Nature Reserves
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Kleinpoort Koffylaagte Game Reserve is a pristine and historic private reserve conveniently situated 130 km from Port Elizabeth. The reserve is named for its colourful history as the resting place of the early settler traders who travelled between the vicinity and what is now known as Nelson Mandela Bay.
The original 1870s farmhouse enjoys spectacular views of the landscape, heightened by the lonesome old ox-wagon, a remnant of the early pioneering days.
Dedicated to wildlife management and breeding programmes, the land has been stripped of residues from its early farming days and converted back to its magnificent fauna and flora. Today Koffylaagte is a serene place where you can rest your mind, body and soul.
The reserve is home to abundant wildlife including buffalo, giraffe, zebra, some 22 species of South African antelope, warthog, bush pig, mongoose, fox, and porcupine, jackal, meerkat, baboon and vervet monkey.
The birdlife is prolific and it’s not uncommon to spot the majestic black eagle and other birds of prey. The spectacular Karoo flora resembles a natural succulent garden with aloes, euphorbia, spekboom, rare cycads and Elephant’s Foot.
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Things to do near
Darlington Dam
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Nature Reserves
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Kleinpoort (24.5 km from Darlington Dam) Koffylaagte Game Reserve is a pristine and historic private reserve conveniently situated 130 km from Port Elizabeth. The reserve is named for its colourful history as the resting place of the early settler traders who travelled between the vicinity and what is now known as Nelson Mandela Bay.
The original 1870s farmhouse enjoys spectacular views of the landscape, heightened by the lonesome old ox-wagon, a remnant of the early pioneering days.
Dedicated to wildlife management and breeding programmes, the land has been stripped of residues from its early farming days and converted back to its magnificent fauna and flora. Today Koffylaagte is a serene place where you can rest your mind, body and soul.
The reserve is home to abundant wildlife including buffalo, giraffe, zebra, some 22 species of South African antelope, warthog, bush pig, mongoose, fox, and porcupine, jackal, meerkat, baboon and vervet monkey.
The birdlife is prolific and it’s not uncommon to spot the majestic black eagle and other birds of prey. The spectacular Karoo flora resembles a natural succulent garden with aloes, euphorbia, spekboom, rare cycads and Elephant’s Foot.
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Nature Reserves
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Addo (37.5 km from Darlington Dam) Discover the magic of the Karoo with a unique wilderness experience at the exclusive 5-Star Blaauwbosch Private Game Reserve.
Bordering the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape, the reserve offers malaria-free wildlife viewing of a wide variety of game.
Professional rangers will introduce you to lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, antelope, abundant birdlife and rare flora on interesting game drives.
An awesome thing to do is go on a walking safari to shadow cheetah as they prowl for their prey.
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Animal Parks
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Kirkwood (39.5 km from Darlington Dam) Be enchanted by the Harley-Davidson purr and graceful moves of the spotted felines at the Daniell Cheetah Breeding Project.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience offers an interesting, personalised tour and the chance to interact with the cheetah. Visitors are encouraged to touch the cats and have photographs taken with a few of them.
Established in 2001, the project started with only three cats and has grown in leaps and bounds. The maintenance of pure genetic lines and public awareness of the importance of conserving this amazing species is the chief focus.
The Cheetah Walk experience costs R150 and includes a slice of cake and beverage at the Padstal. Walks need to be booked at least two days in advance. Children 12 years of age and older are allowed to participate.
Open seven days a week, the Daniell Cheetah Breeding Project can be found on the R75 National Highway 80 kilometres from Port Elizabeth Airport. On site is The Padstal offering light meals, refreshments and a gift shop.
+27 (0) 42 2320 539
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Nature Reserves
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Somerset East (66.2 km from Darlington Dam) Home to an abundance of wildlife, the Kamala Private Game Reserve offers an attractive safari experience in an area of extraordinary beauty in the Eastern Cape.
Visitors can choose from a mild to wild range of activities ranging from horse trails to zip slides over the gorge.
The diversity of animal, bird and plant life as well as the stunning scenic variety all contributes to an unforgettable experience.
Of course you can also kick back, enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing and luxuriate in the peace and tranquillity of this malaria-free, temperate environment.
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Nature Reserves
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Somerset East (68.4 km from Darlington Dam) Set on the southern slopes of the Bosberg Mountains, the Bosberg Nature Reserve is a popular destination for hikers.
