After our unpleasant encounter with traffic officers who seemed more interested in money than anything else, we were no longer in the mood for sightseeing. Nevertheless, we hit the road and continued from Port Alfred to Addo Elephant National Park, with an overnight stop near Kenton-on-Sea and a short break in Alexandria along the way.
We spent the night at The Goat Shed Bush Bistro & Bar, a popular rustic bush pub tucked beneath milkwood and other indigenous trees. It was just the kind of relaxed stop we needed after the frustrating events in Port Alfred. We enjoyed some good pizza and a few Savannah ciders before settling in for the night.
The following morning, we continued through Alexandria, a historic settlement dating back to the late eighteenth century. The town was officially named Alexandria in 1856 in honour of Reverend Alexander Smith. Its architectural highlight is the magnificent Dutch Reformed Church, originally built in 1895 and subsequently renovated in 1924. The church stands as one of the town’s most prominent heritage landmarks.
From Alexandria, we continued inland through Paterson, eventually taking the R342 towards the main camp of Addo Elephant National Park. After the previous day’s frustrations, we were ready to leave the towns behind and immerse ourselves in the African wilderness, with elephants and other wildlife waiting just ahead.
Parking location – Kenton: 33.6706717S 26.6516690E (🚻,🚿,🏊,💦,🔌,🍽️,🅿️50 ZAR/pax)