Discover the village of Riebeek East
Go on a Frog Safari in St Francis Bay
Stretch your legs (and loose your clothes) on the Tsitsikamma’s Striptease Trail
Marvel at the Dutch Reformed Church in Cradock
Learn more about PE / GQ’s Donkin Lighthouse and Pyramid

January 2023

Learn more about the Coelacanth, the living fossil fish
Hike Port Elizabeth’s Sacramento Trail
A UFO landing site at Rosmead in the Karoo Heartland?
Spot the Queen Victoria Profile near Patensie
Be surprised at the Great Fish Point Lighthouse on Route 72

December 2022

Discover fossils at the Kitching Fossil Center in Nieu-Bethesda
Experience the marine wonders of Algoa Bay
Hiking the Assegaai Trails near Grahamstown
A sneaky drive through the Bloukrans Pass in the Tsitsikamma
Watch the Adventure Racing World Champs 2023 promo for the Kouga region

November 2022

Somerset East, Expect the Unexpected
Discover the South African Museum of Literature in Grahamstown
Remember the Blaauwkrantz Bridge disaster of 1911
Visit the Jeffreys Bay Surf Museum
Encounter Waterfall Bluff, the waterfall that drops directly into the sea

October 2022

Learn more about Colchester’s historic Mackay Bridge
Discover the chess board edging in the Mountain Zebra National Park
View rock art in the mountains around Rhodes
Marvel at the Magwa Waterfall on the Wild Coast
Explore the Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve outside Port Elizabeth

September 2022

Stop at the Slagtersnek Monument near Cookhouse
Walking up Lady Slipper Mountain outside Port Elizabeth
Discover the Phillip’s Tunnel in Hankey
The historic background of the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park
Learn about the history of Port Alfred’s Kowie River

August 2022

Walk the Jeffreys Bay Spekboom Labyrinth
Visit St Patrick on the Hill in Hogsback
Discover Harry Potter’s grave in Cradock
Cruise the Sundays River with Addo Cruises and Sand Sledding
Muir, the oldest English speaking boys’ school in SA turns 200

July 2022

Go ghost hunting in the museums of Somerset East
Enjoy the outdoors at Norm Hudlin outside Port Elizabeth
Explore Kenton-on-Sea’s beaches and rock formations
Surf Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay
Stay at Arch Cabins Self Catering in Storms River Village

June 2022

Encounter the spirit of the wolf at the Tsitsikamma Wolf Sanctuary
Learn more about the Kouga Dam near Patensie
Discover Somerset East’s Walter Battiss Art Museum
Did you know that Nelson Mandela Bay is called 5 Biome City?
Meet Huberta the Hippo

May 2022

The history of Bathurst’s Pig and Whistle Hotel
Discover Somerset East’s Glen Avon Waterfall
Learn more about Beervlei Dam near Willowmore
Animals of the Eastern Cape – The Flightless Dung Beetle
Crossing the Storms River Mouth suspension bridge

April 2022

The history of Hankey in the Gamtoos Valley
Visit the museums of Graaff Reinet
Learn more about Darlington Dam
Animals of the Eastern Cape – The Cape Ground Squirrel
Discover Takazi Waterfall on the Wild Coast
Video – Tour the Tsitsikamma forest on a Segway

March 2022

Slide down the Rabbit Hole near Middelburg with food out of this world
Marvel at Hogsback’s Madonna and Child Waterfall
Visit Port St Francis, home to the chokka industry
Learn about the Cape Morgan Lighthouse
Crossing the Buffalo River in East London
Video – Tsitsikamma, a world of diversity

February 2022

Meet Samara Private Game Reserve tracker Klippers Pietersen
The Dutch Reformed Church in Kareedouw
Jump into the river pool at Jan se Gat outside Jbay
Download the Amazing Addo wildlife checklist
Find the cathedral mice in Grahamstown
Video – Algoa Bay Whale Heritage Site

