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Kei Mouth Accommodation and Information
Welcome to Kei Mouth, the peaceful resort town only an hour's drive from East London at the gateway to the Wild Coast. Here you will find information on all the Kei Mouth accommodation, activities and attractions in the area. See the map for more info.
About Kei Mouth
Kei Mouth lies on the south bank of the Kei River, beyond which, lies adventure in the rural former homeland of the Transkei. The subtropical climate, unpolluted beaches and warm waters of the Indian Ocean make it ideal for bathers, surfers and sunbathers throughout the year.
Activities in the area include river cruises, golf, deep-sea fishing, fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking and nature trails, rock climbing, abseiling, surfing, canoeing, microlighting, horse riding, game viewing and bird watching. Accommodation in Kei Mouth and surrounds includes Bed & Breakfasts, Self Catering homes and apartments, Game Reserves and Lodges.
Kei Mouth Map
Includes: 11 Attractions, 9 activities and 5 establishments providing camping, bed & breakfast and self catering accommodation.
The new tar road has significantly shortened travelling time from East London to only 1 hour. Visitors need not worry about the lack of facilities. The shops are well stocked with foodstuffs and other necessities. Fresh bread, milk and newspapers are delivered daily. There is a post office, library, petrol station, garage and hardware store.
History:
Kei Mouth lies on the frontline of a buffer zone created by the British after the 8th Frontier War. They declared British Kaffraria theirs and decided to populate it with white farmers and their families. The idea was that these farmers would eventually be able to defend the land themselves.
A fort, along with a detachment of British soldiers, was established here. The fort consisted of heaped dune sand surround by a ditch, a hopelessly inadequate arrangement. So, when the 9th Frontier War began on the 6th of January 1878, the local farmers packed what they could onto their wagons and fled to the safety of Fort Warwick, near Komga (Komgha). The remains of the fort lie adjacent to Old Fort Road.
It was at this time that the Enniskillen Reef, a prominent crown shaped rock off the river mouth, was given its name. A detachment of Irish soldiers sent to guard the fort, named it after their hometown in Ireland.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, after the harvests, farmers from the surrounding districts would pack their families and provisions into wagons, for a two month long camping holiday by the sea. Animals taken with included; milk cows and their calves; fattened sheep and roosters; and chickens for laying eggs. A span of oxen would pull each wagon, laden with necessities such as flour, maize, salt, sugar, preserved food and other groceries needed to sustain the families and their servants for the entire holiday. There were no supermarkets and refrigerators back then!
Entertainment came in the form of poetry readings, singsongs, dancing and plays staged by children and adults alike. Beach use was a little different back then, with men and women bathing at different times and on separate beaches. Men swam at Northcroft beach and ladies at Florence beach. A Gymkhana was held on the beach on New Years Day each year, with farmers competing against the men of the Cape Mounted Rifles, even beating them on one occasion!
Even Huberta, the famous Hippo, visited the town for a while, taking up residence in the Kei River just above third cave in 1930. She was eventually chased off and continued her epic journey southward once more.
Directions & GPS Coordinates: Drive for approx. 25-30 minutes on the N2 from East London toward Mthatha or drive 31km past the Kei Bridge from Mthatha and take the Kei Mouth turnoff at Mooiplaas, then follow the R349 for 44km straight into town.
Kei Mouth GPS Coordinates: 32° 40' 46" S 28° 22' 44" E