The Eastern Cape, with its unspoilt beaches, rolling hills, craggy mountains and massive biodiversity is aptly known as the Adventure Province. This endless natural beauty is what attracted our family to live in Nelson Mandela Bay, where we are literally surrounded by outdoor adventures ripe for the picking.
We have spent the past few years trying to see and do as much as possible as a family in our beautiful city and can now with good authority rate and recommend our top outdoor adventure activities in and around Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Bay – things to do to suit every adventurous family’s budget.
As avid nature lovers, outdoor junkies and adventure explorers, we are super proud to present our Top 20 adventure activities in our magnificent Nelson Mandela Bay (separated into the Top 5 in each price range):
If you have to choose just one thing to do in Port Elizabeth, a marine safari should top your list. All the other activities mentioned are also fabulous, but many can be done in other places too. Port Elizabeth’s marine life is globally unique and is guaranteed to surprise and delight you. From pods of thousands of dolphins, to all sorts of whales, sharks, sea birds and South Africa’s largest breeding colony of African penguins, a marine safari is a must for any outdoor enthusiast.
Raggy Charters offers a whale, dolphin and penguin island cruise for R1500 per adult and R950 per child (U12)
Stampede Cruises offers a 4hour cruise to the islands of St Croix, Brenton and Jahleel for R900 per person
See Cruising PE’s Islands with Stampede Cruises
Being in the African bush is a treat in itself, but nothing compares to walking through the bush with an experienced guide where you get to engage all your senses and gain intimate knowledge about the magical natural world that surrounds you. And throw in the added benefit of an up close and personal experience with one of Africa’s most iconic animals – the graceful giraffe. Your safari guide will get you within about 25m of these gentle giants, and teach you loads of interesting facts about giraffes and their way of life in the wild. An absolutely priceless experience!
Bellevue Forest Reserve – A 45 minute walk with giraffes is R650 per person and can be done in the morning or afternoon.
We might not have snow, but by golly do we have sand! The Colchester Dunefield is part of the Alexandria Dunefields which are the largest coastal dunefields in the Southern Hemisphere. Where better to hone your sand boarding and sledding skills? Whether its stand-up sand boarding, or sit-down sledding, you simply have to give this fun adventure a try. It is a superb activity for teenagers and loads of fun for the parents too.
Addo Cruises and Sand Sledding includes a 40 minute river cruise on the iconic Sundays River Ferry and a sand sledding adventure for R700 per person (R400 per child U12)
Sundays River Adventures offers 2- or 3-hour sandboarding tours for R600-R700 per person (R500-R600 per child U12)
See 4 Super fun family outings in PE – Sundays River Ferry
Fancy getting out in nature on a mountain bike, cycling up pristine mountain paths and down charming country lanes with a gentle breeze in your face in blissful silence (but you don’t have the equipment or stamina)? Then e-biking is for you! The “E” stands for electric, as in electrically pedal assisted. The bikes don’t have throttles – they have built in motors that boost your pedalling energy, making it much easier to climb up hills and allowing you to cover far more ground than you would be able to under your own steam alone. Whether it’s through a game reserve, ancient forest or along the beachfront, there is a route to suit every outdoor junkie.
E-bike Adventures offers guided e-bike tours in and around Port Elizabeth for R500-R1000 per person, depending on the route.
See All I want for Christmas is an E-Bike
Sardinia Bay is one of the Eastern Cape’s most spectacular wild beaches and a perfect way to experience its beauty is on horseback. Heavenly Stables offers a 2.5 hour endurance ride through the forest reserve to the beach and back again. The beach ride is only suitable for medium to experienced riders, who get to trot and canter through the reserve and along the beach where you will feel as free as a bird. For first timers and novices, there is a 1 hour trail ride through the nature reserve on well-schooled ponies, where you take it slowly to enjoy the forest and if you are lucky you might spot bushbuck, duiker and monkeys. Or you can arrange to meet the horses at the beach, rather than riding all the way there and back.
