Amande
9 – 16 February 2026

A fascinating historical tour of the Eastern Cape from the Amatole Mountain to the picturesque Wild Coast

Amande sets out with the world on her shoulders. The Karel Landman monument. Eastern Cape. South Africa

Boer Leader Karel Landman monument with the 150 year anniversity concrete slab showing the form of the Ox wagon, boer boots and oxen tracks. to commemorate the 150 year since the start of the Great Trek from the Eastern Cape.

A European Roller siting atop the Karel Landman name board

Centenary hall. Karel Landman monument

Cape Longclaw bathing in a puddle at the monument

Blue Wildebeest on the poor man's game drive via the Ngciyo pans to Kenton-on-Sea

Kariega river at Kenton-on-Sea

Eastern cape beach and no one else. Port Alfred

The Giant pineapple. Bathurst Eastern Cape South Africa. "There is no thirst like a Bathurst"

Amande peeking out of the door into the Giant Pineapple, Bathurst.

At the mouth of the Kowie river, Port Alfred Eastern Cape South Africa

The only example of a camera obscura in the southern hemisphere Grahamstown / Makana in the Eastern Cape . The city of saints

Everyone is welcome to a meal at the Oldest operating pub in South Africa, the Pig and Whistle in Bathurst in the Eastern Cape. South Africa

The beautifully furnished and decorated lounge in the historic Pig and Whistle

The oldest operating pub in South Africa

The bar with a 1001 stories in the Pig and Whistle, Bathurst in the Eastern Cape. South Africa

Amande tucking in to basket of chicken strips A la Pig and Whistle.

A patron waits patiently for another mouthful of the hotels bougainvillia shrub

The plaque at the historical Anglican church in Bathurst

Reputedly the oldest operational bridge in South Africa. The Victoria bridge, in Fort Beaufort. It was completed around 1843 over the Kat River, and was a significant early project by engineer Andrew Geddes Bain

The Fort Beaufort, Free Masons Grand lodge in the Eastern Cape

A life size statue and monument to the AmaXhosa chief and highly accomplished warrior against the British colonial forces during the Frontier wars of dispossession.

The Fort Beaufort Mortello tower built by the Brisish Imperial forces to protect the town of Fort Beaufort against the combine Amaxhosa and Khoi Khoi forces

Inside the Mortello tower

The gun placement at the top of the Mortello tower

The dislodged Howitzer on top of the Mortello tower in Fort Beaufort.

A double waterfall into the Tyumie valley on our way to Hogsback.

A modern Xhosa homestead in the Tyumie valley

Early morning visit to the Arboreum in Hogsback

Fungi in the forest. Hogsback in the Eastern Cape. South Africa

Quaint sign cautioning of the crossing of the frogs in the Arboreum in Hogsback

Another unusual sign in the forest offerring a clue to the high fliers in the forest

The 39 steps waterfall, an easy walk through the Arboreum in Hogsback

Californian Redwoods over 100 years old tower over the visitors to the arboreum

Amande engages with a Redwood

The red, deeply fissured bark is characteristic of these giant redwoods

Walking in the shadow of giants

Amande excitedly points to where a Knysna Touraco has landed

Knysna Touraco in the Hogsback arboreum forest

A rare Samango monkey keeps a beady eye on us as it cracks another chestnut.

A Samango monkey does the tight rope walk to get to a new feeding ground close to our overnight accommodation at "The Edge" in Hogsback. South Africa

A panoramic shot of the three Hogsback ridges that give the Hiogsback its name. They are said to resemble the bristles on a hogsback.

The enigmatic Starways pottery tucked away in the Hiogsback forest

Once the official entrance to the Starways pottery but times have changed as they always do

Pottery on display at Starways pottery in Hogsback in the Eastern Cape

Perched on stilits, high on the slope a new track will bring you closer to this heavenly place

The monkeys sometimes swing by to sample the pottery delights but never seem to pay for what they break.

