WILD COAST
The Wild Coast is called that for good reason. There are no supermarkets, the roads are almost all dirt tracks, and the landscape is still as untouched as the day it was created.
The Wild Coast is traditionally the home of the Xhosas and stretches from East London to the border of KwaZulu-Natal. On a map you can see how the N2 curls from East London to the interior and then runs systematically back to the coast to Port Shepstone. If you want to drive closer to the sea you won’t be able to do it in your sedan. The Wild Coast 4x4 Eco Trail runs from the Kei River Mouth in the south to Port St. Johns in the north. The trail runs mostly along the coast, but in this area there are so many mountains, ravines and rivers that you often quickly have to swerve inland to cross a river or avoid a mountain gorge. And, these back roads are not clearly marked with signposts; in fact, they’re not even on Google. So make sure you have a GPS with the latest Tracks4Africa maps. These show the trails the best and are marked in places with warnings like “Steep gorge”, “Rocky and dangerous”, and “Large boulders, watch your diff”. These are the kinds of descriptions that make a hardened 4x4 enthusiast’s heart skip a beat. But do your homework before heading off. Even with all the detail on Tracks4Africa and a good printed map like Slingby’s, there are sections that don’t look the way it appears on the map. And that you’ll only find out once you actually get there. >
It’s also best to not go it alone, especially if you plan on doing some of the river crossings in the southern part of the trail. Find out from the locals what the road ahead looks like because yesterday’s rain could possibly have made it inaccessible. Or otherwise you might drive in one direction on a twin-track for three hours just to find out that the road ends between bushes in a deep ravine that hasn’t seen a vehicle in ages. Then you have to turn around and half a day is lost. But, of course, that’s also part of the adventure. This place isn’t called the Wild Coast for nothing.
Into the wild
We decided to do the route northwards because we’ve done it southwards before. (Who’s this “we”? Evan did the trail on his own since not one of his friends with “real jobs” could take leave to travel along. – Ed) The departure point in the south is the Kei River Mouth; it’s a good idea to arrive a day early and overnight in Morgan Bay or Kei Mouth. If you want to pitch your tent immediately, head to Double Mouth Nature Reserve 5 km west of Morgan Bay. The campsite is right next to the beach and it’s also an excellent fishing spot. Or, if you want to sleep in a proper bed one last time, you can take the ferry across the Kei River (R80 per vehicle) and stay over in a chalet at Trennery’s Hotel, about 17 km on the other side of the river. You’ll also be able to watch a last rugby game in the bar before bidding modern civilisation adieu. Not even a kilometre before Trennery’s the eco trail swerves northeast to the Qolora River and indicates a river crossing near the Gates Waterfall. On the other side of the river the trail winds further north over the Ixaxo, Sebe and Gqunge rivers, all with a warning of “Difficult Crossing”, before you get to Mazeppa Bay. There was some rain recently and it doesn’t look like a good idea to attempt it man-alone. A detour through Ketani to Mazeppa Bay is the better option and luckily it’s only a 67 km trip – about an hour’s drive.
Suspension bridges, Ngunis and stubborn mules
During the week out of season there isn’t much happening in Mazeppa Bay.
There are a few holiday homes and hotels, but the town’s main tourist attraction is the suspension bridge to a small island off the eastern side of the island. It’s definitely worth a visit, even if it is just to stretch your legs and to take a photo or two. On the beach are two Nguni cows baking in the sun. Later on the tour you realise that sunbathing cows are nothing strange in this part of the world. From Mazeppa it’s 114 km to the Dwesa Nature Reserve, the destination for the evening, but it takes a good four hours to travel that distance – not because the road is bad (to the contrary; it’s in surprisingly good condition) but because the winding track over the hilly landscape doesn’t allow you to exceed 50 km/h. The traffic you encounter are old jalopies, small cars or taxis all crawling along, and opportunities to overtake are few. But there is another reason to drive slow in these parts: On the Wild Coast there are numerous obstacles in the road that you need to look out for. The farther you drive, the more accurately you start to classify them and start predicting their reaction to an oncoming bakkie. Sometimes they frustrate you and other times you can simply laugh, but in the end you have to make peace with it. First are the people. They obviously know vehicles and stay out of the road, greeting you warmly. The exception is young children who come running towards you with tiny outstretched hands, chanting in unison: “Sweeeeets! Sweeeets! Sweeeets!” Then there’s the cattle. They usually loiter in the road as you come around a bend and are too lazy to budge. It’s only when your bakkie’s nose almost touches their backsides that the cow will get a fright and move indignantly. Oh yes, make peace from the beginning that the underside of your bakkie will be covered in manure and that the stench will travel with you, because the roads here are filled with “landmines”. The goats are surprisingly courteous. They like lying in the road, but they know their story when they see you >
The landscape reminds us a bit of Zambia, but it’s richer. The houses are bigger and the people have better clothes. It’s much more ‘Africa’ than the rest of South Africa. We would love to come back and see more.
approaching. They get up beforehand without hesitation and walk to the side. Once you’ve gone past, they resume their positions. You hardly ever have to break. The reaction of geese, ducks, pigs and chickens is slightly panicky and chaotic, but they quickly get out of the way. The emaciated Africanis dogs scurry away, tails between their legs, but one or two of them who are not entirely compos mentis try to bite your hand as you pass. And then, lastly, but by far the most stubborn obstacle: the donkey. You see, a donkey doesn’t give a damn about a vehicle. He won’t even lift his eyebrows let alone a leg to get out of your way.