Heavenly Stables – A 1 hour forest ride is R350 per person and the 2.5 hour beach ride is R450. If you meet the horses at the beach, it costs R500 per person.
Nelson Mandela Bay boasts a collection of some of South Africa’s finest top-end malaria-free Big 5 game reserves, many of which offer day safari packages. A short 40 minute drive from Port Elizabeth will have you on an open safari vehicle, ogling elephants, buffalo, all kinds of antelope and if you’re lucky rhinos, lions, cheetah and even a rare Cape Mountain Leopard. A wonderful way to experience a luxury safari without having to fork out for the full stay.
The following reserves do fabulous day safaris:
Schotia Safaris – offers a day safari for R1500-R2000 per person, including a 4hr game drive, dinner and a short night drive or a day safari & marine cruise combo for R3500 per person.
Amakhala – R1210 per adult (children 6-12 half price) for a 3 hr game drive and lunch
Pumba – R1250 per person covers a 2.5 hour game drive and lunch
Outdoor adventures are not complete without a healthy dose of adrenalin and Adrenalin Addo is the perfect place to get your fix. Tucked in the Sundays River Valley in Addo, it offers the longest double zipline in Africa – guaranteed to have you whooping in delight, shrieking in surprise and grinning from ear to ear. You get to choose between a regular sitting up harness or the Superman option where you fly down the mountain on your tummy. A short hike up a tall ridge leads you to a platform with a heavenly view and a thrill ride that is all the more sweeter as you get to share it with your loved ones.
Adrenalin Addo – R320 per person for a regular ride and R400 for a Superman harness
See Flying Like Superman at Adrenalin Addo
This is a little park teeming with big game, tucked in Port Elizabeth’s country suburbs. If you are looking for a perfect family outing, or to hone your photography skills, this is the park for you. You are guaranteed to get up close and personal with all sorts of animals – there are loads of giraffe, plenty of varied antelope, some very cute rhinos and large enclosures with cheetah and lions (rescued all the way from the Ukraine Zoo and enjoying living wild in Africa where they belong).
Kragga Kamma Game Park – Self drives are R100 per adult, R50 per scholar and a 2hr guided game drive is R265 per head.
It’s time to stop spectating and join in! Instead of lying on the beach watching surfers catch PE’s perfect waves, why not give it a try yourself. Oceanside Surf Store on Kings Beach offers lessons for all ages. Our teenagers loved it and were popping up on their boards in no time at all. Us parents also gave it a try and although it would take a few more lessons to get us airborne, I thoroughly enjoyed belly boarding through the waves while my kids were honing their skills.
Oceanside Surf Store – R200 per person per lesson, or R800 for a group of 5
Another watersport to delight the whole family – ProDive has double and single kayaks for rental at Hobie Beach. It is a wonderful way for the whole family to enjoy the ocean and no prior experience is required. The bright orange plastic sea kayaks are easy to use and very stable. Take along a waterproof camera and you can snap the perfect selfie of you and your loved one in a canoe in aquamarine water in front of the iconic Shark Rock Pier.
Prodive – Single or double kayaks are R395 for 2 hours
As mentioned in the intro, PE is surrounded by craggy mountains. Before heading out with the mountain club though, it’s best to fine tune your climbing skills and Valley Crag is the perfect place to do this. Located right in the trendiest new part of town in Baakens Valley, the indoor climbing club is full of walls of varying heights and angles, all peppered with brightly coloured grips and marked out with challenging routes for all skill levels. Our teenagers absolutely adore Valley Crag and its an excellent day outing for a family to do together.
