Eastern cape information

About Eastern Cape

Home to some of the most striking and geographically diverse coastal and inland countryside known to South Africa, from corner to corner the Eastern Cape showcases unrelenting natural beauty and splendour to local and international travellers that pass through.

From the ancient semi-arid plains and sedimentary koppies of the Karoo, to the persistently exquisite coastline of craggy outcrops of the Wild Coast together with the Algoa Bay beachfronts powdered in gold, subtropical climates of the Eastern Cape are responsible for cultivating lush African wilderness forests, prolific wildlife species and landscapes teeming with indigenous biodiversity.

Alongside the abundant natural wonders, the province is celebrated for a variety of cultural deposits that tell many a tale of the area’s proud people, ancient heritage and cultural traditions still observed today. Giving rise to some of the country’s most ceaseless heroes, the Eastern Cape is also the birth place of fearless leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and Thabo Mbeki. Where visitors can seamlessly combine a seaside escape with an authentic African safari, the Eastern Cape is a favourably malaria free area making it an ideal destination for all types of holiday makers.

1Cover (1)
mtc6

Weather

Where more Mediterranean conditions from the west converge with tropical and subtropical climates coming out of the east, and taking into account the semi-arid desert heat resonating from the Karoo, Eastern Cape climates are shaped by the varied landscapes and topographies of the region.

To the west of the province, temperatures are milder and windier with less humidity than conditions experienced in the east as forecasts see higher rainfall and humidity. The east also enjoys temperature s slightly higher than the western borders but these never become as extreme as other costal or inland areas. While Winter temperatures see a gauge ranging between 7º to 20º C and Summer months enjoy comfortable temperatures of around 16º to 26º C and where rainfall is typically scattered evenly throughout the year with no marked rainy season to predict.

Check out our visitor guide