East Griqualand is all about wide open spaces and untouched nature as well as being the southern gateway to KwaZulu-Natal and the Drakensberg Mountains. Kokstad, with a population of about 45000, is the major town and the commercial hub in this region. The town was named after Adam Kok, leader of the Griqua tribe which settled in this “promised land “to escape confrontation with the Voortrekkers in the early 18th century.
There are three nature reserves in the region but only the Mount Currie Nature Reserve is officially protected. However, this doesn’t detract from the fact that most of the area is relatively isolated and unexplored offering a wide range of activities for nature lovers. The region is set between the World Heritage Site of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park with its towering peaks in the west and the Ingeli and Nungi Mountains in the east. With numerous streams and rivers criss-crossing the landscape, East Griqualand is a natural wonderland.
This diverse landscape offers an amazing array of opportunities for active people – paraglide from the cliffs of the Bokkiesberg, fish for trout in the Crystal Spring Dam about 5km from Matatiele, take the 4X4 trail to the Mountain Lake Reserve or hike to the top of Mount Currie near Kokstad. The Crystal Springs Dam, within the Mount Currie Reserve provides great opportunities to fish for bluegill, trout and bass as well as boating and water sports. The Mountain Lake Nature Reserve, nearer to the Drakensberg from Matatiele, is an excellent birding spot – one of the largest populations of wattled crane in the country can be found here as well as 80 recorded bird species. For the more adventurous, the 2 day Bokkiesberg Trail will take you from the Cedarville Flats to a three-roomed mountain hut on the heights.
There are a number of golf clubs in the region – at Kokstad, Matatiele and Swartberg. The area is well known for polo with clubs in Matatielle, Kokstad and Swartberg. There are also a number of sporting clubs in the towns throughout the region – tennis, squash, bowls, cricket, hockey, rugby, cycling, road running and 4×4 clubs – visitors are welcome.
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