January 2022

Discover Eersterivier, the Tsitsikamma’s beach
Explore the dune fields along the Alexandria Hiking Trail
Climb up to Hankey’s Bergvenster
Learn more about the village of Rhodes
Did you know Hofmeyr had a pink church?
10 Things to do in Coffee Bay
All the must see places on the Karoo Heartland Bucketlist
Video – Hike along to the Lower Van Stadens Dam

November 2021

Explore the Shell Museum in Jeffrey’s Bay
Marvel at the Tsitsikamma’s Big Tree
Learn more about the town of Alexandria on Route 72
Meet the Stone Folk of Nieu-Bethesda
Have you heard of the Martello Tower in Fort Beaufort?
SANParks announce the dates for this years SANParks Week
Discover the #AmazingAddo region with a Bucketlist
Video – Enjoy Nelson Mandela Bay’s brand new destination marketing video

October 2021

Discover the secret cove at Shelly Beach in Kenton
Walk the Waterfall Trail in the Tsitsikamma
Taste honey at Pabala in the Gamtoos Valley
A breakdown of all the Eastern Cape’s municipalities
Your own Addo Elephant National Park game viewing area road map
Learn more about the Wild Coast legend of Nongqawuse
Explore Makhanda and the Frontier Country with a Bucketlist
Video – The sights and sounds of the Karoo Heartland, the Eastern Cape’s big sky country.

September 2021

The oldest cake in South Africa is found in Graaff-Reinet
More information about Storms River Bridge
St Francis Bay’s Seal Point Lighthouse
The Diaz Cross at Kwaaihoek on Route 72
Learn more about the history of Hogsback
A Wild Coast Bucket List to plan a visit to this stunning area
Video – Explore the Addo region with an #AmazingAddo destination video

August 2021

Hiking and cycling trails in the Tsitsikamma’s Plaatbos forest
Visit the Wild Coast to cross the Kei River by pont
Swing by Egg Rock outside Cradock
Enjoy the view from Sir Percy Fitzpatrick Lookout near Addo
Discover the Old Thomas River Historical Village between Stutterheim and Cathcart.
Tick off activities from the Route 72 Bucket List
Video – Kouga Baviaans region

July 2021

The legend of Hole in the Wall on the Wild Coast
Bo fly fishing in the Karoo outside Somerset East
Hiking in the Kabeljous Nature Reserve outside Jbay
A little history on the Addo Elephant National Park that turned 90 this month
Info on the labyrinth in Hogsback
A travel Bucket List of the Tsitsikamma
Video – Route 72 on the Sunshine Coast

June 2021

The history of Storms River Village
Information on the Baviaanskloof
The historic Dutch Reformed Church in Nieu-Bethesda
Learn more about the Sundays River
A guide to hiking and the waterfalls in Hogsback
An infograph on the Waters Meeting Nature Reserve outside Port Alfred
Video – Wild Coast

May 2021

The history of the Van Stadens bridges
How water gets from Gariep Dam via the Karoo Heartland to Port Elizabeth
Comprehensive visitor’s guide to Bathurst
Meet the Big 7 with Addo Tourism
Video – Discover the Tsitsikamma

Encounter the Eastern Cape – January 2026

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The Eastern Cape is a fascinating place, literally a world in one province. We have a beautiful coastline, rugged mountains, the vast Karoo Heartland, fascinating forests, world-class game reserves, interesting towns and so much more. Not to mention the people, food, history and heritage.

2025 was a challenging year for me. Firefly the Travel Guy took a knock with clients lost that I haven’t been able to replace. Karoo Heartland Routes was formed and I’m working hard to try and show product in the Karoo Heartland how plugging into the bigger picture can benefit the region. Unfortunately, the monthly travel mailer suffered and only went out a couple of times last year, but this year I will correct that again.

