6 Off the Beaten Path Weekend Getaways around Port Elizabeth

March 1, 2016 by Chasing the Rainbow in Addo, Eastern Cape, Locations, Port Elizabeth, South Africa 1 Comment

Port Elizabeth sits more or less midway along South Africa’s coastline, and those lucky enough to live in South Africa’s fifth largest city, are literally surrounded by weekend destinations, just waiting to be explored.

As PE is at the start of the Cape Garden Route, many friendly people (Port Elizabethans) get wooed by the lure of Jeffrey’s Bay, St Francis and along the coast beyond. Although we have also enjoyed many a happy holiday along the Western Cape coast, we have loved venturing forth off the beaten track in all the other directions from our home town.

Here are a few of our favourite lesser known weekend destinations (in no particular order):

Narina Bushcamp – Addo
I am a huge fan of SA’s National Parks. There is something magical about arriving under the huge thatched entrance gates, into the place where everyone official wears khaki safari suits with SANParks epaulettes, and impala graze between the hustle and bustle of busy camp life. It was during one of our first day trips to Addo Elephant National Park, at the lookout point at the main camp, where I first learned of Narina. There were some thatched roof information boards, with photos and information about where to stay in Addo under UV-stained perspex. Of course Narina leapt off the board and onto my “places to go” list. The next birthday weekend in line (we have a family tradition of going away for each of our birthdays every year) was Cian’s and mine (we are born one day and a good few years apart) and Narina it was. We drove deep into the Zuurberg bush, to be greeted by a smiling face (yes, in a khaki suit with epaulettes) and a wheel barrow to cart our luggage along a winding forest path to camp. We were in love! The dome tents surrounding the thatched kitchen and boma, the sun kissed viewing deck over the little river bed, the complete and utter deafening silence – this is heaven as we know it. We have visited many times since – solved world problems around the campfire, puffed to the top of the mountain with a breath-taking view of the Zuurberg, and winced under the primitive “scud” shower. Narina is one of our family’s absolute favourite places!

Narina Bush Camp
Mtati Beach Chalets – Mtati River
I found this hidden gem by writing down the name of each river we crossed on the way back home from a school trip on the coastal road from East London to Port Elizabeth. My theory was that there must be an awesome river mouth at the end of each river, and where there is a river mouth, there is holiday accommodation. Eureka! Google revealed a tiny little eco estate with only 12 log houses at Mtati River Mouth, 30km past Port Alfred. No fancy advertising, but that was no obstacle to the Google Queen (a.k.a. moi). Google Earth revealed an unspoiled paradise, and a bit of impressive detective work was rewarded with an email address of retired owners that rent their house out when the family is not visiting. This secluded spot ticked all our boxes – a beautiful beach all to yourself, steep dunes for sandboarding, fishing in the river, a deck with a view, a fairylit boma for braaing…too good to be true, but it was!

Mtati Lagoon
The Angler and Antelope – Somerset East
Ralph’s birthday was looming, and the pressure to give him an unforgettable experience was on (we decided many years ago to rather gift each other moments than things). I had read about the Angler and Antelope in one of his fly-fishing magazines, intrigued that there was trout fishing in the Karoo – these rainbow coloured fish love icy cold running water conditions, not the desert. It had long been Ralph’s dream to catch a trophy size wild river trout, and this promised to be the place. On arrival at the Angler and Antelope, we were delighted with its old world charm – huge rooms with high ceilings and creaky oak floors. We loved the warm and friendly welcome from hosts Alan and Annabelle, and it’s the first time we have tippled in a church! The bar and dining room is in an old Roman Catholic church, and Annabelle’s cooking is just divine. Alan guided Ralph on to his trophy wild trout, and we had the most incredibly special family weekend together in the paradise that surrounds the rather humble town.

The Angler and Antelope
Glencoe Chalets at Bruintjieskraal – Baviaanskloof
I put Glencoe chalet’s business card in my purse many years ago, when we were invited camping in the Baviaanskloof. We took a drive up the gorge to see what we could find, and we stumbled upon a stone house, with holiday accommodation. We popped in, and the owners gave us some info and the card. There is sat, lurking among the stack of loyalty cards in my bursting purse, just waiting for the right moment to fall out and remind us to visit. We rounded up a group of Luke’s good friends and headed into the World Heritage site for his birthday weekend in the wild. A stone and wood chalet, with a teeny tiny dip pool, sat in the arid farmlands near the Groot River, and made for a fabulous weekend adventure. We hiked, fished, braaied, chattered and laughed, making the most special birthday memories.

Glencoe Chalet
Sandile’s Rest – Stutterheim
The Google Queen strikes again! As you know, my boys are mad about fly fishing, so when looking where to go for Ralph’s birthday the year after we visited Somerset East, I consulted my trusty friend, and searched for fly fishing destinations in the Eastern Cape. I scrolled past the Somerset East and Rhodes listings (Rhodes is a bit far for a weekend) and stumbled upon Sandile’s Rest in Stutterheim. Where on Earth is Stutterheim you might ask, and rightly so! It is a tiny little town around 70kms inland from East London (+-200km from PE). At the foot of the Amatola mountains, meaning fresh cold water, and ideal conditions for trout. With its own hatchery and a couple of stocked dams, and its proximity to well-known Gubu dam, Sandile’s Rest seemed like a winner. What we didn’t expect, was the picturesque log cottage on the water’s edge with friendly horses grazing the surrounding green grass – it felt like we were in the foothills of Switzerland, rather than the Eastern Cape interior. And a day trip to nearby Kologha Forest blew our minds. I can’t understand why this paradise is so unknown to South Africans – unspoilt natural splendour at its very best, and you can have it all to yourself!

Sandile’s Rest
Wilton Farmhouse – Middleton
We were invited along to Wilton as part of a large family get-together to bring in the New Year. What an incredible place! Wilton farmhouse is an historic opulent manor house built in the wool boom of the 1950s. Its imposing design looks like it belongs on an estate somewhere in England – it is completely out of place in the dry Karoo. Clearly sheep farming was a lucrative trade back in the day, and money was not spared when constructing this huge house. It has long wide passages with bedroom after bedroom after bedroom. Two kitchens and two staircases – one of each for the servants and a grander one of each for the lords and ladies of the manor (nowadays you just get to use both). A couple of outdoor braai areas, and a lovely swimming pool made for a relaxing weekend of lounging around and catching up with our nearest and dearest. The kids loved exploring the surrounding farmlands, and we loved the wide open spaces – both inside and outside this magnificent house.

Wilton Guest Farm

Where to go next?
I love lists, and my favourite is my “places to go” list on my cell phone. It’s the first place I turn when I need some inspiration, and its amazing how writing something down can miraculously make it happen. We love exploring hidden and lesser known gems and would love to hear your suggestions for some off the beaten path locations around Port Elizabeth, to add to my list. Please share your ideas in the comments section below.