Grahamstown
When speaking about Grahamstown, most South Africans immediately think about the world-renowned Grahamstown National Arts Festival or the well-respected Rhodes University. Indeed, the National Arts Festival is one of South Africa’s most significant and popular events and Rhodes University does have an impeccable journalism school that produces high quality journalists, but this Eastern Cape city is more than meets the eye.
Grahamstown is part of a conglomerate of towns in the area – Alicedale, Riebeek East, Hogsback, Sidbury, and Alice – known as the ‘Frontier Country’ that makes up a distinctly diverse ecological region consisting of large stretches of land solely devoted to the conservation of nature and wildlife. Grahamstown itself has a very interesting geographical location; as it lies at the intersection of four very different climatic sectors it has the added intrigue of having very unpredictable weather. It is this very fact that makes the arts festival so fantastic because the weather conditions do play a prominent role in proceedings each year. Grahamstown is furthermore a tremendous holiday destination and if you’re looking for the chance to see the best in South Africa’s nature and wildlife, you will not be disappointed with this sojourn.
Just outside the city lies the Thomas Baines National Reserve and a bit further the spectacular Great Fish River Reserve can be found as well as the sumptuous Amakhala Game Reserve – all perfectly epitomizing South Africa’s spellbinding natural spectacles in all of their splendour. Whether you want to enjoy the picturesque tree-lined streets of the inner city or enjoy a game drive through one of the magnificent nature reserves around, a visit to the marvellous city of Grahamstown will make you want to come back over and over again.
