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South Africa, Maverick Life, DM168

On a road trip from Cape Town to the Wild Coast - my eyes open to South Africa’s beauty and its complexities

On a road trip from Cape Town to the Wild Coast - my eyes open to South Africa’s beauty and its complexities
Bulungula, Eastern Cape. 24 August 2022. Photo: Anna Southwell.
Anna Southwell
By Anna Southwell
18 Sep 2022
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On a road trip from Cape Town to the Wild Coast, young Americans discover a country of fun and breathtaking splendour – but also one of inequality, with a difficult history that lingers.

My first time experiencing South Africa as an American tourist was by road trip along the Garden Route – and it was a whirlwind of mini-adventures and important realisations.

On day one, I piled into a minibus with my stuffed hiking backpack along with all 14  US colleagues. We had just moved to Cape Town from North Carolina for four months to take up internships and to study, so we dedicated a week to exploring the country before we began ­working.

Ready to roll early in the morning, we kicked off the trip by visiting the Long March to Freedom exhibition about the Struggle era as we were leaving the city. It was eye-opening to walk among the sombre collection of bronze sculptures beneath the dominating presence of Table Mountain.

We followed an informative guided history tour and walked along the rows of statues. Long March to Freedom exhibition, Cape Town. 20 August 2022. Photo: Benjamin Bramson



The site’s guided chronological history tour set the tone that lingered for the rest of our sightseeing trip – there was much more for us to understand about the dark history of oppression and apartheid in South Africa.

Later in the morning, we hit the N1 and joined the scenic R62 at Worcester. Driving on the opposite side of the road felt strange, but I was soon distracted by the views. As we passed through Ashton and Montagu, our eyes were glued to the windows, in awe of the grand mountain backdrops and expansive vineyards. The bus was quiet as we absorbed the scenery.

We stopped for lunch in rural Barrydale at a vintage diner and motel called Diesel & Crème, where I ordered their famous milkshake (claimed to be “the best milkshake in South Africa” on TripAdvisor). It lived up to the high praise.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Road tripping and Karoo dreaming”

We pulled over at various lookout points along the highway and eventually joined the N2 (Garden Route) at Heidelberg. Another few hours passed in the bus and we made it to our first stop, Knysna, by nightfall.

Stop 1: Knysna


The silence of this quaint coastal town with sweeping cliffside views of the Indian Ocean was peaceful and comforting. But our afternoon became chaotic as we packed multiple sights into our single day there. I recommend staying longer.  

Our first sight was the Knysna Elephant Park, where we fed elephants, touched them and walked alongside them. It was both joyful and heartbreaking as we learnt from Jowell Mambobo – a park ranger from Zimbabwe who has worked with elephants for 22 years – about the harsh realities elephants face.

(Tip: Knysna Elephant Park is one of the only locations in the world where you can get up close and personal with African elephants, unlike sites such as the Addo Elephant Park and Kruger National Park.)

Knysna Elephant Park Ranger Jowell Mambobo  (left) monitors the elephants gathered at the wooden post. 21 August 2022. Photo: Anna Southwell



About 45 minutes outside Knysna, in Plettenberg Bay, we visited Birds of Eden, the world’s largest free-flight aviary and bird sanctuary. We marvelled at the birds, including parrots, scarlet ibises and flamingos.

Our third sight was the most exciting moment of our trip: Bloukrans Bridge Bungee, one of the world’s highest bungee jumping sites with a 216m drop off the tallest bridge in Africa. Though I didn’t take the plunge, I opted for the “skywalk”, which allowed me to walk the net underneath the bridge and watch some of my colleagues jump off. That in itself was enough of a thrill.

More up my alley, we ended the day on another fun note with zip-lining at Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours during sunset.

Stop 2: Storms River


Storms River is another idyllic town with a mountain as the backdrop, where we stayed one night at the local village inn.

We woke up early to take a short hike through the forest outside the town using the AllTrails app. Afterwards, we visited what was easily the most picturesque location I’ve ever seen – the Storms River Mouth suspension bridge.

