Connecting East London to Bloemfontein in the Free State, the Friendly N6 Route takes visitors along a journey of beautiful inland towns and hamlets, covering mountainous terrain as well as coastal routes.
East London is South Africa’s only river port and is set on both the broad Buffalo River and Nahoon River, with the Gonubie River flowing around it. Buffalo City boasts extraordinary tourist attractions and is rich in natural resources. The 68km of coastline includes 10 estuaries, conservancies, natural heritage sites, rocky shores and 14 sandy beaches.
Moving from the Amatola area through smaller towns such as Stutterheim and Cathcart, the Eastern Cape’s arts and crafts attraction provides visitors with a range of gifts and souvenirs to choose from. Towns such as Queenstown near East London offer visitors first-hand insight into the wars fought in the area, with museums dotted along the route. Lady Grey, further north, offers visitors a range of outdoor activities including mountain biking and stays on working farms. Cathcart is best known for its rare wildflowers, while Stutterheim offers visitors insight into the area’s history through a visit to a cultural centre. This area is home to various sheep farms, as well as a network of artists with rich Xhosa and Basotho traditions.
Accommodation offerings include budget backpackers to luxury hotels with many game and nature reserves spread throughout the area, offering visitors Big Five viewing as well as five star luxury. With high mountain retreats, visitors can even ski on the snow covered slopes of Ben McDhui or go off the beaten track with 4x4 routes.
The high mountain passes that take visitors through the Friendly N6 are sometimes closed due to heavy snowfall during the winter months.
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