Car Hire Port Elizabeth

Mini guide to Port Elizabeth

Known for its sunshine and safe sandy beaches, Port Elizabeth is a major seaport and tourist destination set along the beautiful shores of Algoa Bay, and is fondly referred to as South Africa’s friendly Eco-City.

Some of PE's greatest treasures are its clean beaches and warm water, making it an ideal water sports centre. The combination of calm waters and fair breezes are perfect conditions for sailing, and the safe beaches allow for swimming, surfing, body boarding and any kind of water sport.

PE has many historical attractions, one the most interesting being the Historic Donkin Heritage trail, which allows the visitor to follow in the footsteps of the 1820 Settlers on their journey of discovery and settlement. This 5km trail visits 47 historical sites and architectural delights in the Old Hill area of central PE.

Within the city there are some beautiful parks with well landscaped gardens, two of the larger ones are: St Georges Park, which is home to the world famous Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, the oldest Bowling Green in South Africa, Prince Alfred's Guard Memorial and the 1882 Victorian Pearson Conservatory. The other Park in the city centre, Settler's Park, is a nature lover's paradise, as it boasts beautiful flora and fauna.

The city is situated 260kms from Knysna and Plettenberg Bay – two quaint seaside towns along the glorious east coast. Just 73kms from the city is the exclusive, private Shamwari Game Reserve, which is home to the ‘big five’ of dafari animals. Early morning and evening game drives are available. There is also the Addo Elephant Park, dedicated to the preservation of the Eastern Cape Elephant and the Cape Buffalo.

Port Elizabeth Airport can be reached from the city centre by taking Route M11 from Humewood into Alister Miller Drive. The terminal is then on the left-hand side of the road. It has frequent connections to the busy international airports of Cape Town and Johannesburg.