What do you love most about what you do?
I get to share the beauty of my country with visitors. You could spend a whole week on the Wild Coast here in the Eastern Cape enjoying the unspoilt natural beauty, and the hospitality of the Xhosa people. You can go horse-riding, hiking or fishing, and all along the coast we have waterfalls that pour directly into the sea.
What’s your idea of the ultimate Wild Coast adventure?
Crossing the Kei River into the former Transkei, via the Xhosa village of Qolora, and then picking up Trevor’s Trail from Trennerys Hotel. It combines a river cruise and a trek in indigenous forest. It’s great for birders, and a guide can talk about the flora and traditional medicines. Finally, you take a boat through the Transkei Gates Gorge where you can do cliff jumping.
What’s your favourite place here?
At Coffee Bay there’s a very beautiful natural phenomenon called The Hole in the Wall, which was created by waves bashing the sandstone. There’s a traditional Xhosa story attached to it. A lady from a nearby village that went to collect water met a beautiful man. But this guy wasn’t an ordinary fellow, he’d passed on and was an ancestor. In Xhosa culture, when someone passes away, they become an ancestor (we still communicate and connect with them). They fell in love, but the union was forbidden by the woman’s parents. As a result, the ancestors were very angry and bashed a hole in the rock using a big fish.
What will visitors remember most from a trip to The Wild Coast?
Stunning as the scenery is, it’s the people who’ll make visitors want to come back for more. There’s a misconception about South Africa that you must stay indoors or you’ll get robbed. Here, you don’t stay in an air-conditioned car away from everyone; you get to interact with friendly locals who might show you where the next pub in the village is, and you’ll maybe end up sharing a bottle of beer, having a chat.