Valley Crag – An intro course is R150 per person and daily gym entry is R80 plus equipment rental
Did you know it takes 12 bees their whole life to make just one teaspoon of honey? These little black and yellow creatures are the planet’s most vital and fascinating insects and Apiarista bee farm will intrigue, delight and educate you on everything to do with bees. We loved the full hands-on experience where we got to wear space age bee suits and harvest our own honey. For the less adventurous, they offer a bee tasting tour where you get to learn a little about how a colony of bees works and end off with a sweet taste of their hard work (and take a jar of your favourite honey home).
Apiarista Bee Farm – the full hands-on experience is R350 per person and a honey tasting tour R125 per person.
Addo Elephant National Park might be one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most renowned activities, but did you know that it’s also one of the most affordable? In our opinion, you literally cannot visit PE without spending a day in Addo. Nowhere else on Earth can you get so close to the world’s largest mammals, completely wild in their natural environment. Try and visit on a hot day and you are guaranteed to find ellies gathered around all the waterholes. Turn off the engine, open the windows and just enjoy being in the presence of giants.
SanParks – Daily entrance fees are R82 per adult, R41 per child U12 for SA citizens and residents.
International visitors pay more (R328 per adult, or R164 for SADC nationals), still a steal for the epic adventure you are guaranteed to experience.
When you think of PE, one of the first pictures that comes to mind is the colourfully distinctive mosaic with the brick pyramid and lighthouse at the Donkin Reserve, right? Did you know that you can climb to the top of the lighthouse for one of the best views in town? It’s a bit of a scramble through the small doors and up the series of very narrow ladders, but the kids love it and so will you when you reach the top and admire our lovely city from every direction.
Access to the lighthouse is R10 per person, between 08h00 & 16h30 weekdays and Saturdays 09H30-15H30. Report to the Tourism Office located beneath it for access.
The Island Nature Reserve is a 480Ha oasis that starts in Seaview and stretches for kilometres inland along the coastline. It boasts a pristine dune forest, which can be accessed by a network of hiking trails. The trails start at one of PE’s most delightful braai and picnic spots and are split into 5 sections, so you can choose to do just a short walk with one section or to combine some or all of the full network of 16km. Trails 4 & 5 are our favourite as they head deep into the wilderness, but lots of families choose to do trails 1 & 2 which are a great way of trying out hiking with a shorter walk.
Island Nature Reserve – R50 entrance fee per person (R26 for children U12)
Pearson Park Resort borders the lazy Sundays River as its fresh water completes its final journey before merging with the salt waters of the Indian Ocean. The Sundays River estuary is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also brimming with fish of every shape and size. So no matter whether your kids enjoy occasional bait fishing, rock and surf or lure fishing, or like ours are avid fly fishing enthusiasts, this is one of PE’s best fishing spots in a location that is enjoyable for everyone in the family.
Pearson Park Resort – R80-R100 for a vehicle including 2 passengers, R20-R30 per additional person.
The view from the top of Lady’s Slipper is incredible. It stretches all the way from Port Elizabeth to van Stadens and St Francis in the South and overlooks mountain after mountain as far as you can see in the North. There are some magnificent boulders right on top, perfect for striking a mountaineering pose and snapping a selfie, which is what you will find all the families doing as they reach the summit after a hot and sweaty walk up.
Falcon Rock Restaurant – Cost: R30 cash per person (no card facilities)
Splash Waterworld’s Supertubes waterpark, located on Kings beach is ideal for family fun in the sun, especially on a windy day when you don’t feel like being pummelled sideways with beach sand. It offers rides for the brave (speedslide), the adventurous (supertube) and the sedentary (lazy river ride) in both adult and kiddies versions. There is an awesome little tuckshop and smiles on everybody’s faces.
Splash Waterworld – R100 per person (R60 for kids under 1m) and R20 for spectators. A late day special fee of R70 / R40 applies after 2pm
Our local beach Sards (Sardinia Bay beach) is, in our opinion, the best beach on the planet. Besides the fabulous sand dunes, incredible rock pools, stunning views, amazing walks and contagious beach culture, it also offers some of PE’s best snorkelling. Climb over the dune from the car park, swing right and about a kilometre along you will see a series of still pools protected from the crashing waves by a rock reef. Do yourself a favour and take a mask and snorkel along. It’s a whole other world beneath the surface!
