With two new projects having recently launched in South Africa and both being situated around Port Elizabeth, we thought you may be wondering what there is to get up to in the area during your free time. When you’re not out on exciting game drives or executing heroic wildlife conservation activities, you may want to take a step back and consume the wealth of culture that surrounds you in this beautiful and vibrant country.
South Africa is a fascinating place, teeming with a rainbow of biodiversity you would never have associated with the stereotypical image of African bushlands. The nation has its fair share of history just waiting to be discovered too, so check out our list below of some things you may want to consider getting up to during your free time on your volunteering project!
Please bear in mind though, trips and excursions during your free time will come at your own expense and will need to be booked in advance. You can speak to your in-country team about the best way in which to do this upon arrival at your chosen project.
The Ancient Cannon Of The Wreck Of Sacramento
In 1647, a Portuguese ship named the Sacramento was destroyed after she collided into Schoenmakerskop outside of Port Elizabeth during a stint of bad weather. The 72 survivors undertook a perilous 1400 KM journey to a Mozambique port, where they hoped to gain passage back home. The countless cannons from the shipwreck lay uninterrupted for over 300 years until they were recovered in 1997, and one of the original Sacramento guns stands at a point on Schoenmakerskop, ominously pointing in the direction of where its carrier met her fate, readily available for tourists to visit!
The Beaches
South Africa is renowned for its golden beaches and glistening waters, so why not take to waves for a surf, or kick up some Port Elizabeth sand and take a horseback ride along the beach? You can spend time relaxing in the sun and surround yourself in true South African culture in the bustling towns that thrive just a stone’s throw away!
Bayworld
Bayworld is a cultural and natural history museum that is even equipped with a snake park and oceanarium. The organisation operates with the aim of spreading awareness of the importance of conserving the natural and cultural heritage of South Africa and even features the bones of dinosaurs and the last southern right whale to be harpooned in Port Elizabeth. This fascinating museum is based within the Port Elizabeth beach front, and definitely worth a visit if time and money permit!
Addo Elephant National Park
As the third largest national park in South Africa, this exciting reserve is teeming with abundant biodiversity and boasts the best elephant viewing opportunities in the country. A range of activities can be carried out as you explore these vast African lands, ranging from safari drives, hiking and horseback riding! Here you will get a true taste of the seemingly endless extent of the mesmerising flora and fauna that can be found in South Africa, whilst ticking off the animal sightings on your bucket list as you go!
Visit the South African Marine Rehabilitation And Education Centre
Another humbling organisation with conservation at the forefront of their ethos, this centre focuses on rescuing dehydrated, tired and injured marine birdlife that get stranded on South African shores. While their priority species is the African Penguin, they have a fully established education program with a purpose of educating schools, tourists and members of the public about the importance of wildlife conservation. The centre is open to visitors so it is definitely worth while squeezing a trip here during your stay in South Africa!
These are only some of the amazing things you can get up to around Port Elizabeth, but if you have any other suggestions please let us know in the comments below and we will add them to an updates list!
