The Wild Coast between Port Edward and the Kei Mouth is one of the country's most pristine coasts: green hills with Xhosa villages, secluded bays and rock formations like Hole in the Wall. Roads to the coast are sometimes poor; plan short stages and drive only in daylight.
12 Days / 11 Nights
October–March
5 stops
Why This Route?
For travelers seeking seclusion: few hotels, Xhosa villages on green hills, and bays without a promenade.
Hidden Gems
Viewpoint at the airfield on Mount Thesiger above Port St. Johns
Waterfall Bluff near Mbotyi, where a waterfall plunges directly into the sea
Mapuzi Caves on the coast near Coffee Bay
Itinerary
Stop 1 • 2 Nights
Durban
City
Route highlight
Durban is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and the country's most important port, with warm Indian Ocean waters and a subtropical climate. The city has one of the largest communities of Indian descent outside India, evident in its temples, markets, and cuisine, especially Bunny Chow.
4 Sights
3 Restaurants
Zulu, Britons and Indians
Durban was founded 1824 as a British trading post on Zulu King Shaka's land, initially Port Natal. From 1860, British brought Indian indentured workers for sugarcane; traders followed later. Their descendants shape the city today. Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Natal in 1893 as a young lawyer, developing his idea of non-violent resistance. Zulu culture is omnipresent in music, crafts and language.
Port Edward is the southernmost town on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, right on the border with the Eastern Cape. Quiet beaches, the Umtamvuna Gorge, and the Red Desert make it a relaxed stop on the South Coast.
3 Sights
1 Restaurant
Culture
The South Coast is shaped by Zulu culture; south of the border lies the Xhosa and Mpondo territory. Port Edward itself is a quiet holiday resort; you'll find major cultural attractions rather in Durban.
Perfect for unwinding and relaxation. For adventure seekers and Rich in culture and history.
Port St. Johns lies at the mouth of the Umzimvubu on the Wild Coast, flanked by two tall, wooded mountains forming a gateway over the river. The small, somewhat sleepy town is a starting point for beaches, coastal hikes, and excursions into rural Pondoland.
3 Restaurants
Pondoland
Port St. Johns is located in Pondoland, the territory of the amaMpondo, who speak isiXhosa. In the 19th century, a small trading port developed here, but it never grew large due to the sandbank in the river. In the surrounding villages, round huts and cattle farming define life. Ask for permission before photographing people and homesteads.
Perfect for unwinding and relaxation. For adventure seekers.
Coffee Bay is a small town on the Wild Coast, approximately 90 kilometers southeast of Mthatha. Backpackers, surfers, and hikers come for the bays, the Xhosa villages on the hills, and the Hole in the Wall rock arch a few kilometers to the south.
Hole in the Wall is a mighty rock arch off the Wild Coast, approximately eight kilometers south of Coffee Bay, at the mouth of the Mpako River. The surf has carved a large archway into the offshore rock island. In isiXhosa, it is called esiKhaleni, Place of Sound, after the thunder of the waves.
1 Sight
2 Restaurants
The Legend of esiKhaleni
For many Xhosa, the rock arch is a special place. An ancient legend tells of a girl who fell in love with one of the sea creatures. To reach her, they pushed a hole into the rock face with a large fish. In the rush of the waves, some hear the voices of the ancestors.