The densely-wooded nature reserve looms over the lovely dorp of Somerset East. The forest is characterised by lofty Outeniqua yellowwood, white stinkwood, Eastern Cape cabbage trees, wild peach and wild olive trees. Offsetting the forested area are the grassy plains of the Dohne sourveld as well as Karoo succulents and mountain fynbos.
Wildlife you might encounter includes zebra, bushbuck, bush pig, baboon, rock hyrax, Vervet monkey, tortoises, frogs, snakes and lizards. Look out for the Knysna turaco flitting among the treetops. With more than 80 species of birds recorded in the reserve, twitchers have much to get excited about, particularly during summer or spring.
Hikers usually take on the fairly strenuous two-day Bosberg Trail. There is also the far less intense option of the Bestershoek Trail and sedate strolls to the viewpoints over Somerset East.
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Animal Parks
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Addo Elephant National Park (71.3 km from Darlington Dam) Cuddle a snake, count all 64 teeth of a Nile crocodile and get up close to a sky predator.
Emphatically not a zoo, the Addo Raptor and Reptile Centre is a rehabilitation and education facility providing a home and veterinary care for rescued birds of prey and reptiles.
Daily live shows and guided tours allow visitors to come face to face with the venomous Cape Cobra and numerous other deadly African snakes.
A large component of their work is educating authorities, the public, retailers and young folk. The focus is to create a better understanding and awareness of these misunderstood and largely misaligned creatures.
Some of the animals and birds were rescued from the pet trade or are injured and not able to be returned to the wild. Others are sourced from reputable reptile breeders.
+27 (0) 82 332 3499
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 - 18:00
Feeding tours: Tuesday to Sunday 18:00 (bookings are essential).
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Big Event Venues
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West End (PE) (88.9 km from Darlington Dam) Varsvlei Commonage is the venue for the annual Northern Arts Festival. This unique event celebrates the heritage and culture of Nelson Mandela Bay and the broader Eastern Cape. Growing bigger and better every year, organizers focus on keeping it fun as well as bridging the divide between community development and the arts.
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Beaches
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Maitlands (92.2 km from Darlington Dam) At the mouth of the Maitland River lies a magnificent bathing beach backed by huge sand dunes stretching for about 5 km West from Beachview to beyond Blue Water Bay.
Kids love the dunes for tobogganing and sand boarding. Maitland River Beach is ideal for leisurely strolls along the waters edge where you can collect sand mussels.
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Animal Parks
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Seaview (95 km from Darlington Dam) Situated just 25 kilometres from the Port Elizabeth beachfront and associated attractions, Seaview Game and Lion Park offers a unique experience. Visitors can play with tame lion cubs varying in age from four to nine months depending on the time of year.
Along with this rare interaction, guests can have a close-up viewing experience of wildlife such as giraffe, zebra, antelope, jackals and wildebeest in their natural habitat. Lynx, warthogs and meerkat live in large, individual enclosures in the sanctuary area.
Enjoy lunch or afternoon tea in the restaurant taking in the panoramic views of the wildlife to the north and ocean to the south. Whales and dolphins can often be spotted from this vantage point.
From the restaurant there is an elevated boardwalk where you can view the animals at close quarters.
Open daily 08:00 – 17:00
Lion feeding time is on Sunday at 12:00
+27 (0) 41 378 1702
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Galleries and Museums
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New Brighton (95.5 km from Darlington Dam) A symbol of our freedom and unconventional in terms of museum design, the Red Location Museum is definitely worth a visit.
Red Location is one of the oldest townships of Nelson Mandela Bay, named for the corrugated iron barrack buildings which have rusted to a deep red. Many famous political and cultural leaders lived in Red Location and a number of significant ‘struggle’ events occurred during Apartheid.
Museum visitors are treated as active participants rather than consumers. The past is represented as a set of memories, disconnected yet bound together by themes using the concept of the Memory Box. This was inspired by the boxes that migrant labourers used for storing their precious possessions when separated from their families.
Red Location also draws together the strands of struggle that commemorate the efforts by different groups to free themselves.
The museum complex includes an art gallery, market, a creative arts centre, library, adult literacy centre and a conference venue.
Corner Olof Palme and Singaphi Streets, New Brighton
+27 (0)41 408 8400
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday 10:00 - 16:00
Saturday at Sunday 09:00 - 15:00.
