Car Hire East London Airport

East London Airport Mini Guide

About the Airport
East London Airport is in the eastern cape of South Africa. The airport is 15km from the town of East London which lies almost halfway between Port Elizabeth and Durban on the coast of the Indian Ocean.

How Can I Fly There?
Every day 20-30 flights land at the airport bringing in mostly holidaymakers to the region. The flights are domestic only with scheduled services operated by South African Airways and low cost flights operated by 1Time. You can fly from the major airports in South Africa to East London Airport, for example from Cape Town or Johannesburg.

How Can I Get to the Town?
If you have decided to explore the area by hire car, meet your representative in the main terminal. From the airport, you take the N2 highway into the town. There is not much public transport in this area and it tends to be unreliable so car hire is a good option. You can get a shuttle bus into the town, they leave from the front of the terminal and are operated by Gateway Shuttle or Red Shuttle Bus Services and should be booked in advance.

What Facilities Does the Airport Have?
The airport is small and has basic facilities. There is an information desk in arrivals if you have any questions about your trip or the airport. The airport has a restaurant if you get hungry whilst you wait or you can have a snack at the coffee shop. Browse the shelves at the bookstore or try a sweet treat from Cosmic Candy sweet shop. There is an ATM in departures should you need to get extra money.

Where can I Stay Nearby?
The 3 star Premier Hotel King David is probably one of the closest hotels to the airport. They have an airport shuttle service which takes around 10 minutes. The hotel has 80 rooms and is close to the shops and attractions in the town centre. Enjoy regional cuisine at the hotel’s own restaurant.

Why do Tourists Visit This Area?
It is ideally located for visiting one of the big five game reserves, just two in the area are the Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve and the Mpgongo Private Game Reserve. You could also visit the Lion Park and Camdeboo National Park or go on a shark or whale watching trip. This area is popular for adventure sports too, like rock climbing, mountain biking and scuba diving. The beaches are the attraction for local tourists, Gonubie Beach is probably the most scenic and is 25km north of the town. In East London, the surfers head for Nahoon Beach and families go to Orient Beach, where there are purpose built swimming pools and gardens.

East London Airport takes you right into the heart of the nascent tourism industry of East London which markets itself as Buffalo City. There you can take your hire car through several game reserves in the hinterland of the city as well as head for the beaches which have great surf for the specialist.

The city has plenty to see including the memorial to the work of the journalist Donald Woods and his subject, Steve Biko. You can also visit the track and museum of the Prince George Racing Circuit, home of the South African Grand Prix in the 1960s.