Things to Do in Stutterheim

The challenging six-day Amatola Hiking Trail traverses the Amatola Mountains through the most breath-taking landscape imaginable. The route rambles between indigenous forests and glades, grasslands and pine plantations. The trail starts at Maden Dam near King Williams Town and finishes at Tyume Forest station three km from Hogsback. The lovely little village of Hogsback is an ideal base and all that’s needed is an arranged transfer to the start of the trail. Most of the route passes through ancient indigenous rainforest with towering Outeniqua yellowwood, sneezewood, wild olive and lemonwood. Colourful fungi, orchids, watsonias, falling stars, and red hot pokers contribute to the enchanting forest scenes. Hikers have no shortage of cascading waterfalls and swimming pools to cool off in. Parts of the trail are steep and strenuous but the effort is rewarded by the magnificent views alone! The Amatola Mountain range is home to leopard, bushbuck, duiker, porcupines, bush pig, otters, baboons, and Samango and vervet monkeys. Birds you might see include Knysna turaco, Cape parrot, Cape sugarbird, crowned eagle, barbet, woodpecker, flycatcher, robin and black eagle. Look out for the giant earthworms! Overnight huts with bunks and mattresses, braai facilities, firewood, water and toilets are provided. The weather is extremely variable at all times of year and hikers need to be well-equipped for rain, snow and very hot weather. Not recommended for unfit hikers.

Get up close and personal to predators including white lions and two Bengal tigers! The Lion Park is situated on the Stutterheim road about nine kilometres outside Beacon Bay and is a super outing for young and old. Take apples and carrots for the touch farm – the kids will love feeding the animals. Pack a picnic or grab refreshments at the tearoom and spend the whole day there.

The gateway to the Wild Coast and East London's top entertainment destination, Hemingways Casino Resort has much to offer. Visitors can opt for an exhilarating gaming experience with more than 380 slots to choose from. Table game aficionados can try their luck at the Blackjack, Poker or Roulette tables. Hemingways ultra-exclusive Salon Prive is situated just off the main casino floor, catering for VIP players who wish to play higher stakes slots or table games. The decor is straight out of the 1920s, creating an air of opulence and elegance mixed with comfort and a relaxed vibe. The Salon Prive's luxurious features ensure privacy and security for players. The area includes private restrooms, a bar and gaming space with specialised staff to cater for every player’s needs. +27 (0) 43 707 7777 Cnr Western Avenue and Two Rivers Drive.

Hemingways Mall is expediently situated off the N2 Highway running to PE and Mthatha at the corner of Western Avenue and Two Rivers Drive. The lively mall offers a wide range of entertainment and a specially designed amphitheatre where guests can enjoy fashion and music shows. Over 200 stores include clothing shops, jewellery stores, stationers, restaurants and coffee shops, movies, home, decor, interior and furniture, hair and beauty salons, banking and finance, health, optometrists, audio visual equipment, electronics and music. Anchor tenants include Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Edgars, Fashion TV, Capello's, KFC, Primi Piatti and more. Opening hours: Monday to Thursdays 09:00 – 18:00 Friday 09:00 – 19:00 Saturday 09:00 – 18:00 Sunday and Public Holidays 09:00 – 16:00 Public Holidays 09:00 – 18:00.

This up market night club widely regarded as one of the top venues in East London. Ccatering for the youngsters on friday nights and over 30's on a saturday nights. The dance floor and lighting is stunning and the music is totally awesome.Numbers Dance Club has introduced numerous original concept parties and music theme nights in addition to bringing many top local and international DJs, radio presenters, music groups, comedians and cabaret shows to East London. If you want to enjoy all the best events in a safe environment, Numbers Dance Club is the place to be.

Send your kids to Jonginenge Eco Adventures for an action-packed day while you take a much-needed break. The Jonginenge team will keep the children busy with exciting activities at Nahoon Beach. Trained lifeguards give surfing lessons and provide other beach-based action ranging from sand boarding to paddling, snorkeling to fishing and environmental appreciation. 083 305 2590 / 083 565 0514 www.jonginenge.co.za

Have you ever checked out a coelacanth? The East London Museum’s claim to fame came in 1938 when this funky fish with limb-like fins was caught in the Chalumna River. Believed to have become extinct more than 50 million years ago, there are now between 200 and 300 of these ‘prehistoric’ fish near the Comoro Islands in the Indian Ocean. The type specimen on display had presumably been carried down to East London by the current. Other treasures to see are a large fossil reptile skull with skeleton and trace-fossil footprints dated back to 120 000 years ago – the earliest evidence of homosapiens in Africa! Also on display are a dodo’s egg, live beehive and numerous specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Cultural collections include an informative display of maritime history of the area and a vast collection of beadwork that reflects the creativity of the Xhosa-speaking people. Where? 319 Oxford Street, East London Monday to Thursday 9:30 – 16:30 Friday 9:30 – 16:00 Saturday 10:00 – 13:00 Sunday & Public Holidays 10:00 – 15:00 Closed on Christmas Day.

