Excursion Roseate tern trail hike & sanccob with lunch tour at Port Elizabeth

Enjoy a magnificent and captivating hike through the unspoilt beauty of the Cape Recife Nature Reserve during this half-day tour. Cape Recife offers incredible views, historical landmarks, a wide variety of terrestrial and marine wildlife and some of the best birdwatching locations in the Bay.

The Roseate Tern Trail, Shipping Beacon

Leave the port for an approx 30-minute transfer to Port Elizabeth’s most popular, and beautiful, walk. The Roseate Tern Hiking Trail wends its way through the Cape Recife Nature Reserve, regarded as one of the best bird-watching spots in the city. The hike starts at Thunderbolt Reef and Cobbles Surf Spot. Here you can take the beauty of the infamous Thunderbolt Reef, the sea stack that inspired the lighthouse’s construction. The next point of interest is the Shipping Beacon. The beacons were used in the early days to guide ships into Algoa Bay before the advent of modern navigational equipment. The area around the lighthouse was extensively used for fish traps and foraged the pools.

Refreshments at the Cape Recife Lighthouse

Before you proceed to your next stop, enjoy some refreshments and beautiful views at the Cape Recife Lighthouse, the first lighthouse built in the Eastern Cape in 1851. Cape Recife Lighthouse, was the first lighthouse constructed in the Port Elizabeth area and is situated on the southern point of Algoa Bay. Cape Recife is the turning point into Algoa Bay and several dangers such as Thunderbolt Reef and Roman Rock, not far offshore, have claimed many a fine ship. The lighthouse is a twenty-four-metre high masonry tower, octagonal in cross-section. Two quarters were originally built adjoining the base of the tower. These dwellings were demolished in the early 1960s and replaced by two double-storey blocks of flats which were built on concrete stilts to permit windblown sand to pass underneath the structures. Oystercatchers and terns (hence the name of the hike), particularly the rare Roseate tern, nest along this stretch of the beach.

SANCCOB, Penguin Adoption & Lunch

On the way back stop at SANCCOB. The primary objective of the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). SANCCOB is a registered non-profit organisation whose primary objective is to reverse the decline of seabird populations through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds. Here experience an in-depth educational opportunity of the behind the scenes of the rescue and rehabilitation center of seabirds – especially endangered species like the African penguin.The best part is that with your visit and support you adopt one penguin for a year and help them being able to continue with the good they do. Receive your certificate of adoption valid for one year, which includes a visual and details of ‘your’ penguin, as well as a special letter of thanks from ‘your’ bird. At the conclusion of your educational visit at SANCCOB, re-board your coach for an approx 15 minute transfer to a beautiful lunch location to restore yourself with a delicious lunch, before returning to the ship.

A short drive (apprx 30-minute) takes you back to the pier.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Hiking trail, Nature, Sunccob Conservation Center, Penguin Adoption, Snack & Lunch

Note

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of walking and hiking activity of approximately 2.5 km and some steps to negotiate. It is not suitable for guests with limited mobility or those who utilize a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, cotton hike wear with flat, sturdy, and closed-toe walking shoes, and bring sun protection, insect repellent, a light, weatherproof jacket, bottled water, and local currency or credit cards for purchases from the ship. This tour is recommended for active guests in good physical condition.