---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Gqeberha, South Africa | Wimup"
description: "The 10 best things to do in Gqeberha, ranked and mapped. Addo safaris, Route 67, Algoa Bay boat trips and the Blue Flag beachfront, plus when to go."
url: https://wimup.com/city/gqeberha
type: City guide
updated: 2026-09-06
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Gqeberha

Gqeberha, South Africa · Africa · By Wimup Editorial, 15 min read

Gqeberha sits on Algoa Bay with three Blue Flag beaches on one side and a malaria-free Big 7 park an hour inland on the other. Below are the ten experiences worth your time, plus the months, fares and bookings to sort before you land.

## Quick answer

The best things to do in Gqeberha are a game drive in Addo Elephant National Park, the Route 67 art walk up to the Donkin Reserve, a boat trip out to the penguins and dolphins of Algoa Bay, and the Blue Flag beachfront between Kings Beach and Hobie. Give the city three days, come between February and April, and hire a car: Addo and the private reserves sit well outside any bus route.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Feb–Apr · Oct–Nov
- **Ideal length:** 3–4 days
- **Budget per day:** $70–110
- **Language:** isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English
- **Getting around:** Car hire & e-hailing
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.nmbt.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Gqeberha

### 1. Drive Addo Elephant National Park

Safari · Addo Main Camp, R335, Addo, Eastern Cape

Founded in 1931 to protect eleven surviving elephants, Addo now holds more than 600 of them, plus the rest of the Big 5 and a marine reserve offshore that makes it a Big 7 park. It is malaria-free, so no prophylactics. Self-drive works, but the guided drives get you out at the hours the gate is shut to cars.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Conservation fee
- **Best at:** First light
- **Tip:** The gate fee is valid for 24 hours

Links: [Website](https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo-elephant?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Walk Route 67 to the Donkin Reserve

Public art · Belmont Terrace, Central, Gqeberha

Sixty-seven artworks by Eastern Cape artists, one for each year Nelson Mandela gave to the freedom struggle, climbing from the Campanile through Vuyisile Mini Square to the hill. At the top: Sir Rufane Donkin's stone pyramid to his wife Elizabeth, the 1861 lighthouse that now holds the tourism office, and the flag.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Start at the Campanile and walk uphill, not down

Links: [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/route_67.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. Take a boat out into Algoa Bay

Boat trip · Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club, Port of Gqeberha

Algoa Bay is a Whale Heritage Area and the resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins move through it in pods of up to 400. Boats run from the harbour past St Croix Island, one of the country's key African penguin breeding colonies. Landings are not permitted, so the colony is viewed from the water.

- **Time:** 3–4 hrs
- **Cost:** Per person
- **Best at:** Jul–Sep for whales
- **Tip:** Take seasickness tablets an hour before boarding

Links: [Website](https://www.raggycharters.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Swim the beachfront from Kings Beach to Hobie

Beach · Beach Road, Humewood to Summerstrand, Gqeberha

Three Blue Flag beaches sit on one continuous strip of warm Indian Ocean: Kings, Humewood and Hobie, with Shark Rock Pier at the Hobie end. The water is calmer and several degrees warmer than anything on the Atlantic side of the country, which is the reason most South Africans come here at all.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Late afternoon
- **Tip:** Swim between the lifeguard flags: the rip at the pier is real

Links: [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/humewood_beach.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Visit Bayworld

Museum · Beach Road, Humewood, Gqeberha

The city's natural and cultural history museum, with a snake park attached and the No. 7 Castle Hill house museum under the same trust. The maritime and Khoisan rooms are the reason to go; the fossil collection from the Eastern Cape coast is stronger than the building lets on.