My colleagues took the plunge at Bloukrans Bridge Bungee while I watched from the "skywalk" underneath the bridge. 21 August 2022. Photo: Anna Southwell



Stop 3: Addo


Arriving at Addo Elephant National Park, we went on an afternoon game drive. We found elephants crossing the road and drove up next to them, but, unlike in Knysna, we could not leave the vehicle without frightening them. We also spotted zebra, kudu and buffalo.

Zebras spotted at the Addo Elephant National Park. 23 August 2022. Photo: Anna Southwell


Stop 4: Makhanda


When we made it to Makhanda (previously known as Grahamstown), we switched gears from excitement to heavy contemplation.

Makhanda. (Photo: Flickr)



The main site is the 1820 Settlers National Monument that sits atop the hill. The persisting celebration of colonialism and English settlement caught us off guard. Walking around the museum was eerie: it was empty, the artwork is mostly of white colonial figures, and it overlooks a town in which the majority of the population is black. This didn’t sit right with us and opened our eyes to the complexities of this country.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Day trips along the Garden Route”

We found the abrupt way that many South Africans address the issue of race to be jarring. We noticed that it contrasts with the more nuanced, “PC” manner in which Americans often tiptoe around the issue.

Stop 5: Bulungula, Eastern Cape


The next day was a long haul, a nine-hour drive to a remote town called Bulungula on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape.

(Tip: Use a 4x4 on the bumpy and rocky dirt roads of this area. Using a minibus was tumultuous and added hours to the drive.)

Bulungula. (Photo: Bulungula Lodge)



Cows on the beach. (Photo: Bulungula Lodge)



Bulungula, Eastern Cape. 24 August 2022. Photo: Anna Southwell.



We reached our lodge next to the ocean late at night, and the stars were the brightest I had ever seen. We slept in rondavels and had no phone reception. The three-day break from technology was a breath of fresh air.

We swam in the Indian Ocean. The locals spent time with us by the campfire every night, teaching us to play the drums and sound out greetings in isiXhosa. We spent time with children at the schools and helped them with their maths homework.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Road trip to Botswana: Cowbells, expanse and splendour”

A sign of my privilege, it was startling to witness the impoverished communities in the area. Being in a place with a serious water shortage, regular load shedding and such limited infrastructure that children walk 20km to school, was a first for me. I reflected deeply about how I could respectfully contribute in a manner that is positive, rather than detrimental. We all agreed that we will treasure our time in Bulungula.

On our last day, we drove to King Phalo Airport and flew back to Cape Town.

This road trip showed me first-hand the many ways that South Africa is both an incredibly beautiful and incredibly complex place. And now that I am living in Cape Town, I know that I have so much more to see and learn. DM168

Anna Southwell is in South Africa on an internship with Daily Maverick as part of a group from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

HOLIDAY GUIDE CONTACTS


Bus Company


African End Tourism, African End House ,9 Chavonne Drive, Welgemoed, Phone: 021 913 3837

Cape Town


Long March to Freedom exhibition, Century City, Cape Town, Phone: 082 899 2958

Garden Route


Knysna Manor Hotel, 19 Fitchat Street, Knysna, Phone: 044 382 5440.

Knysna Elephant Park, Just off the N2 between Knysna and ­Plettenberg Bay, Phone: 044 532 7732

Storms River & Tsitsikamma: The Village Lodge Storms River, 40 Darnell Street, Storms River. Phone: 042 281 1438

Birds of Eden - Portion 11 & 12 of Kirbywood Farm Animal Alley, The Crags, Plettenberg Bay. Phone: 044 534 8906

Bloukrans Bridge Bungee - Bloukrans River Bridge, Tsitsikamma, Plettenberg Bay Phone: 042 281 1458

Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours 101 Darnell St, Storms River Phone: 042 281 1836

Addo


Avoca River Cabins Hereford Way, Addo Phone: 082 677 9920

Addo Elephant National ParkPhone: 042 233 8600

Makhanda


The Cock House, 10 Market St, Makhanda Phone: 046 636 1287

1820 Settlers National Monument Phone: 046 603 1100

Bulungula: Bulungula Eco Lodge Bulungula River Mouth, Nqileni Village, Xhora Mouth Admin Area Phone: 047 577 8900

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25. 

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