East London Natural History
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Port
East London, South Africa
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$189
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Depart the pier for a short orientation tour of East London, passing the City Hall, built in 1897, which is today marked by a statue of martyred anti-apartheid activist, Stephen Biko on your way to the East London Museum.
Established in 1921, the museum houses several distinctive exhibits you'll find nowhere else in the world. One incredible display highlights the coelacanth, a fish thought to have been extinct for 80 million years - until living examples were discovered in nearby East London Harbor. The dodo is definitely extinct, but you can view a display that reconstructs this creature and showcases the world's only known dodo egg. The highlight of the collection is undoubtedly the Nahoon Footprints, discovered in a nearby cave. Construction workers noticed strange shapes in the cave walls which were identified by archeologists as the fossilized footprints of a human child and antelope living over 200,000 years ago. Slabs of the sandstone containing the tracks have been removed from the cave and are now on display here at the museum.
Next, travel to Nahoon Point Nature Reserve, a sanctuary offering breathtaking views and fascinating interactive displays exploring the wonders of this coastal environmental. A short stroll along the wooden boardwalk leads to the bluff where the famous Nahoon Footprints were discovered.
Enjoy scenic panoramas of the countryside, coast and beaches as you travel out to the nature reserve and back to the pier.
Notes::
Dress in layers and wear comfortable walking shoes. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Bring a hat. Tour sequence may vary. The East London Museum & Mercedes Centre are closed on weekends and public holidays.