- **Time:** 1–2 hrs
- **Cost:** Entry fee
- **Best at:** Weekday morning
- **Tip:** It closes earlier than most museums, so go before lunch

Links: [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/bayworld.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Tour SANCCOB at Cape Recife

Wildlife · Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Marine Drive, Gqeberha

The seabird hospital inside the Cape Recife reserve, running a 24-hour rescue service and the only programme in the world that hatches and hand-rears wild-origin African penguin eggs. The species is now listed as critically endangered, which is what makes the half-hour tour worth the detour past the lighthouse.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Donation or tour fee
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Tours leave every half hour, with the last at 15:30

Links: [Website](https://sanccob.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. Watch cricket at St George's Park

Sport · Park Drive, Central, Gqeberha

The oldest Test ground in the country: the match now recognised as South Africa's first Test was played here on 12 March 1889, and the first rugby international followed in 1891. The Victorian park around it holds the Pearson Conservatory and the art museum, so the walk is worth it on a day with no fixture.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Match ticket
- **Best at:** Dec–Feb
- **Tip:** The grass bank is the seat locals pick, not the stands

Links: [Website](https://cricket.co.za/stadium/st-georges-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Hike the Sacramento Trail at Sardinia Bay

Hike · Schoenmakerskop, Gqeberha

Seven kilometres of undeveloped coast between Schoenmakerskop and Sardinia Bay, named for the Portuguese wreck it passes. A salvaged bronze cannon sits near the shore at the Schoenmakerskop end. There is no shade and no water on the route, and the dune field behind it is a nature reserve.

- **Time:** 3 hrs
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Early morning
- **Tip:** Walk it one way and arrange a lift back

Links: [Website](https://cityofgqeberha.co.za/the-sacramento-trail-gqeberha-pe/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 9. Climb the Campanile

Landmark · Strand Street, Central, Gqeberha

Fifty-two metres of brick opened in 1923 to mark the centenary of the 1820 Settlers' landing, on the spot where they came ashore. There are 204 steps to the observation room and a carillon of 23 bells at the top, installed in 1932 and the largest in the country. Route 67 starts at its foot.

- **Time:** 45 mins
- **Cost:** Entry fee
- **Best at:** Late morning
- **Tip:** Check it is open before crossing the ring road

Links: [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/campanile_memorial.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Read the South End Museum

Museum · Corner Walmer Boulevard and Humewood Road, South End, Gqeberha

South End was a mixed working district until apartheid's Group Areas Act had it bulldozed and its residents moved out by race. The museum is built from the photographs, documents and testimony of the people who lived there, and it is the clearest account of what forced removal did to this city.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Donation
- **Best at:** Weekday
- **Tip:** Allow time: the volunteers on duty are often former residents

Links: [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/south_end_museum_trust.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best beaches in Gqeberha (2026)

Three Blue Flag beaches on one strip, and a dune reserve for when you want nobody around.

1. **Kings Beach** (Blue Flag · Free · Humewood): 1.6 km of sand between Humewood and the harbour wall, and the calmest swimming on the strip.
2. **Humewood Beach** (Blue Flag · Free · Humewood): One of the country's longest-running Blue Flag beaches, with lifeguards through the summer season. [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/humewood_beach.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Hobie Beach** (Blue Flag · Free · Summerstrand): Shark Rock Pier, the windsurfers and kitesurfers, and the Boardwalk complex across the road.
4. **Wells Estate Beach** (Free · Bluewater Bay): North of the harbour and in the Blue Flag pilot phase. Quieter than anything on the main strip.
5. **Sardinia Bay** (Nature reserve · Free · Schoenmakerskop): A dune-backed reserve with nothing built behind it. No lifeguards, so swim with care.

## Best safari & game reserves near Gqeberha (2026)

One national park and five private reserves, all inside a two-hour drive of the beachfront.