Have a great 2026

Jonker

This month, we look at:

The Dassiedeur Tunnel between Cookhouse and Cradock
Jeffreys Bay’s Historical Fishermen Cemetery
The Dias Cross at Kwaaihoek
PW Vorster Museum at the Grootfontein Agricultural Institute
Karoo Heartland Routes Recommendations

If there is something that you would like to see featured in our monthly travel mailer or have any suggestions, please drop us an email at jonker@fireflyafrica.co.za

SUBSCRIBE to this Monthly Travel Mailer

Dassiedeur Tunnel

Dassiedeur Tnnel between Cradock and Cookhouse

The Dassiedeur Tunnel, built in 1879, is an old disused 271-meter railway tunnel between Cradock and Cookhouse. It was constructed as part of the railway line that was completed in 1880. The railway line used to run along what was a steep (40-1) track leading up to the tunnel, which made it necessary for an extra locomotive parked close to the tunnel to assist trains with power up the steep ascent and with braking down the descent on the other side. When the new line was built around the mountain, the old rails through the tunnel were removed.

You can drive right through the tunnel and the impressive stone-cut engineering can be seen all the way. The car does kick up a lot of very fine dust, so I had to wait a couple of minutes for it to settle before taking pictures.

The tunnel really is one of those attractions that very few people know about and even fewer will get to visit. If you can, though, you have to go and see it for yourself.

Visit the Karoo Heartland

JBay Historical Fishermen Cemetery

Jeffreys Bay Historic Fishermans Cemetery

Jeffreys Bay’s history is made up of surfers, fishermen, seashells and holiday makers. The town doesn’t really have a lot of historical sites or monuments, but between the Kouga Municipality and the Jeffreysbaai Dorp van Drome project, a lot of stories are starting to be told through heritage sites being created. One of these is the Historical Fishermen Cemetery, tucked away on Duine Street in Pellsrus.

Fishing played a very big part in the early history of the town, with fishermen bravely venturing into the ocean on row boats in the early days to provide for their families. Many of these brave souls perished in the tumultuous waters, their legacy living on through the stories passed down by their descendants. These fishermen were laid to rest in this cemetery.

Not a lot of the original grave stones are still visible, with the oldest one dating to 1937.

In 2022, the Kouga Municipality funded an upgrade of the cemetery that included the erection of 155 symbolic white concrete crosses, paving the walkway and adding an information board.

What to do and where to stay in Jeffreys Bay

Dias Cross at Kwaaihoek

Bartolomeu Dias became the first European navigator to round the southern tip of Africa in 1488. After setting foot in Mossel Bay, he sailed on to present-day Port Elizabeth and planted a wooden cross on St Croix Island in Algoa Bay. By this time, the sailors wanted to turn back home, but he persuaded them to sail for another three days. On 12 March 1488, a little west of Bushman’s River mouth, they dropped anchor at a headland, formerly called False Islet, now known as Kwaaihoek. Here, Dias erected his farthest stone pillar, the padrão de São Gregorio and then started the homeward journey.

A replica of the cross was erected on the same spot in 1942. The cross is located about halfway between Boknes and Bushmans River Mouth, although the walk from Boknes is probably a lot easier than from the Bushmans side. Leave your car at the Boknes Beach parking area and take the 3km walk along the beach to False Islet (Fake Island), originally named so because it looks like an island in the distance. The best time to walk is at low tide, when you can walk on the wet sand.

PW Vorster Museum at the Grootfontein Agricultural Institute

The history of Grootfontein outside Middelburg Karoo dates back to the 1790s when Klaas van der Walt already lived on the farm Grootfontein. In those days, it covered 3,800 ha. The first official registration only took place in 1836, when it was awarded to Hendrik van der Walt and his brother Nicolaas as erfpagland. The farm Grootfontein was originally divided into two sections, with a dry river bed as the only separation. They did live on the farm long before that date, because the original homestead was already erected in 1827.

The PW Vorster Museum at the Grootfontein Agricultural Institute is housed in this original farm dwelling. It was extensively renovated in 1887, at which time an impressive gable was added to the building’s exterior. The museum collection consists of Anglo-Boer War artefacts and a post-war collection, as well as a large collection of farm implements. The Van de Walt family collections are also housed here.

On 1 December 1860, the Gereformeerde Kerk Middelburg was founded in the house.