Peering in through the front door to the tiny Church of St Peter on the Hill in Hogsback, Eastern Cape. South Africa

The iconic Hogsback Inn the original Inn on the road to the north

Woburns Post in the Tyumi Valley was attacked and plundered by the Maurading AmaXhosa warriors

A special place in the wilderness ,Healdtown School. It was attended by a number of African alumni include the greatest of them all Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

Healdtown became a derelict wreck before different goverment departments joined forces to renovate and resurrect this important place of learning

The recent achievments of the principal Mr. S. Jaxa and his staff in this amazing resurrection of this school tucked away in a hidden valley outside Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape. South Africa

Some of the passed pupils

On display in a small museum in the school

The school is guided by the power and strength of its emblem, the Eagle

Amande entertaining the grade 12 pupils as well as Mr. S. Jaxa the schools accomplished pricipal

Amande with Grande 12 pupils of Healdtown school in the Eastern Cape of South Africa

A dormatry at the school

Mandela went on to Fort Hare university in Alice after Healdtown

Renovating the old school building so that the school may once again rise up to its former glory and more. It is a wonderful heart warming story of the past powering the future.

Amade and one of the teachers

A class full of high energy pupils

The head of the education department who gave us a wonderful insight into the school

In the KwaMacoma museum, dedicated to Chief Maqoma. Art pupils create a murial of the great leader who met his death on Robben Island after being banished there at the end of the 8th war.

A timeline display of the Healdtown school at the KwaMaqoma museum, Fort Beaufort.

A memorial to the great chief stateman and warrior, Nkosi Jongumsobomvu Maqoma.

A memorial to those settlers who perished in the 1850 uprising of the AmaXhosa who rampaged through the quiet Tyumi valley

Storm clouds approaching

Hiogsback Rhododendrons

Amande at The Edge for a welcome cup of morning coffee. Hogsback, Eastern Cape. South Africa

The grassland covered hills above the more forested slopes in Hogsback.

A cCsticola in the high grasslands

White Storks forage alongside cattle in the grassland

Jackal Buzzards perch expectantly waiting for rodents insects and snakes to appear

A Yellowbilled kite is a summer migrant, waiting patiently for breakfast to announce itself.

On our way to discover King Hintas's grave in the lullies (hills and valleys) of the Transkei Wild Coast

We eventually discover the grave of the Paramount King Hintsa of the AmaXhosa who was murdered by the British soldiers under Sir Harry Smith

A lonely resting place for a mighty King

We found it.

Yellow boxes in the bush, progress at work.

The Mbashe river valley. It was on the banks of this river that Nelson Mandela was born and raised before going to his first school at Qunu which is not too far from this remote place on the Wild Coast.

The bridge across the Mbashe river has seen some turbulent times judging from the debris washed up against the bridge

Peaceful villages dot the landscape.

Round rondavels of the Amaxhosa homesteads

School house art along the wayside to the Haven

A busy road on the Transkei Wildcoast

One needs to go through hell to get to heaven it would seem as we navigated more potholes than roads in many places, all shook up and ready for the calm and quiet of the Wild coast

My new friend would have joined me in the bedroom if I had let him in.

The Haven hotel, a sight for sore eyes and weary bones

Heaven at the Haven. Wild coast. South Africa

Heavens flower

Amande always prepared to get rid of discarded pastic of which there was very little on this beautiful coastline.

A tiny flower in the forest

Mbanyana waterfall on a slippery drizzly day

A small herd of cattle emerge from the Cwebe forest reserve.

Mbhashe Point Lighthouse near the Haven hotel

You go your way and I'll go mine a fork in the road to nowhere

Mule bath in the road

Harmony of homnesteads on the Wild Coast

A picture of the ocean close to the mouth of the Mbashe river, turns brown from the eroded soil washed down from the interior.

Dinner for 2 Wild coast style

Lesser striped swallow on the hotel balconey

My new found freind at our chalet

A pensive Amande at the mouth of the estuary infront of the Haven hotel

Black Oyster catchers at the beach

Incedible amount of drift wood washed up after recent rains.