1. **Addo Elephant National Park** (72 km · Day or overnight · Addo): Over 600 elephants, the Big 5 on land and a marine reserve offshore. Self-drive or book a guided drive. [Website](https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo-elephant?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Shamwari Private Game Reserve** (Private · Overnight · Paterson): About 280 km2 of restored farmland with the Big 5, roughly an hour from the airport. [Website](https://www.shamwari.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Amakhala Game Reserve** (Private · Overnight · Paterson): 72 km2 sharing a boundary with Shamwari, with owner-run lodges and Big 5 drives.
4. **Kariega Game Reserve** (Private · Overnight · Kenton-on-Sea): Family-owned, five lodges, and boat cruises on the Bushmans and Kariega rivers.
5. **Schotia Safaris** (Private · Half day · Paterson): The half-day option next to Addo, ending with dinner cooked in the bush.
6. **Kragga Kamma Game Park** (Half day · Kragga Kamma): The one you can do in a morning: rhino, buffalo and cheetah on the city's western edge.

## Best restaurants in Gqeberha (2026)

Stanley Street in Richmond Hill is the city's restaurant row, and most of this list sits on it.

1. **Ginger the Restaurant** (Contemporary · $$$ · Richmond Hill): Contemporary South African cooking, and the steadiest fine-dining table in the city. [Website](https://www.ginger-restaurant.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Two Olives** (Tapas · $$ · Richmond Hill): Spanish-style tapas at the Stanley Street end of Richmond Hill, built for sharing.
3. **Muse** (Contemporary · $$$ · Richmond Hill): Relaxed fine dining from a chef couple, reworking comfort cooking. Small room, book ahead. [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/muse_restaurant.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Izakaya Arata** (Japanese · $$ · Richmond Hill): Sushi, ramen and small plates on Stanley Street, and the best Japanese kitchen in town.
5. **Nolio Italian Bistro** (Italian · $$ · Richmond Hill): A proper bistro on the corner of Stanley and Moffat. Pizza, pasta and nothing overworked.
6. **Cubata** (Portuguese · $$ · Sydenham): Portuguese grills and peri-peri chicken in Sydenham. A local fixture rather than a discovery.

## Best bars & cafes in Gqeberha (2026)

Two breweries, a speakeasy that takes bookings only, and the bakery the city queues at.

1. **Bridge Street Brewery** (Brewery · Baakens Valley): House beer in the Baakens Valley, in the restored mill buildings below the city centre.
2. **Richmond Hill Brewing Company** (Brewery · Richmond Hill): A courtyard taproom pouring its own ales, among them the Two Rand Man Irish red.
3. **Nineteen33** (Cocktails · Fairview): A 1920s-styled speakeasy off William Moffett. Reservation only, and it means it. [Website](https://www.nineteen33.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Bocadillos Restaurant & Bakery** (Bakery & cafe · Central): Bakery and all-day kitchen in the Lemon Tree complex, and the default breakfast stop.

## Best museums & history in Gqeberha (2026)

A settler cottage, a 1799 fort and the art museum in the middle of St George's Park.

1. **Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum** (Art museum · Central): Opened in 1956 as the King George VI Art Gallery and renamed in 2002. South African work, in St George's Park. [Website](https://www.artmuseum.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **No. 7 Castle Hill** (House museum · Central): An 1820s settler cottage furnished as a mid-Victorian family home, and one of the oldest buildings left standing. [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/7_castle_hill_historical_museum.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Fort Frederick** (Landmark · Central): The 1799 stone fort above the Baakens Valley, built two decades before the settlers landed.
4. **The Donkin Heritage Trail** (Walking trail · Central): A marked walk linking the City Hall, the Feather Market Centre and the Victorian terraces of Central. [Website](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/donkin_reserve_pyramid_and_lighthouse.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best neighborhoods in Gqeberha (2026)

The beachfront for swimming, Richmond Hill for eating, Central for the history.

1. **Summerstrand** (Beachfront · East): The beachfront suburb: hotels, Hobie Beach, the Boardwalk and the university, all walkable.
2. **Humewood** (Beachfront · East): Quieter than Summerstrand and closer to Kings Beach and Bayworld. Family territory.
3. **Richmond Hill** (Eating and drinking · Inner city): Victorian terraces on the hill above the centre, and the eating and drinking quarter on Stanley Street.
4. **Central** (Historic core · City centre): The oldest streets, plus Route 67, the Donkin and the Campanile. Walk it by day.