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Animal Parks
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Kragga Kamma (97.6 km from Darlington Dam) At Kragga Kamma Game Park just outside Port Elizabeth all the animals roam freely in natural surroundings. This owner-operated park allows no hunting or other disturbances and that means you can always get close-up views and great photo opportunities of the animals.Lush coastal bush and grassland is home to vast herds of African wildlife including white rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, nyala, bontebok, impala and many more species.Knysna loeries are plentiful and more than 200 species of wild birds and waterfowl have been documented.The Kragga Kamma Game Park is open every day from 08:00 to 17:00 for entry. Gates are locked at 19:00 in summer and 18:00 (from 1 April) in winter.Visitors are welcome to drive around on the well-maintained roads in their own vehicle or opt for a two hour game drive with a professional guide.Also on offer is an up-close interaction with Duma, the tame cheetah. Duma's pen is situated at The Bush Café, which serves light meals and beverages.Bush Café: +27 (0)41 379 5646
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Beaches
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Colchester (98.3 km from Darlington Dam) The estuary of the incredibly scenic Sundays River with its spectacular sand dunes and views of Algoa Bay is a knock out! Situated at the southern boundary of the Addo Elephant National Park, the Sundays River Mouth is calm and peaceful and offers a relaxing and memorable experience. The beach is exquisite - totally pristine with some of the highest dunefields in South Africa.If you're visiting this area a wonderful thing to do is go cruising on The Sundays River Ferry. The double decker ferry features a raised viewing deck which is a great place from which to watch the bird life along the river banks and game in the bush. Contact Les Kingma to book a cruise on 041 4680945 or 082 4654391.
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Shopping Malls
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Greenacres (98.8 km from Darlington Dam) Greenacres Shopping Centre is situated in the heart of Port Elizabeth, the economic hub of the Eastern Cape. This trendy shopping mecca forms part of a one-kilometre complex that entices visitors from afar to indulge in retail therapy.
Two choices in parking facilities are on offer. There is an outdoor parking space and a three-level parking facility with over 1000 parking bays situated on the Northern side of the building. Two levels of this facility are undercover, while the rooftop is open.
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 09:00 – 18:00
Friday 09:00 – 19:00
Saturday 08:30 – 17:00
Sunday and Public Holidays 09:00 – 14:00
Selected tenants and food outlets trade longer hours for your convenience.
Banking Hours:
Nedbank Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:00
Saturday 08:30 – 12:00
First National Bank Monday to Friday 09:00 – 15:30
Saturday 08:30 – 11:00
Rennies Foreign Exchange Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:30
Saturday 08:30 – 12:00.
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Sports Stadiums Clubs
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North End (98.9 km from Darlington Dam) Situated on the North End Lake which is an idyllic setting for match days, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is the Eastern Cape's first dedicated football stadium.
Features include a three-tier design with two rings of skyboxes. Five first-round, one second-round, one quarter-final, and the third-place play-off 2010 FIFA World Cup matches kicked off here.
The football crazy Port Elizabeth / Nelson Mandela Bay and Eastern Cape residents are the beneficiaries of this brand new futuristic multi-purpose stadium with seating for 50 000 spectators. It is conveniently located near the N2 highway, just a few kilometres from the coast and the port of Coega.
In close proximity to Port Elizabeth / Nelson Mandela Bay is the Addo Elephant National Park and two of South Africa's award winning private game reserves and lodges - Shamwari Game Reserve and Bushman Sands Hotel (featuring a world-class Gary Player designed golf course) along with many other accommodation options. Called the "Friendly City" for good reason, Port Elizabeth offers a number of stunning beach options.
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Golf Courses
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Mill Park (99.9 km from Darlington Dam) Founded in 1890, the Port Elizabeth Golf Club is one of the oldest in South Africa. Over 100 years later many of the holes still have the same routing!
Today the 6121 metre layout features significant changes including bent grass greens, 25 strategically placed bunkers, and two nines of par 36 for a total par of 72.
Well established trees, palm trees, strelitzias and lush plantings line the fairways. The two signature holes, the 8th and 17th holes, feature distinctive water features.
The vibrant club house offers multi-functional lounges, bars and modern change room facilities with a sauna.
+27 (0) 41 374 3140
bookings@pegolf.co.za
Westview Drive, Mill Park, Port Elizabeth
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