandria Hiking Trail in Addo Elephant National Park is a 36-kilometre circular route with overnight options for two or three nights. It offers a different timeframe from the Cannon Trail, which is also in the park: this trail is seven kilometres long, runs in equal parts through coastal forest and along the beach, and takes about two to three hours. The details on length and duration help you distinguish between the two hiking experiences when planning your trip, rather than treating them as a single route.

Another focal point is 4x4 routes. Camdeboo National Park offers scenic 4x4 routes. The Baviaans-Kouga 4x4 Trail and itinerary are about 36 kilometres long and take approximately three to four hours. For a different perspective on the area, Baviaanskloof offers changing landscapes and vegetation types, ranging from fynbos to lush riverine forest. If you are considering a tour with set starting and ending points: Baviaanskloof Heritage Tours begin at The Willow Historical Guesthouse in Willowmore and end either in Patensie or Steytlerville.

Nature experiences and activities

Addo Elephant National Park is home to the African Big Seven: lion, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, great white shark and southern right whale. Wildlife is therefore a reason in its own right to include the park in your travel plans. Cape St Francis also has a penguin rehabilitation facility. Somerset East lies at the foot of the Boschberg Mountains; Storms River Mouth in Kou-Kamma is part of Garden Route National Park. Each of these connections with nature offers a different starting point for deciding what you would like to discover on your trip.

Sewefontein Wild Fig Tree Forest has a hiking trail and shaded picnic spots. Gamtoos River Mouth Nature Reserve offers opportunities for fishing, canoeing, paddle skiing and sandboarding. For those interested in surfing, Jeffreys Bay is known for its waves and numerous surf breaks: Kitchen Window, Tubes, Super Tubes, Point and Albatross. Wavecrest Surf School in Jeffreys Bay offers two-hour surf lessons, including the use of a surfboard and wetsuit. This makes it possible to weigh up nature and activity options according to your own interests.

Culture and special places

Grahamstown has a strong cultural focus: every July, the National Arts Festival transforms the city into a platform for the performing and visual arts. The Sasol Scifest takes place every year at the 1820 Settlers Monument and other venues in Grahamstown. Makhanda hosts the annual Masicule choral concert, featuring a large mass choir. The events have different focuses; if culture is a priority, you can take them into account when choosing the focus of your trip.

Other notable cultural sites include the Observatory Museum, which houses the Southern Hemisphere’s only Victorian camera obscura, and the 1820 Settlers’ National Monument. The monument is surrounded by a wildflower garden with indigenous plants. Cape St Francis is also home to the century-old Seal Point Lighthouse. In the Baviaans area, the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site offers another point of historical and landscape interest.

When looking for holiday accommodation in Cacadu, you can consider whether hiking, nature, 4x4 routes or culture is more important to your trip. The region’s place names offer additional pointers for your research: Kleinpoort, Studtis, Kenton-On-Sea, Kromriver, Riebeek East, Clarkson, Steytlerville, Seafield, Witelsbos, Kou-Kamma and Joubertina.

For the broader travel overview: Eastern Cape.