## Best day trips from Gqeberha (2026)

Surf, forest and dune, all reachable and back inside a day on the N2.

1. **Jeffreys Bay** (About 1 hr west · Kouga): The right-hand point break at Supertubes, and the surf industry that grew up around it. [Website](https://www.jeffreysbaytourism.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **St Francis Bay** (About 90 mins west · Kouga): Thatched white houses on canals, the Seal Point lighthouse and the calmest water on this coast.
3. **Storms River and Tsitsikamma** (About 2 hrs west · Garden Route): The forest end of the Garden Route: the suspension bridge at Storms River Mouth and the canopy walks.
4. **Sundays River dunes** (About 45 mins east · Colchester): Sandboarding and river cruises at Colchester, on the edge of the Alexandria dune field.
5. **Makhanda** (About 90 mins northeast · Sarah Baartman): A university town northeast on the N2, and home of the National Arts Festival each winter.
6. **Kirkwood** (About 1 hr north · Sundays River Valley): Citrus country up the Sundays River valley, and the base for Addo's western gates.

## Festivals & annual events in Gqeberha (2026)

- **Herald Cycle Tour** (Feb): Road races of 105 km and 46 km, starting and finishing at Pollok Beach in Summerstrand.
- **Nelson Mandela Bay Splash Festival** (Easter): Four days of watersports, food stalls and live music on Hobie Beach over the long weekend.
- **Ironman African Championship** (Apr): A full-distance triathlon that swims off the beachfront and runs back along Marine Drive.
- **SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees** (Late Jun): A game and food festival in the citrus town of Kirkwood, an hour up the Sundays River valley.
- **National Arts Festival** (Late Jun to early Jul): The largest arts festival on the continent, in Makhanda, about 90 minutes northeast on the N2.
- **Whale season in Algoa Bay** (Jul–Sep): Southern rights calve in the bay through winter, with humpbacks passing from June to December.
- **Cricket at St George's Park** (Dec–Feb): The international and SA20 season at the oldest Test ground in the country.
- **Summer on the beachfront** (Mid-Dec to early Jan): Kings Beach and Hobie fill with the national holiday crowd. Book beds and cars months out.

## Must-try dishes in Gqeberha, South Africa

- **Umngqusho**: Samp and beans slow-cooked to a risotto texture, and the Xhosa kitchen's staple plate.
- **Umleqwa**: Free-range farm chicken simmered long in its own gravy, usually alongside umngqusho.
- **Chokka**: Squid landed off this coast, grilled or fried. The fishery runs out of St Francis Bay.
- **Bobotie**: Spiced mince under a set egg custard, the dish most often called the national plate.
- **Chakalaka**: A spiced vegetable relish, served cold beside pap, bread or a plate off the braai.
- **Boerewors**: Coriander-heavy farm sausage, coiled on the coals and served in a roll.
- **Vetkoek**: Fried dough split and filled with curried mince. The cheapest good lunch in the city.
- **Malva pudding**: Warm apricot sponge soaked in cream, and the default South African dessert.

## Gqeberha transport & airports

- **Chief Dawid Stuurman International** (PLZ): In Walmer, about ten minutes from the beachfront. Domestic flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, with car hire desks and e-hailing at arrivals.
- **Algoa Bus Company** (Bus): The metro's scheduled bus network, running out of the Market Square terminus in the centre to the suburbs. It covers commuters better than it covers visitors. [Website](https://www.algoabus.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Shosholoza Meyl** (Rail): Long-distance sleeper trains to Johannesburg and Bloemfontein from the city station. Slow and infrequent, so check the schedule before planning a trip around it.
- **Car hire and e-hailing** (Road): Addo, Sardinia Bay, Jeffreys Bay and the private reserves sit outside every bus route, so hire a car for the days you leave the beachfront. Uber and Bolt cover the city.