Arguing Oyster catchers

Sanderling on the shore

A wily Fish eagle perches strategically to intercept fish coming out of the Mbashe river on the Wild Coast

A Ghost crab fastidiously cleans its seaside burrowclean

An aerial plant enjoys a brief moment in the spot light on a tree trunk in the forest Cwebe nature reserve on the Wild coast

A stunning Barn swallow at rest

We had to divert inland over the lullies to avoid a wet and slippery road made worse by recent road works when we got stuck and these magnificient Cape Vultures seemed to appear from nowhere to land and watch the performance.

As the only guests on our second night at the Haven...

Mathew, the chef decides to spoil us silly, with an al a carte menu he prepared himself. Rolled Cob to start with.

and Medium rare rump steak with garlic toast A la the best in Haven.

Stunning parasols in the forest

An unbeatable view

Kids play in the surf below White Clay

A pair of energentic dogs are teased on the cliff face by a wily crow

A bull chilling above a verticle cliff

White clay, Wild Coast, South Africa at its best

A panorama of the iconic Hole in the wall on the Wild coast

Amande and Alan at the Hole in the Wall

Seeing the incredible Wild Coast while on horseback

Amande approaches this deep chasm into the Indian ocean.

The beautiful Wild coast in South Africa

Stunning scenery at the Hole in the Wall on the Wild Coast

Our view while having breakfast at White clay

Lovely walk on the beach below White Clay

A fresh water stream gurgling from the rocks on White Clay beach

Waves crash through the Hole in the Wall

A young man and his mule move timber from the forest to their homestead.

At the sacred pools that the Sangoma's use to enter into the world of the sprits, the ancestral spirits. Here the ancestors are asked to heal or guide the participants from the village.

At the sacred pools.

Next we enter a shebeen, run by a family in the village where we try Umqombothi a traditional maize based beer.

First the chickens and a pig enjoy a meal of maize kernels

The owner and his family welcome us into the house where the beer is brewed

Amande samples the African Umqombothi on the wild Coast of South Africa

Sade demonstrates how maize or mielies as they are known in South Africa are finely ground using a pestle and a grinding rock as the base.

The kitchen tools

Sade explains about the sacrificial spear and the spears assistant, a short strong stick that is used to dispatch all sacrificial animals in their traditional customs

The entrance to the cattle kraal or briar

The view from their hilltop homestead

They teach the children early on how to work with the families cattle

The grandma of this family has just returned up an incredibly steep hill from a small valley far below her hill top home. Bare foot, ankels embrassed by beaded bangles in the traditionally correct way, a load of fire wood carried on her head back straight and proud. in her early 80's. tough healthy people rich in life poor in pocket

Village tour with Sade: On the remote Wild coast sleds are still used to transport heavy loads due to the lack of vehicles and proper roads. Take a step back in time.

A quiet glass of wine after another full day at White Clay on the Wild Coast

One of the stunning views from the remote and rugged White clay resort on the Wild Coast in South Africa.

A lady in traditional dress walks to the village

Barn swallows rest after a full day at the office

At the Qunu museum where Nelson Mandela first went to school we are greeted by a pround statue of the great man, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Together we made the journey in the footsteps of a giant in Qunu, Mandela's home and final resting place.

Amande was ecstatic to finally be iable to walk in the footsteps of one of her all time roll models.

In the Qunu Museum, Qunu in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Mandela questions?

One of the many informative displays at the perfectly maintained museum at Qunu.

This Sliding rock was used by the children including Nelson Mandela to play on during the school breaks from their nearby school at Qunu

The Sliding rock

The unique design of the museum at qunu

Memorials to Nelson Mandela line the road to Mvezo

Mandela's eldest grandson was chosen as the primary heir to the legacy of Nelson Mandela and was therefore bound by tradition to live at the place of Mandela's birth at he village of Mvezo on the banks of the Mbashe river not far from Qunu.

A view of the Mbashe river from the Mvezo homestead

The Mvezo homestead and compaund

The entrance to the Mvezo homestead

Mandela in characteristic dance mode

Displays at the memorial centre in the homestead have been vandilised

The Mandela coat of arms on one of the derelict busses in the car park

School busses unfortunately lie ideal and are not uised any longer

Portrait of a hero.

Nelson Mandela as a young man

Back on the road and approaching the end of the journey. A room with a view over the expanse of Algoa bay and the Alexandria dune fields. The End.

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