Eastern Cape safaris, tours & holiday packages
Wild Coast and malaria-free wildlife viewingCustom Eastern Cape
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Large and ecologically varied, the Eastern Cape combines a wonderful coastline with excellent game-viewing opportunities in the malaria-free Greater Addo Elephant National Park and environs
The Eastern Cape is best known for its spectacular coastline, which runs north-east from the dramatic Storms River Mouth to the southern border of KwaZulu-Natal. En route, it takes in the surfing mecca that is Jeffrey's Bay, the sleepy port cities of Port Elizabeth and East London, and the extensive coastal forests and dunefields around Port Alfred and Alexandria. Crossing the Kei River, highlights of the unspoiled Wild Coast include the rather artsy retreat of Port St Johns on the mouth of the Mzimvubu River, the florally diverse Mkhambati Nature Reserve and the stunning sea-eroded Hole in the Wall rock formation.
(P.S. If you're looking for affordable Eastern Cape holiday destinations, we've got some great travel deals for you.)
Popular Eastern Cape safaris
These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates
South Africa's Garden Route Odyssey (14 days)
Discover one of South Africa’s best kept secrets - the Garden Route
$ 6,824
£ 4,947
R 99,105
€ 5,866
per person
14 days
“Two of my favourite parts of the Eastern Cape are the Wild Coast and Addo. The Wild Coast genuinely lives up to its name, being just far enough off the beaten track to retain a very untouristy feel, while Addo must rank among the top three places in Africa for close-up elephant encounters.”
More on Eastern Cape holidays
The interior of this malaria-free province is a popular centre for Big Five game viewing. Its conservation showpiece, the Greater Addo Elephant National Park, is best known for intensive close-up elephant viewing, but it also incorporates five of South Africa’s seven terrestrial biomes.
Nearby, the private Shamwari and Kwandwe reserves offer exclusive safari experiences comparable to the best in Sabi Sand, in the Greater Kruger Park. Further inland, the Mountain Zebra National Park is a stronghold for endemics such as Cape mountain zebra, black wildebeest and orange-breasted rockjumper. For art enthusiasts, the National Arts Festival held in Grahamstown every July is a rewarding blend of classical European and contemporary African influences. Worth a detour at any time of year, Graaff Reinet, founded on the Sundays River in the heart of the semi-arid Karoo in 1786, today boasts more than 200 buildings preserved as national monuments.
Altogether different, the quaint and remote montane village of Hogsback is known for its alternative eco-friendly vibe, as its otherworldly landscapes also reputedly inspired several scenic descriptions in The Hobbit and related works by the South African-born writer JRR Tolkien.
Eastern Cape Map
Eastern Cape's location on Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions about Eastern Cape
Wildlife viewing in Shamwari Game Game Reserve is good throughout the year. However, the best wildlife viewing is during the driest winter months of June to September. The lack of water in the bush drives animals to open water sources -… go there.
October to March is the best time to visit Zebra National park - It is easier to spot the wildlife, since there is less vegetation and the wildlife congregates around the waterholes - as well as migratory birds are present. go there.
Botswana: Electric plug M 230V and 50Hz Kenya: Electric plug G 240V and 50Hz Malawi: Electrical plug G 230V and 50Hz Mauritius: Electrical plug C & G, 230V and 50Hz Mozambique: Electrical plug C,F,M, 220V and 50Hz Namibia: Electric plug… go there.
Whether you are in the Southern or East Africa you will generally be able to see the big five. The difference really comes in when considering antelope as they are based on your chosen location. go there.
This is all dependant on the countries that you will be visitng and due to the status of certain vaccinations changing at times, please consult our experts before getting vaccines. go there.
In some parts of Southern Africa it is safe to drink the tap water, however it is highly recommended to stick to bottled water (mostly supplied) during your trip as even drinkable African water is completely different in taste and… go there.
The dry season winter months of May to September is the best time to visit the Addo Elephant National Park. The wildlife will gather around waterholes as water becomes a scarce resource, and in turn, producing excellent game viewing opportunities. go there.
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Reviews on our Eastern Cape safaris
This was my first safari. I didn’t expect to be so pampered. Everything was first class. We had everything provided for us before even asking. We had a dedicated team at our service. Megan was on call whenever we needed something and she…
Saada
from Nigeria
Tanya was an absolute delight to deal with. From the first phone call she was extremely polite, professional and very eager to facilitate my requests regarding our safari. Our 3 nights at the V & A Hotel were fabulous and Motswari Game…
Debbie
from Australia
Perfectly tailor-made tours that take all your wishes and requests into consideration. All my expectations were beyond fulfilled.
Henrik Wetterstrand
from Sweden
Living afar and trusting in an organisation with whom you have no previous knowledge can lead to feeling of mistrust and wondering whether what we have paid for actually exists. A little more proactive communication would have eased those…
Tony Russell
I just wanted to thank Discover Africa and Karl Svendsen - the safari was great - we saw many more animals than expected including cheetah, leopard, many lions and even a three-day old elephant calf. Additionally, we had our own hippo…
Margaret Dean
Planning the trip was managed extremely well especially since travel was at a busy time of year and not much notice was given. All communication was by email, and was responded to promptly and efficiently. Different options were provided…
Suzanne McKeen
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