## Gqeberha at a glance

- **Country:** South Africa
- **Region:** Eastern Cape
- **Population:** 1.19M metro (2022 census)
- **Founded:** 1820
- **Nickname:** The Friendly City
- **Language:** isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English
- **Currency:** Rand (R)
- **Time zone:** SAST · UTC+2
- **Calling code:** +27 41
- **Airports:** PLZ
- **Power:** 230V · Type M/N/D
- **Emergency:** 10111 / 112

## Interesting facts

- Port Elizabeth became Gqeberha on 23 February 2021, taking the isiXhosa name of the Baakens River that runs through the city.
- Algoa Bay is a designated Whale Heritage Area, and its resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins move in pods of up to 400.
- St George's Park staged the match now recognised as South Africa's first Test, on 12 March 1889, and its first rugby international in 1891.
- The Campanile opened in 1923 to mark the 1820 Settlers' landing. It stands 52 metres tall, with 204 steps to the observation room.
- Addo Elephant National Park was founded in 1931 to protect eleven surviving elephants. It now holds more than 600.

## Gqeberha travel FAQ

### How many days do you need in Gqeberha?

Three. One for the beachfront, Bayworld and the Route 67 walk through Central, one for Addo, and one for the bay by boat or a run west to Jeffreys Bay. Add a fourth if you want two nights in a private reserve rather than a day drive.

### When is the best time to visit Gqeberha?

February to April. The sea is at its warmest, the December holiday crowd has gone home and the wind eases. December and January are hot and fully booked. July to September is cool but it is when southern right whales calve in the bay.

### Is Gqeberha a good base for a safari?

Yes, and a malaria-free one. Addo Elephant National Park is about 72 km out on the R335, and Shamwari, Amakhala and Kariega all sit roughly an hour from the airport. A day drive into Addo works; two nights in a private reserve works better.

### Do you need a car in Gqeberha?

For anything past the beachfront, yes. Algoa Bus covers the suburbs and Uber and Bolt work across the city, but Addo, Sardinia Bay, the reserves and the Garden Route sit outside every route. Hire one for the days you leave the beach.

### Where do you see penguins near Gqeberha?

On St Croix Island in Algoa Bay, reached by licensed boat from the harbour. Landings are not allowed, so the colony is viewed from the water. On land, the SANCCOB rehabilitation centre at Cape Recife runs tours of its penguin pens.

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Part of the [South Africa guide](https://wimup.com/country/south-africa.md) · [Africa](https://wimup.com/africa.md)

## Sources

- [Gqeberha tourism board](https://www.nmbt.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Drive Addo Elephant National Park (official site)](https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo-elephant?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Walk Route 67 to the Donkin Reserve (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/route_67.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Take a boat out into Algoa Bay (official site)](https://www.raggycharters.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Swim the beachfront from Kings Beach to Hobie (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/humewood_beach.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Visit Bayworld (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/bayworld.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Tour SANCCOB at Cape Recife (official site)](https://sanccob.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Watch cricket at St George's Park (official site)](https://cricket.co.za/stadium/st-georges-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Hike the Sacramento Trail at Sardinia Bay (official site)](https://cityofgqeberha.co.za/the-sacramento-trail-gqeberha-pe/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Climb the Campanile (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/campanile_memorial.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Read the South End Museum (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/south_end_museum_trust.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Shamwari Private Game Reserve (official site)](https://www.shamwari.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ginger the Restaurant (official site)](https://www.ginger-restaurant.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Muse (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/muse_restaurant.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nineteen33 (official site)](https://www.nineteen33.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum (official site)](https://www.artmuseum.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [No. 7 Castle Hill (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/7_castle_hill_historical_museum.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Donkin Heritage Trail (official site)](https://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/donkin_reserve_pyramid_and_lighthouse.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jeffreys Bay (official site)](https://www.jeffreysbaytourism.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Algoa Bus Company (official site)](https://www.algoabus.co.za/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.