subject: Transkei Jikeleza Festival At Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve [print this page] The Eastern Cape has seen some busy occasions in this past 30 days with the Grahamstown Arts Festival having kick-started the events which have followed in its wake. Stats for the festival recorded that some 218 000 guests checked in at the Arts Festival.
This previous weekend, The Stantons who own the magnificent Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve and Lodge hosted the 13th Wild Coast Jikeleza Festival on their lovely estate, 30 klms east of East London. This is a sequel to last weekends Christmas in July Festival at Hogsback. Both events attracted thousands of guests and the organisers stated that the attendance and participation exceeded all expectations.
Graham Stanton, founder of the Wild Coast Jikeleza Association and co-owner of Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve, was motivated to begin the annual Jikeleza Festival and Jikeleza Association by a trip down the KZN Midlands Meander 13 years ago. Jikeleza, a Xhosa phrase means Meander and the tourism region of Jikeleza starts from Floradale outside East London and continues along the East Coast Resorts Road.
The Jikeleza Marketing movement is responsible for having created some 500 full time careers for local people.
The festival attracts visitors from Port Elizabeth, Queenstown Mthatha and of course, East London and surrounding regions.
A little background
Inkwenkwezi, was a manifested dream of the Umtata born Stanton brothers, Graham and Keith.
Some time soon after Graham matriculated, he moved to the Cintsa Valley and bought portion of the property on which Inkwenkwezi is now found with the idea of building a game farm.
Over the years, stocking of the game park has resulted in there being around 40 species of game, together with sightings of leopard which have been encouraged by the buck/game to return to the area.
One of the Big-5 reserves however taking into consideration the uniqueness of the reserves locality, being adjacent to the coast there's also the likelihood of spotting the Southern Wright Whale which would entitle this magical property to be known as a Big-6 Reserve!
Inkwenkwezi started off employing 10 staff members and over the years, as the reserve has grown they now employ eighty individuals with these numbers likely to expand as the reserve develops even further. Community crafters are also encouraged to offer the on site Curio Shop with locally created products, native to the region.
Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve is a 4-star estate offering luxury tented accommodation, tastefully appointed with all mod-cons and en-suite bathrooms plus 25 en-suite bedrooms at the Lodge.
Conference venues at Inkwenkwezi Game Lodge
4-star Conference facilities seat up to 120 delegates while the Lapa, used for out-door conferences and events seats up to 30 people. A relaxing haven in the bush where traditional and Western cuisine is offered to resident guests.
Each family in residence in the luxury tented camp is served right royally by a dedicated tour guide/ranger who attends to all ones needs from collecting guests at their tent and taking them to the Lodge or the Lapa for their meals to taking them on a personal game drive throughout the magnificent reserve, home to Lion, Elephant, Giraffe, many species of Buck, Zebra, Cheetah, Warthog and many bird species.
Activities on site include guided game drives, guided mountain biking, guided quad bike tours, and the tour of the Elephant Sanctuary, a highlight of ones visit to Inkwenkwezi where visitors may interact with the elephants, feed them, touch and smell them. An experience you will never forget, close up and personal with one of the worlds greatest and largest animals.
