Port Elizabeth Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

At the eastern end of the Garden Route in South Africa and 400 mi/650 km east of Cape Town, is P.E. (as it's commonly called) or Port Elizabeth, an industrial city fringed with excellent beaches.

Allow a couple of hours to walk the 3-mi-/5 km-long Donkin Heritage Trail that links the most interesting historic building, monuments, churches and parks. These include Fort Frederick (built in 1799) and Donkin Reserve with its lighthouse (built in 1861). Along the Humewood Beach waterfront is the large Bayworld complex that houses a museum, an oceanarium and a snake park. It makes a nice refuge if you're in town on an all-too-common blustery day.

Do leave yourself enough time to explore the thought-provoking Red Location Museum located in one of Port Elizabeth's oldest townships. Its unique spatial interpretation of history and memorial to the struggle for freedom have won the museum several prestigious awards. Addo Elephant National Park (about an hour's drive north) has Eastern Cape elephants, black rhinos and other animals. Most visitors will find two nights in P.E. sufficient.

Location

Port Elizabeth is a multi-cargo port on the western perimeter of Algoa Bay, at the eastern side of the hilly town center. Cruise ships usually use one of the fruit terminal berths. It's less than a mile/kilometer north of the popular beaches around Humewood and Summerstrand, which are lined with restaurants, hotels and shops. There are taxis, or cruise companies usually provide a shuttle bus service for passengers to the Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment World overlooking the beaches.

Shore Excursions

City tours explore the historic sites in the city center such as Fort Frederick, the Donkin Memorial, Horse Memorial and City Hall. Then there is time to enjoy the beachfront, which has a seaside resort atmosphere and numerous attractions including the aquarium and snake park at Bayword, and the shops, restaurants, musical fountains and beautiful gardens at the Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment World. There may be time at Shark Rock Pier for a photo opportunity of Port Elizabeth's skyline.

The Addo Elephant National Park is about 45 mi/72 km from the port, so a two-hour game drive by open vehicle can easily be arranged. Sightings of the more than 500 elephants in the park are almost guaranteed, and there are numerous other animals including lion, hyena, cheetah, zebra, eland, kudu and red hartebeest. Also quite notable is the unique flightless dung beetle, which is found exclusively in Addo. The shop at park reception is an excellent place to pick up souvenirs.