The quickest route between PE and East London (300km) is along the N2 or Settlers Way via Grahamstown, 130km from PE and an acknowledged centre for arts and culture. Some beautiful views await you along the next stretch of road, which crosses the Great Fish River just before the rural village of Peddie, an area beset by friction during the Frontier Wars. Look out for the remains of watch towers along the ridges of the hills.
King William's Town, capital of the Eastern Cape , is home to Fort Hare , alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela. Children will be charmed by Huberta the hippopotamus – who wandered here from KwaZulu-Natal – and whose story lives on in the Amathole Museum . A short 56km takes you into the harbour city of East London. ( See Route 3 )
The scenic coastal route between PE and East London follows the R72 and leads to Alexandria, site of the Alexandria Dunefield, one of the largest active dunefields in the world. The seaside holiday villages of Boesmansriviermond and Kenton-on-Sea are 25km from Port Alfred with its golden beaches and the wide Kowie River . The village of Bathurst with its strong 1820 British Settler-feel, is 10 minutes' to its north. Continue along the coast to East London or join the N2 along the Bathurst/Grahamstown road.
The continuation of the N2 from East London is the shortest route to Durban in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It travels slightly inland from the coast, mainly through rural areas of the region previously known as Transkei. This is the best route to take to access the Wild Coast – a 270km stretch of glorious, untamed and pristine coastline stretching from the Great Kei River to the border of KZN – an unforgettable detour. There are some resort hotels at Kei Mouth, Mazeppa Bay, Hole in the Wall, Coffee Bay and Mbotyi together and some provincial coastal nature reserves (advance booking is essential) but facilities are limited along the route, and be aware of roving cattle and sheep.
Some 230km from East London lies Umtata where the Nelson Mandela Museum chronicles his astonishing life. The Madiba Trail leads hikers to the village of Qunu where the former President was raised.
Kokstad is the first town you enter in KZN. Here the N2 travels south-east along the Indian Ocean seaboard through the south coast villages that dot the coast to Durban for 170km. The major towns are Port Shepstone, Scottburgh and Umhlanga Rocks, all with excellent facilities and plenty to do and see.
The cosmopolitan harbour city of Durban is hugely popular with South Africans and it separates the less-concentrated towns and villages and north coast resorts ( See Route 10 ) from the more established, denser-populated resorts on the south coast. Its laid-back ambience puts you in holiday mode instantly and masks its underlying sophisticated infrastructure which includes myriad restaurants and accommodation establishments, a fabulous Oceanarium, beachfront casino etc.
Suggested stop or stretch towns on the N2: Grahamstown , King William's Town, East London , Wild Coast , Umtata , Kokstad, Port Shepstone, Scottburgh, Umhlanga Rocks and Durban .
More Routes:
JOHANNESBURG - BLOEMFONTEIN - COLESBERG ON N1
COLESBERG - BEAUFORT WEST - CAPE TOWN ON N1
BLOEMFONTEIN - EAST LONDON ON N6
BLOEMFONTEIN – LESOTHO ON N8
JOHANNESBURG - KIMBERLEY - BEAUFORT WEST ON N12
CAPE TOWN - PORT ELIZABETH ON N2 : THE GARDEN ROUTE
PORT ELIZABETH – CRADOCK – COLESBERG ON N10 : THE KAROO
PORT ELIZABETH - EAST LONDON - WILD COAST - DURBAN ON N2
CAPE TOWN – SPRINGBOK ON N7: THE WEST COAST
JOHANNESBURG – DRAKENSBERG - DURBAN ON N3
JOHANNESBURG – SWAZILAND – NORTH COAST ON N17/N2
JOHANNESBURG – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – MOZAMBIQUE ON N4
JOHANNESBURG – MESSINA - ZIMBABWE ON N1
JOHANNESBURG/PRETORIA – MAGALIESBURG - BOTSWANA ON N4
JOHANNESBURG – UPINGTON – SPRINGBOK ON N14 |
