Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) walking tour & city guide

The bay

Hobie Beach and the Boardwalk are popular for swimming and evening walks. The Donkin Reserve has a lighthouse and a pyramid memorial overlooking the city.

Wildlife

Addo Elephant National Park, about an hour away, has hundreds of elephants. Boat trips in the bay see dolphins and penguins.

A day in Gqeberha

Start at the Donkin Reserve in the old town, where a lighthouse and a stone pyramid stand on a hill overlooking the bay. The pyramid was built by the city's founder, Sir Rufane Donkin, in memory of his late wife Elizabeth. From here, the Route 67 trail leads past colorful public artworks celebrating Nelson Mandela's 67 years of public service.

In the afternoon, head to the beachfront, where Hobie Beach and Kings Beach are popular for swimming and the Boardwalk has shops and restaurants. Sunset along the bay is a peaceful end to the day.

Good to know

Gqeberha, still often called Port Elizabeth or PE, is known as the 'Windy City' and the 'Friendly City'. Its bay has warm water for much of the year and is home to dolphins, whales and the African penguin colony on St Croix Island.

Addo Elephant National Park, less than an hour away, has more than 600 elephants as well as lions, buffalo and black rhinos, and makes an easy self-drive safari. The city is also the start or end of a Garden Route road trip toward Cape Town.