South Africa : Wild Coast

This is perhaps the most 'African' part of South Africa, with untarred roads, a rugged and beautiful coastline, lush forests and undulating hills. This is the former Transkei homeland and one of the most unspoilt and beautiful but poorer areas of the country. It is home to the AmaMpondo, farming people who ride the hills and valleys on their hardy ponies, who meet the twentieth century with their traditions and culture intact. There are rondavels as far as you can see painted bright and with traditional patterns and there is an obvious lack of white settlement in the area.

Quick links:
Amadiba Adventures
The Sardine Run

Amadiba Adventures
Amadiba is South Africa's first tourism initiative that is entirely owned, and run by an indigenous community. Their outstanding guided horse and hiking trails (suitable for beginners or advanced riders) meander along South Africa's most scenic and remote coastline. En route you encounter the warm Pondo people, visit crystal waterfalls, canoe untouched rivers and hike among wild animals in a nature reserve in the trip of a life time. At night you sleep in eco-friendly tented camps with hot showers. These are affordable tailor made or set date departure trails that depart from Port Edward and Port St John's. Your participation assists in developing sustainable and responsible eco-tourism focused on real community ownership.

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The Sardine Run
The Sardine Run occurs along the eastern shores of South Africa in June, when millions of sardines (the shoals are measured in kilometres!) hug the coastline and migrate north. This is the marine equivalent of the Wildebeest migration in the Serengeti. The events that surround these small fish create chaos, a feeding frenzy of huge proportions, it's total mayhem; raining gannets plunge from the sky, there are thousands of dolphins (pods vary from 1,000 to 20,000) leaping through the water, at least 7 different varieties of shark chase and herd the sardines and Humpback Whales are seen in pairs or trios, breaching and lobtailiing. We can arrange a diving holiday including dives and snorkelling to see the Sardine run but you do not need to be a diver to enjoy one of the world's great migrations. Please ask us for details.

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