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Suggested Itineraries


How to use this as a guide

This guide is aimed at assisting self drive tourists as well as tour operators to compile an itinerary of activities for their stay in Nelson Mandela Bay.  

This guide contains 20 full day suggested itineraries.  Visitors staying multiple days in the city can select the days they are interested in and combine them to fill or extend their stay.

Each day is divided into three components (morning, afternoon and evening). Although the three components were paired to compliment a day’s activity theme, each activity could be independent of the day’s other suggestions.  This means that visitors are also able to shuffle the suggested activities within a day around to create their own itinerary to suite their respective needs.

Alternatively visitors can purchase a Nelson Mandela Bay Pass which allows you the freedom to choose between a variety of free activities and attractions, as well as discounts and special offers at participating outlets. For more information on the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass click here:

Option 1 (with a tour operator)

AM:                   Go on a guided City Tour and have a knowledgeable guide point out all the city’s places of interest

PM:                   Explore Port Elizabeth’s diverse townships on a guided Township Tour with a visit to the world renown Red Location Museum included

Evening:            Socialize the evening away with the locals at a township tavern

 

Option 2

AM:                   Discover the city’s heritage gems while walking the Donkin Heritage Trail with its 47 places of historic interest

PM:                   Spent the afternoon on the Port Elizabeth Beachfront with its Blue Flag Beaches, enjoy an ice cream at Shark Rock Pier and browse through Bayworld’s fascinating exhibits

Evening:           Dinner at one of the excellent restaurants along the beachfront

 

Option 3

AM:                   Take a drive along the Sunshine Saunter and explore the western outskirts of Port Elizabeth taking in the rugged coastline, Maitland sand dune, the coastal bush and small holdings

PM:                   Do game viewing from the comfort of your car on the city’s doorstep at Kragga Kamma Game Park or Seaview Game Park                   

Evening:            Relax with a sumptuous dinner at a Country Cuisine restaurant

 

Option 4

AM:                   Forget about city life and get back to nature with a walk along one of the hiking trails in the nature reserves in and around the city

PM:                   Spoil yourself with a massage and pamper at one of the excellent heath spas

Evening:            Enjoy a couple of cocktails at one of the city’s award winning cocktail lounges

 

Option 5

AM:                   Visit Addo Elephant National Park and encounter the gentle giants of the bush.  Addo has the biggest concentration of African elephants in the world is probably the best place in South Africa to view wild elephants up close in their natural habitat.

PM:                   Cruise leisurely down the Sundays River before disembarking and tackling some of the dunes   forming part of the biggest coastal dune field in the Southern Hemisphere

Evening:            Relax with dinner and drinks around a camp fire on the banks of the Sunday’s River

 

Option 6

AM:                   Explore some of the city’s fascinating museums with exhibits ranging from apartheid history to vintage airplanes.

PM:                   Buy some traditional craft as gifts for loved ones back home at some of the African craft centres – Wezandla, Boardwalk craft centre and beachfront

Evening:            Attend a show or movie at Uptown Theatres

 

Option 7

AM:                   Experience the trials and tribulations of the apartheid era with a visit to the Red Location Museum followed by lunch at a township tavern

PM:                   Explore the diverse art galleries around Central featuring some of the most talented artists the city has to offer

Evening:            Go and experience a production by the vibey and talented Centrestage band followed with dinner at the Boardwalk

 

Option 8

AM:                   Travel to the garden town of Uitenhage and visit the town’s museums and monuments        

PM:                   View the technologically advanced VW AutoPavilion and travel back via historic Bethelsdorp

Evening:            Take in dinner and the vibe at a Parliament Street restaurant

 

Option 9

AM:                   Spent a relaxing morning on the Beachfront with its safe Blue Flag beaches.  On a Sunday morning visitors can spend their time browsing the Kings Beach Flea market.

PM:                   Relax next to the McArthur’s Pool, enjoy the thrill of the Super Tube or seek the interesting tidbits on exhibit in the Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld

Evening:            Dinner at a steak house

 

Option 10

AM:                   Stretch the legs and play a round of golf at one of Port Elizabeth’s renowned golf courses.   

PM:                   Treat yourself to a helicopter flip along the PE coastline and see sights like the Cape Recife Lighthouse and the Swartkops River Estuary from the air

Evening:            Enjoy an evening of dinner and entertainment at the Boardwalk

 

Option 11

AM:                   Take a drive to Schoenmakerskop, hike the Sacramento Trail and have brunch in the village

PM:                   Take it easy in the afternoon by going on a shopping trip or explore some antique stores

Evening:            Keep an eye out for ghouls and ghosts on a guided Haunted Walk around Central

 

Option 12

AM and PM:       Experience the bygone years of the magical steam trains with a trip on the Apple Express

Evening:           Dinner at a restaurant overlooking / on the harbour

 

Option 13

AM:                   Tick off a couple of birds from your list on a Bird watching trip in one of the nature reserves

PM:                   Drive along the rugged coast on the Wildside and visit Reptile World at The Boma.  Here you can touch and interact with a range of snakes and reptiles.

Evening:            Dinner at one of the excellent hotel in-house restaurants

 

Option 14

AM:                   Explore the underwater wonderland of Algoa Bay with its soft coral, ship wrecks and abundance of fish on a guided Scuba Diving excursion

PM:                   Organize a sail along through the Algoa Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and see the sun setting over the city from the Bay.

Evening:            Have dinner at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club’s renowned Chartroom Restaurant

 

Option 15

AM:                   Take a Eco Cruise to St Croix Island for some whale and dolphin watching, not forgetting the endangered African Penguins

PM:                   Visit the SAMREC facility at Cape Recife Nature Reserve where rescued penguins and other marine birds are treated and rehabilitated.  Here the staff will show you around the facility for some first hand and hands on experiences.

Evening:           Dinner at one of the excellent Seafood Restaurants that the city has to offer

 

Option 16

AM:                   Spent the morning on a historic exploration adventure. Climb the Donkin Lighthouse, ascent the Campanile and visit Fort Frederick before going back in time at Castle Hill No7

PM:                   Spend an informative afternoon on a guided drive through the Grysbok and Cape Recife Nature Reserves on an open game drive vehicle

Evening:            Watch the sunset before dinner in Schoenmakerskop

 

Option 17

AM:                   Explore the Addo Elephant National Park on an open vehicle guided game drive with some of the most excellent sightings of elephant anywhere

PM:                   Travel to an adjacent Private Game Reserve for an afternoon / evening open vehicle game drive with some close up lion sightings

Evening:            Dinner around the camp fire in the lapa at the Private Game Reserve

 

Option 18

AM and PM:       Visit one of the world renowned Private Game Reserves within an hour an a half’s drive from Port Elizabeth for a day visit with a game drive and sumptuous lunch             

Evening:           Enjoy cocktails and dinner overlooking Shark Rock Pier

 

Option 19

AM:                   Start a day of adventure with a horse ride through the bush or on the beach

PM:                   Follow this up with the excitement of a Sand boarding outing at the giant Maitland dune

Evening:            Party the night away at one of the city’s funky up market clubs

 

Option 20

AM:                   Saturday / Sunday – browse through some of the various craft and food markets around town

PM:                   Saturday / Sunday - Visit a tea garden with family and kiddies facilities and enjoy a cup of coffee or a milkshake while the kids have a ball (touch farm, play area, putt putt, etc)

Evening:            Take a walk up Happy Valley with its coloured lights and children’s story and nursery rhyme characters (summer season) 

 

 

 

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