Cost: Free
Did I mention before that we love Sards? Well, we are not alone. Each evening there is a mass pilgrimage to Sardinia Bay to sit on the dunes and watch the sky turn a thousand shades of red and pink as it descends beneath the waves crashing on the horizon. Best enjoyed with an ice cold G&T (better make that a Duchess as technically no alcohol is allowed on the beach).
Cost: Free
This 9km trail leads along a spectacularly wild beach and winds its way past an ancient beacon and the distinctive Cape Recife lighthouse, through some impressive World War II ruins to an amazing viewpoint, across wetlands singing with birds, past a couple of dams with a peaceful bird hide in a circular route that ends where it starts. We thoroughly enjoy the entire hike, particularly the ruined army barracks and military observation post where you can almost hear the calls of the soldiers as they kept watch over Algoa Bay. The views are sublime – you can see the entire coastine all the way from Schoenies to Coega and everything inbetween.
Cost: Free (if you park at the security boom at the entrance to the reserve)
See Hiking Cape Recife’s Roseatte Tern Trail – a photo blog
Route 67 consists of 67 public art works symbolising Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of political life and his work dedicated to the struggle for freedom in South Africa. The artworks were designed by local artists from the Eastern Cape and are a proud celebration of our city’s heritage and history. From standing in South Africa’s first democratic voting line and holding hands with Nelson Mandela, to sitting on the enormous 470m2 colourful mosaic, the route is full of Instagram opportunities and selfie spots.
Route 67 – Cost: free
Note – parts of the route are through dangerous areas. If doing the entire route, we recommend that you hire a tour guide . The area around the Donkin reserve is safer, provided you stay in a group and follow recommended safety and security measures.
Nelson Mandela Bay has long been the motor manufacturing hub of the country. Why do you think VW calls its cars PEople’s cars? We love our VW factory and all the jobs it creates for the local motor industry. Make sure you take your kids to check out how it all happens with a tour of the massive Volkswagen factory in Uitenhage. You get to sit back and relax in a “train” made from Volkswagen parts and then end your tour with a morning of edutainment at VW’s high-tech, interactive expo and heritage centre.
Cost – Free (bookings are essential and include free entrance to the AutoPavilion museum)
This delightful circular hiking trail leads from Schoenmakerskop to Sardinia Bay and back again. Here you will meet lots of friendly dogs (they are allowed on the beach on a lead) and experience some of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most pristine coastline. If you’re lucky you can sit on one of the viewpoint benches and watch whales breeching out at sea. We prefer to start at Sardinia Bay and stop for a milkshake half way at the Sacramento restaurant in Schoenies and then end off with one of Gunther’s famous footlongs at the WurstWagen when we return. (When hiking with teens, it is vital to feed them often).
Cost – the hike is free, milkshakes and footlongs aren’t
I hope you have enjoyed the read and gained some new inspiration on things to do with your family in Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Bay. We’d all love to hear your top outdoor adventure activities in PE and would appreciate if you drop us your suggestions in the comments section below.
Note – you might recognise some of the lower priced activities as repeats from one of our previous blogs – 17 Things to do for Under R30 in PE . That was the initial inspiration for this post, written in 2017 – it needed a bit of updating and as its almost 2020, I thought that 20 things to do would be a great challenge to tackle.
Yours in travel
All rates quoted are valid as at December 2019
Your guide on “Nelson Mandela Bay’s Top 20 Outdoor Adventure Activities” is a captivating and comprehensive resource that showcases the thrilling array of outdoor adventures in the region. The way you’ve curated and described each activity is not just informative but also paints a vivid picture of the excitement and beauty awaiting adventure enthusiasts in Nelson Mandela Bay.
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