The Eastern Cape province was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" homelands of Transkei and Ciskei and a portion of the old Cape Province. Today the Eastern Cape, and its capital city Bhisho, are still home to a large section of South Africa's Xhosa tribe. As far as tourism is concerned, this province is best known for its 800km of untouched and pristine coastline which includes some particularly splendid beaches, considered the best South Africa has to offer. This malaria-free environment also boasts "big five" viewing at the Addo Elephant Park, which offers sanctuary to 170 elephants, the last Cape buffalo and 21 black rhino of the very rare Kenyan sub-species.
The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions to satisfy all tastes. The Tsitsikamma National Park offers visitors an almost untouched natural forest, while the nearby Bloukrans Bridge offers adrenaline junkies the world's highest bungee jump. Jeffreys Bay, famous for its "super-tubes", is South Africa's longest and most consistently good wave. It may be charged with a surf vibe, but this is also a friendly spot for South Africa's wealthy set to relax and enjoy this wild coastline which is backed by some of Africa's most spectacular sub-tropical rainforest. For those in need of some serious chill time, Aliwal North, is the Eastern Cape's most popular inland resort, famous for its hot springs. There is something for everyone in this spectacular province.
The Eastern Cape landscape is extremely diverse, and while it may be best known for its rugged coastline on the Indian Ocean interspersed with beaches, most of the inland province is hilly to very mountainous – especially between Graaff Reinet and Grahamstown, including the Sneeuberge, Stromberge, Winterberge and Drakensberg. Between East London and the KwaZulu-Natal border lush grassland are dotted with forest, the far south is the temperate rainforest of the Tsitsikamma region, while the west of the Eastern Cape is semi-arid Karoo.
The climate here is highly varied - the arid west is dry with scarce rain during winter or summer, with frosty winters and hot summers, while the Tsitsikamma to Grahamstown has even precipitation and mild temperatures. Further east, rainfall becomes more plentiful and humidity increases, becoming green and subtropical along the coast with summer rainfall. The interior can become very cold in winter, with heavy snowfalls occurring at times in the mountainous region between Molteno and Rhodes
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