First class
Dwesa is without a doubt one of the Wild Coast’s best campsites. It’s in the southern part of the Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve that’s divided in two by the Mbashe River. You can’t drive from the one side to the other – the nearest bridge is via a 60 km detour inland. Cwebe is smaller and less wild, and the only accommodation option is a hotel called The Haven. Dwesa used to be neglected in favour of Cwebe, but in recent years the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency have maintained this section of the park and also upgraded the accommodation. In Dwesa you can pitch your tent, park your caravan, or stay in a log cabin with an equipped kitchen and solar power. And if you come out of season, chances are good you’ll share the reserve with only a few, if any, other people. Put aside an extra day to spend here. The forests around the campsite are excellent for birdwatching, there are a few bush tracks that you can explore with your bakkie, and the highlight is a beautiful, untouched beach.
While Dwesa is one of the lesser-known places on the Wild Coast, the following destination on the trip, Coffee Bay, is one of the most popular. This part of the eco trail is the most beautiful on the route and also in good condition, meaning you can leave a bit later in the day and drive without feeling rushed. The mountain passes on both sides of the Mbashe River are especially spectacular and there’s a nice spot to pull over next to the bridge for a coffee break. You can leave Dwesa just before 10 am and reach the Wild Coast’s most iconic spot – Hole in the Wall – just after lunch. You can drive to the lookout point (S32.038347 E29.107062) to marvel at the imposing rock in the sea with its perfect circle in the middle. Or can you park at the hotel and in doing so avoid the pesky “tour guides” and “car guards” who will descend on any vehicle with foreign number plates. You can walk from the hotel’s parking lot to the Hole in the Wall (it’s about 1 km) and on a nice day it’s an excellent place for a picnic.
Private beaches and river crossings
Coffee Bay is known as the place for backpackers and surfers. If you want to learn how to surf or to bang a traditional drum, this is the place for you. But be warned: During holidays Coffee Bay is bursting at the seams. About 50 km from Coffee Bay is another nature reserve that the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency can be proud of: Hluleka is small (770 ha), but it simply means you can imagine that you’re a millionaire in an exclusive resort with a private beach. There are only six modern chalets (each with space for four people) in the reserve, so you, your family and friends can book the entire place for only R250 per person. It’s not every day that >
This part of the eco trail is the most beautiful on the route and also in good condition, meaning you can leave a bit later in the day.
you can book a piece of paradise for next to nothing. There are two short 4x4 tracks that you can drive in the park – one to a view over the coastline on the eastern border of the park and the other through the forest to the northern border. The latter is overgrown in places but eventually leads to the gate where you can exit the park and rejoin the eco route about 3 km to the west of the Mnenu River. An alert on Tracks4Africa indicates that the bridge over the river washed away in 2008 – it still hasn’t been repaired but you can make it through if the river isn’t in flood.
Where the waterfalls are
On the other side of the Mnenu it’s about 40 km to the R61 where your wheels will touch down on tar towards Port St. Johns. This junction is the official end of the eco trail, but it’s definitely not the end of the Wild Coast’s attractions. There are a few nice campsites on both sides of the Umzimvubu River on the northern border of Port St. Johns that are great if you want to recharge your batteries for a day or two or see if you can catch a leatherfish or spotted grunter from the river. Head to the runway at Mount Thesiger (follow the road to the army base up the mountain) for a panoramic view over the town, the river and the sea. A short distance away on the coast is Drifters Camp, which is only accessible by 4x4. It’s a place you should put on your bucket list. This is the closest you’ll get >
to Waterfall Bluff, which gushes over a cliff directly into the sea. Point your vehicle’s nose in the direction of Lusikisiki. Outside of town you can first take a detour and follow the Mbotyi Road to the Magwa Waterfall (S31.447097 E29.639226). Don’t miss the opportunity of visiting this 144 m high waterfall because it’s not only the Wild Coast’s biggest and most spectacular, it’s also easy to reach. You park at the top of the valley and walk through shallow water to a lookout point over the deep ravine that reminds you a bit of the Victoria Falls. When you book at Drifters they’ll send you directions to Luphuthana, but the camp is also indicated on Tracks4Africa (S31.421291 E29.851733). The last 11 km is a twin-track over wide grass fields that’s a protected grazing area for the local cattle farmers. It’s a beautiful piece of road, especially because you don’t see this kind of grass fields elsewhere on the Wild Coast without signs of human life. And it looks like you can do some proper mud driving when there are heavy rains. Once you get to Luphuthana you have to park on the eastern bank of the river and carry your luggage over to the camp. There are 12 two-bed tented huts with en-suite bathrooms and a lapa with a fully equipped kitchen, but you have to bring the rest, including your bedding. It’s about a 4 km walk from the coast to Waterfall Bluff. You walk around a corner and then the gushing waterfall surprises you. Here, at one of the Wild Coast’s most popular places, you can relax a bit, alone. Then you start understanding the Wild Coast: Yes, your bakkie can take you to places where few others get to go, but this stretch of coastline hides its real gems and only shows it to people who are willing to put in a small amount of effort.
Here, at one of the Wild Coast’s most popular places, you can relax a bit, alone.