Cacadu: Hiking Trails, Coast and Culture

The Alexandria Hiking Trail in Addo Elephant National Park is a 36-kilometre circular route with options to stay overnight for two or three nights. A shorter alternative in the same park is the Cannon Trail: it is seven kilometres long, runs equally through coastal forest and along the beach, and takes about two to three hours. This allows you to compare two different time budgets for hiking.

Hiking, Wildlife and Scenery

Addo Elephant National Park is home to the African Big Seven: lion, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, great white shark and southern right whale. The list combines animals on land with two species from the marine environment. If you are interested in longer hikes, you can factor the Alexandria Hiking Trail’s circular route and its options for two or three overnight stays into your plans. Check the trail’s operating conditions before your trip.

Other destinations offer a variety of scenic experiences. Somerset East lies at the foot of the Boschberg Mountains. Camdeboo National Park offers scenic 4x4 routes. In Baviaanskloof, the landscape and vegetation range from fynbos to lush riverine forest; the Baviaans area includes the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site.

The Baviaans-Kouga 4x4 trail and itinerary are about 36 kilometres long and take approximately three to four hours. Baviaanskloof Heritage Tours start at The Willow Historical Guesthouse in Willowmore and end in either Patensie or Steytlerville; confirm in advance whether the tour is currently available. Sewefontein Wild Fig Tree Forest has a walking trail and shady picnic spots.

Coast and Outdoor Activities

Jeffreys Bay is known for its surf waves and numerous surf breaks, including Kitchen Window, Tubes, Super Tubes, Point and Albatross. A two-hour surf lesson with Wavecrest Surf School in Jeffreys Bay includes the use of a surfboard and wetsuit; check before your trip whether the school is currently operating.

In Cape St Francis, Seal Point Lighthouse is a hundred-year-old lighthouse; Cape St Francis also has a penguin rehabilitation facility. Gamtoos River Mouth National Reserve offers opportunities for fishing, canoeing, paddling a ski and sandboarding. Storms River Mouth in Kou-Kamma is part of Garden Route National Park.

Culture and History

Makhanda hosts Masicule annually, a choral concert featuring a large mass choir. Every July, the National Arts Festival turns Grahamstown into a platform for performing and visual arts; the annual programme may change. Sasol Scifest takes place every year at the 1820 Settlers Monument and other venues in Grahamstown. If you want to plan your trip around an event, check the specific dates in advance.

Individual attractions also offer different highlights: the Observatory Museum houses the only Victorian camera obscura in the Southern Hemisphere. The 1820 Settlers’ National Monument is surrounded by a wildflower garden featuring indigenous plants.

Choose the Right Focus

When searching for hotels in Cacadu, the purpose of your trip can make the difference: multi-day hikes, coastal activities and cultural events each offer a different focus. Tailor your search to the experiences you want to shape your stay.

Discover More Destinations

Kleinpoort, Studtis, Kenton-On-Sea, Kromriver, Riebeek East, Clarkson, Steytlerville, Seafield, Witelsbos, Kou-Kamma, Joubertina

See the broader travel overview: Eastern Cape.