East London's main cricket ground is Buffalo Park, home turf of the Warriors cricket squad. With a seating capacity of 20 000, it is a regular venue for One Day Internationals and hosted one Test match in 2002.

Set on fairways steeped in history, the top-rated East London Golf Course is regarded as a delightful playing experience on a course every golfer should play. Many champions have walked the fairways and teed off in South Africa’s Championship Tournaments here. East London Golf Club hosted the SA Open six times and is a regular home for National and Regional Championships, Seniors and Nomads Tournaments. East London Golf Club is one of the oldest and most established golf clubs in the country. The traditional course layout is set amongst undulating hills, dunes and coastal indigenous scrubland. It combines both links and parkland features. A family of impala are resident on the course and you can soften spot Knysna loeries and many other species of birds.

Nahoon Beach is part of the pristine Buffalo City coastline that encompasses secluded beaches and an estuary offering mild to wild experiences. Perfect for simply soaking up the sun or extreme big wave surfing, kite surfing, short hikes and fly fishing in the estuary. Join the team at Jonginenge Eco Education, or call a surf school and learn to catch the waves at this legendary spot.

Not only is Bonza Bay Beach pristine and stunningly beautiful, it has really great rock and surf fishing spots. A tidal river runs to it!

Home to rare white lions and the Big Five, Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve offers a delightful safari experience in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. Inkwenkwezi, the Xhosa word for 'under the stars', offers an unforgettable wilderness adventure with amazing options such as elephant-back walks, hiking, horseback and quad-bike trails guided by experienced rangers as well as stunning beaches to explore. Along with lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant, the reserve has cheetah, numerous antelope, giraffe, zebra, other predators and prolific birdlife. Inkwenkwezi is also popular with couples wanting to tie the knot in a romantic but easily accessible game reserve. It’s just a five-minute drive from awesome beaches and a 40-minute drive from East London Airport. Getting there by car is easy as the roads are tarred right to the entrance gates.

One of South Africa's Blue Flag beaches, Gonubie Beach is one of the best secrets of the Sunshine Coast. Access to this beach is along a 500 meter long raised boardwalk leading down to a beautiful tidal pool. The boardwalk is a fantastic lookout spot for watching dolphins and whales as well as surfers and windsurfers. Gonubie lagoon is popular with families, providing kids with many hours of fascinating exploration as they discover small fish, shells and other marine creatures. Situated only eight kilometers from East London, the coastal village of Gonubie is often considered to be a suburb of the city. But the chilled vibe and awesome scenery of Gonubie belies this. Lying on the estuary of the Gonubie River and enjoying a wonderful climate, Gonubie is a small piece of paradise on the Eastern Cape Coast.

Beach walk on the wild side – tread the sandy routes and rocky footpaths of the Khoikhoi and shipwreck castaways. The five-day Strandloper Trail treats hikers to a subtropical carefree meander through incredibly scenic rocky shores, sandy beaches, grasslands and coastal scrubland. Starting at the Strandloper Ecotourism Centre at Cape Morgan, the southbound paths eventually reach Gonubie on the last day. Endless wave-washed seascapes, interesting tidal pools, unspoiled river estuaries, cool forests and golden sand dunes characterise this varied route. Some sections of the trail offer lovely snorkelling in the gullies. Hungry hikers can grab a hearty pub meal and drink at various hotels and pubs along the way. Overnight huts all have ablution facilities. There are also braai facilities with the exception of the Cape Henderson hut where no fires are allowed. +27 (0) 43 841 1046

The spectacular Great Fish River Reserve lies in the Great Fish River valley between Grahamstown and Fort Beaufort and extends all the way to the Kieskama River. This malaria-free destination is still pretty much off the major tourist radar, offering visitors an awesome wilderness experience. The typical Eastern Cape succulent bushveld and rocky terrain provides the prefect habitat for black rhino, Cape buffalo, kudu and hippo. Not only is it a haven for all shapes and sizes of wildlife, the reserve has several historical sites and offers outstanding safari and wildlife adventures. Visitors can choose numberous ways to experience this rugged wilderness including exciting walking and hiking trails, day and night game drives, picnics on the riverbanks, bird watching trips, birding from a waterside bird hide and visits to the fabulous Adam Krantz viewpoint.