Waterfalls, caves & pink springs: a dip in the 'hidden' magic of the Wild Coast

"The Wild Coast", the stretch of Eastern Cape shoreline that runs between East London and Port Edward, is a name that's on the nose in all the right ways: it's unpretentious, untamed and naturally spectacular.​

Historically, it is said the name derives from the tempestuous waters in which many a ship has met its demise. Coffee Bay’s moniker apparently comes from the coffee trees that sprouted after a ship lost its cargo of coffee beans during a shipwreck in 1893 and the town of Port St Johns is believed by some to be named after the Sao Joao, a Portuguese vessel shipwrecked in 1552.

It’s a strip of coastline that has borne witness to many tragedies. But it’s also a beautiful part of this country often overlooked in favour of the more popular coastal regions of the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

WHAT LOAD-SHEDDING?

Part of the reason the area may be underrated is its secluded nature. Making our way from the Wild Coast Sun just outside of Port Edward, the first stop on our trip, we wind our way through the valleys of the old Transkei to the town of Lusikisiki. From here, it’s just 34km to Mbotyi village, but the trip takes us almost two hours on a bumpy dirt road through a protected area.

Past the lush Magwa tea plantation, we’re soon snaking our way through a tropical forest where tree canopies stretch far above, their fingers raking the blue sky, their shadows mingling with the sounds of critters chirping in the heat of the day. It’s a proverbial road less travelled and every inch of it is gorgeous.

Our stop for the night is the laid-back Mbotyi River Lodge. Cradled in a valley, it offers superb views of Mbotyi Beach from its ocean-facing log cabins. Accessible via a gate, it’s a pristine setting for walks on the beach or horse rides.

After a hearty home-cooked dinner, general manager Alex Brett makes his rounds to ensure guests are content. When he tells us load-shedding is a non-issue here, it’s hard not to be.

“We’re such a small place, they forget to turn our lights off,” he says.

The venue’s staff all live in the local community. “Covid-19 has destroyed a lot of the Wild Coast. Because we’re so community-based, if we don’t have business coming in, people lose their jobs.” They’ve managed to retain their staff, but only by cutting their hours.

According to Brett, the travel industry is reviving, but it’s not there yet.

“Places like ourselves were originally reliant on international trade and that hasn’t happened yet. So right now we’re solely dependent on South Africans.

“The problem is your average South African can’t afford to come down here because it’s a distance away from everything else.” For those who do make the trip, the remoteness is what it’s all about.

A LAND OF WATERFALLS

Being so far out the way, much of Mbotyi River Lodge’s appeal has to do with its proximity to waterfalls. You can explore the likes of Fraser Falls, Magwa Falls and Waterfall Bluff on your own, but if you don’t know your way around it’s easy to miss some of the magic.

Barefooted Louis Fourie meets us as we arrive at Magwa Falls, just outside Lusikisiki. Most people, he explains, arrive, gingerly peer into the gorge below and leave without seeing the falls tumbling more than 140m down the rock face.

With his canine companion Shorty, he directs us through a shallow pool flowing towards the water’s edge and leads us around the waterfall to the best views on the other side of the gorge. It’s an easy walk, but one that I wouldn’t have known to attempt without Fourie’s knowledge.

Cattle graze on the edge of the waterfall and a light mist is carried on the wind, adding to the almost spiritual feeling in the air.

Fourie built the base for his business, Louis at Magwa Falls, on the edge of the Goso Forest in the village of Gwexintaba, in 2006 after extensive talks with the chief. A short drive from Magwa Falls, we stop for a homemade lunch and marvel at the views. As he says, it’s “hard to get here, harder to leave, impossible to forget”.

THE JEWEL OF THE WILD COAST

Dubbed the “jewel of the Wild Coast”, Port St Johns is a 90-minute drive from Magwa Falls and the biggest town in the region, despite being relatively small. 

A deep mist descends over the town upon our arrival and a faint spray of rain lingers, but I’m undeterred from a gentle walk along Umzimvubu Drive, named after the river that flows for 200km from the Lesotho escarpment through the heart of Port St Johns.

The buildings in Port St Johns are a little rundown and I cannot help but be disheartened by the amount of litter strewn around the town and on some beaches, but one thing this jewel of the Wild Coast can proudly lay claim to is its natural abundance. 

As we set out on our journey home, we stop at the Isinuka Mud Caves and Sulphur Pools just outside town, where this abundance is most revered. A cultural heritage site believed to have healing powers, isinuka translates as “place of smell”, owing to the strong scent of sulphur that hangs in the air. Bathing in the pink spring water is believed to fight off bad luck and the white mud from the caves is said to cleanse the skin and act as a natural sunscreen.

On the way out, I stop to speak to Kwanana Sola, a sangoma who has accompanied a younger relative to this place of ancestral significance. The young woman, he says, has received her calling to be a sangoma and they have come to connect with the ancestors to fathom a dream she has been having.

I meet more of his family, who have kind hearts and broad smiles, and leave with muddy feet and a happy buzz from the realisation that while the landscapes here are truly beautiful, it’s the people who make it a special place. 

PLAN YOUR TRIP

GETTING THERE

Return flights to Margate from Johannesburg start from under R4,000 and under R6,000 from Cape Town. It’s a 30 minute-drive from here to the Wild Coast Sun and just more than three hours to Lusikisiki.

Alternatively, you can fly to Mthatha, a 2.5-hour drive from Lusikisiki and a 4.5-hour drive from the Wild Cost Sun. Return flights from Johannesburg start from under R4,000, under R5,000 from Cape Town.

You will need a car to get around the Wild Coast. In some places you can expect gravel roads and bad tarred alternatives, so it’s best to travel in a high-clearance vehicle. 

WHERE TO STAY

The Wild Coast Sun is a family-friendly holiday beach resort on the border of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, the perfect springboard from which to explore the Wild Coast. Rates from R1,736 per person sharing include breakfast and access to the Wild Waves Water Park. Book a range of outdoor activities, visit the spa or drop the kids off at the entertainment centre on the way to the casino. Visit suninternational.com.

Mbotyi River Lodge is a laid-back, budget-friendly accommodation option close to Lusikisiki. Rates from R950 per person sharing include breakfast and dinner. Take a walk to the beach or relax next to the swimming pool. There are also nearby waterfalls, mountain-biking trails, horse riding, fishing, canoeing and birding. Visit mbotyi.co.za.

Louis at Magwa Falls offers unconventional accommodation on nature’s doorstop, with incredible views of the Goso Forest and valley below. Fourie runs tours, hikes, meditation retreats and gardening workshops. Accommodation is in two rustic rondavels with views of the valley below. The cost is R350 per person per night and the rondavels each sleep up to six people. Visit louisatmagwafalls.co.za.

The Spotted Grunter is one of many accommodation options around Port St Johns. A no-frills resort, the hotel rooms sleep up to two people, with self-catering log cabins sleeping up to four. Choose between a room only, bed and breakfast or dinner, bed and breakfast from R560 per person sharing. The venue has a swimming pool and canoes for hire. Visit spottedgrunter.co.za.

• Oberholzer was a guest of Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency.