About Alicedale

Alicedale, Frontier Country

This quaint village lies in the shadow of the Swartwatersberg hills on a railway junction between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown, not even an hour's drive from the city of Saints.

Despite its littleness, Alicedale has enough to offer the visitor to warrant a visit. Not only does it provide the visitor with a quintessential 'small town' experience on the banks of the Buffels River, but it lies close to numerous game and nature reserves that include Shamwari Game Reserve and Addo Elephant Park. It is also home to an above-average Gary Player 18-hole golf course that seems to improve by the day.

One's choice of travel to Alicedale is a large part of what makes any visit there enjoyable. The railway journey from Grahamstown takes one through remarkable landscapes and an historic tunnel, whilst the drive (an easy hour from Grahamstown), if you take the gravel back roads, is at once challenging and beautiful.

However, if driving the major routes, it is probably best to avoid the deteriorating yet-to-be-completed tarred MR 476 road, a 16 km district road that connects to the N10.

Alicedale is one of the stops on Rovos Rail's 9-day Golf Tour by train. It helps that a mere hour's transfer takes one from Alicedale to the Humewood Course in Port Elizabeth. Combined the two courses provide fast greens, rolling fairways, coastal bush and a challenging morning of golf. Alicedale is particularly scenic.

In the vicinity: Aylesbury Nature Reserve, Rockdale Game Ranch, Kwantu Private Game Reserve, Thomas Baines Nature Reserve, Addo Elephant National Park, Paterson, Sidbury and Amakhala Game Reserve.