Canoe the Nqabarana
Paddle the smaller river through the mangroves, with fish eagles and loeries along the banks. The water is calm enough for the whole family.
Experiences
Two rivers, 10 km of beach and Dwesa-Cwebe next door
Every experience here starts at the lodge. Paddle or boat the rivers, fish the estuary and the surf, walk the forest with a ranger, or spend the day on an empty beach. Tell us what you'd like when you book and we'll arrange guides, boats and gear.
Boat up the Nqabara
Take a 5hp river boat up the wide Nqabara, between forested cliffs, and go as far upstream as the day allows.
Matanzi boat trips
Head out on the 20 ft Matanzi for a four-hour trip, or gather a group of up to 10 for a two-hour booze cruise.
Swim in Home Pool
The estuary forms a natural pool below the forest. On calm days the sea is an option too.
River fishing
Two clean rivers that fish all year, even when the sea is too rough. Garrick, kob, grunter and perch on lures and light bait.
Fishing at Nqabara
Surf and rock fishing
Kob on the drop-offs and pignose grunter in winter. Sunrise Rocks, 200 m from the river mouth, produces silvers and bluefish.
Fishing at NqabaraWhale and dolphin watching
Humpback and southern right whales pass this coast daily on their migration from the Antarctic. Dolphins are around all year, and orcas have been seen off the Wild Coast.
Birding
Over 290 species are recorded around Dwesa-Cwebe, from the Narina trogon to the African crowned eagle. Bring binoculars.
Species to look forGuided forest walks
Walk the indigenous forest with a qualified ranger, or join Lunga, the camp manager, on the Clivia nature walk.
Hike the Wild Coast
Nqabara is halfway between The Haven and Kobb Inn. The Kobb Inn leg is flat; from The Haven you cross a couple of hills. Bring a bike and you can ride for miles in any direction.
Empty beaches and rock pools
Ten kilometres of white sand with no houses on it. Look into rock pools, collect shells and watch fish in the shallows.
Meet the community
The Nqabara community owns the lodge, and the area is full of willing storytellers. Ask about the day care centre and junior soccer academy the lodge supports.
About the lodgeBirding in Dwesa-Cwebe
The Dwesa and Cwebe nature reserves flank either side of the Mbashe River. Together they protect 6,050 ha of lowland coastal forest, moist coastal grassland, mangroves and 20 km of coastline. Nqabara is on the Eastern Cape Birding Route.
If you'd like something shorter close to the lodge, join a guided walking trail with a qualified ranger and learn about the many birds in the area.
Species to look out for
- Narina trogon
- Knysna turaco
- Trumpeter hornbill
- Mangrove kingfisher
- Half-collared kingfisher
- African crowned eagle
- African wood-owl
- African emerald cuckoo
- African black oystercatcher
- Knysna woodpecker
- Spotted ground-thrush
- Chorister robin-chat
- Olive bush-shrike
- Olive and grey sunbirds
- Grey-crowned crane
- Forest canary
