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Voykit pocket guide · South Africa
Grahamstown
Makhanda
Give it 2 nights if you are here for the National Arts Festival in late June–early July; otherwise 1 night as a stop on the N2 between Port Elizabeth and East London.
Grahamstown, renamed Makhanda in 2018, is a small Eastern Cape university town about 110 km northeast of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) on the N2. It has one of South Africa's densest clusters of 19th-century public buildings, more than 40 churches, and the country's biggest arts festival each June/July. Outside festival weeks it is a quiet one-night stop with good museums, not a destination in itself.
- Country
- South Africa
- Local name
- Makhanda
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Late Jun–early Jul unless you want the festival (town full, prices up)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ZAR
- Money
- Currency is the South African rand (ZAR, R), about 17–18 per US$ in 2026 (check). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere in cities and at lodges; carry small cash for tips.
- Daily spend
- Budget R700–1,100 excl. bed · Mid R1,100–1,900 excl. bed · High R1,900+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodacom and MTN have the best coverage; Cell C and Telkom are cheaper. Buy at the airport shop with your passport (RICA registration is required).
- Emergency
- From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types M, C, N · 230 V · 50 Hz · The big round-pin type M is rarely used elsewhere; buy a local adapter at the airport or any supermarket.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10–15%; check if a service charge is added for large groups.; Fuel attendant: R5–20, more if they wash windows and check tyres.; Car guard: R5–20 when you leave.; Safari ranger and tracker: About R150–300 per guest per day for the ranger, R100–200 for the tracker — check lodge guidance.; Hotel porter: R10–20 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most cities and towns; in some municipalities with failing infrastructure, ask your host.
- Toilets
- Clean Western toilets at fuel stations (Engen, Shell, Ultra City), malls and park camps.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | R25–45 |
| Main course in a café or restaurant | R90–180 |
| Beer, draught or bottle | R30–55 |
| Museum entry | R20–60 |
| Taxi across town | R60–120 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R100–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PLZ · Port Elizabeth (Chief Dawid Stuurman)
- About 114 km (71 mi) by road; the closest airport with regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.About 71 mi (114 km) by road; the closest airport with regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
- ELS · East London
- About 123 km (76 mi) by road; a second option on the N2.About 76 mi (123 km) by road; a second option on the N2.
Typical fares
- Minibus taxi Grahamstown → Port Elizabeth
- about R40, 3 h (check)
- Minibus taxi Grahamstown → East London
- about R60, 4 h (check)
- Taxi across town
- R60–120 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable: Church Square, High Street, the Albany Museum buildings and the 1820 Settlers Monument are all within about 20–30 minutes on foot. There is no useful local train; minibus taxis run from Raglan Street to Port Elizabeth (about R40, 3 h) and East London (about R60, 4 h) — check. For game reserves and day trips you need your own car or a booked transfer.
See and do
Known for
- National Arts Festival (June/July)
- 1820 Settlers National Monument
- Albany Museum complex
- Rhodes University
- Victorian and Gothic Revival architecture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Port Alfred | R67 south via Bathurst, about 60 km (37 mi)R67 south via Bathurst, about 37 mi (60 km) | About 1 h each way |
| Amakhala or other Eastern Cape game reserves | Booked transfer or self-drive, 20–60 km (12–37 mi)Booked transfer or self-drive, 12–37 mi (20–60 km) | About 45 min–1 h 15 min |
| Addo Elephant National Park | N2 southwest past Port Elizabeth | About 2 h |
| Kenton-on-Sea | R343 southeast to the coast | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Town centre (High Street and Church Square)
- Walk to the museums, monument and restaurants; the best base for one night without a car.
- Rhodes University area
- Guest houses and student lets; quiet in vacations, busy and booked out during the festival.
- N2 and Port Alfred road edge
- Lodges and self-catering with parking; you need a car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Molomolo |
| Thank you | Enkosienkosi |
| How much is it? | Yimalini?yimalini |
| Where is the toilet? | Iphi indlu yangasese?iphi indlu yangasese |
| Please | Ncedanceda |
| Goodbye | Sala kakuhlesala kakuhle |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say hello and ask how someone is before any request; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Handshakes: Three-part African handshake with friends; a normal handshake with strangers; avoid: Refusing an offered hand
- Elders: Use Mr/Mrs or 'Mama', 'Baba' respectfully in townships and rural areas; avoid: First names with older people you have just met
- Braai invitations: Bring meat or drinks, and arrive on 'African time'; avoid: Taking over the fire
- Photos: Ask first, especially in townships and villages; avoid: Photographing children without a parent's permission
- Politics and race: Ask questions and listen; avoid: Lecturing on history or crime
Scams and watch-outs
- Festival weeks in late June and early July fill every bed: book months ahead or avoid the dates.
- Do not walk alone after dark, especially between the centre and student areas; take a taxi.
- The rail link to Alicedale and Port Alfred is disused: do not plan around trains.
- Long-distance buses stop in town but services are limited; confirm the stop and time when you book.
Central Grahamstown is fine by day and the museums and campus are busy in term time; the real risks are walking alone after dark and unlit streets away from the centre. Take a taxi at night and keep car doors locked on the N2.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Grahamstown yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- National Arts Festival (June/July)
- 1820 Settlers National Monument
- Albany Museum complex
- Rhodes University
- Victorian and Gothic Revival architecture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Grahamstown, revision 5312030 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5312030
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
GrahamstownMakhanda
Nceda undise kule dilesi
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- From a mobile112
No embassies in Grahamstown; consulates and embassies are in Cape Town and Pretoria. Check your country's list before you travel.
English is the working language of signs, hotels and restaurants; isiXhosa is the most spoken home language in the area.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/grahamstown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.