Situated near the border of Kwa Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape at Brooks Nek pass is the small town of Kokstad, the southern gateway to the
Drakensberg.
Previously well known for
its cattle farming and excellent dairy produce, namely cheese, Kokstad was put on the map when well known international television
personality Oprah Winfrey decided to design a school for the nearby Shayamoya township.
Fishing
Kokstad has grown in popularity due to its many rivers and
dams which set the scene for excellent trout fishing. Crystal Dam located within the Mount Currie Reserve is fed by the pure water of Crystal Spring,
the main source of Kokstad's water supply, and is well stocked with bluegill, bass and trout, providing visitors with decent opportunities for fishing
and boating. There are a number of other well stocked dams in the area, including the Hebron Dam, where rainbow trout up to 4,5 kgs have been
caught.
Hiking
The area is also home to three nature reserves, the serene Mount Currie Reserve where a number
of buck and antelope species can be sighted, Wilfred Bauer Reserve, and the Mountain Lake Nature Reserve which is a slightly smaller reserve with
various short paths and trails allowing for excellent short hikes.
Birding
The Kokstad area is also a bird watchers heaven, as more than two hundred and
twenty various species can be spotted in the region.
4x4
Every year around June or July the annual Kokstad 4x4 Rally which runs for a period of two days is also held here.
Cultural Attractions
The history of the town dates back to 1872 when the Griqua leader Adam Kok III and his followers settled here. Inside the town on can visit the St Patrick's Cathedral and the Kokstad Museum, a national monument which focuses mainly on the Griqua
people.
Guests Visit to Kokstad
Our visit to kokstad (Eastern Cape) en-route to Hermanus
Kokstad.is slightly bigger than the normal "in the middle of nowhere" town.
Kokstad has an impressively tidy little CBDarea and issurrounded by clean
neat suburban houses.
It is advisable to drive slowly throughthe actual Kokstad town
centrebecause the roads are pretty badly pot-holed.
Business reps traveling between KZN and The Western Cape often choose
Kokstad as their favorite stop-over which is why Kokstad Guest houses and
Bed and Breakfasts are often all full between Mondays and Fridays.
Weekend accommodation in Kokstad is normally pretty quiet and Guest House
accommodation rates are probably slightly lower over weekends.
There is a nice spread of restaurants on Kokstad and our one night stay in
Kokstad was ideal for breaking our trip.especially due to the fact thatmany
of the towns along our route can be pretty grubby
Good bye Kokstad - we are now headed for Matatiele
Carlo and Ren