Mthatha (formerly called Umtata) was once the capital of the former Transkei homeland of South Africa, but is now one of the larger towns in the Eastern Cape. If you're heading to the Wild Coast it's the last place to get decent provisions.

Get in

By car

The N2 highway runs directly through Mthatha and allows easy connections to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London to the south, and Durban to the north.

The R61 regional road goes east to Port St Johns on the coast, and west to Queenstown and to the mountainous and relatively remote interior.

By plane

• 1 Mthatha Airport (UTT  ^IATA). Scheduled flights to Johannesburg are available with SA Airlink. (updated Dec 2019)

By train

The train station is just south of the city centre.

The railway line to East London via Amabele has been upgraded and offers a full passenger service between Amabele and Mthatha. This route is called "Kei Rail". Trains run once a day, leaving early in the morning, with passengers being conveyed from Amabele (76 km north of East London) to East London by bus. The trip takes about 12 hours. Since 2011 a trough train is available to East London.

See

A must-see is the Nelson Mandela Museum (open weekdays and on Saturday till noon) and its beautiful craft shop of the Ithemba project.

Hospitals

Life St Mary's Private Hospital

• St Mary's is a 140-bedded private hospital. It is the only private healthcare facility serving the former Transkei region. All the major specialities are represented and a 24-hour GP run casualty unit caters to most types of medical emergencies. The hospital accepts all medical aids, and self-funding patients are also welcome. Rates are the same as those of other Life Healthcare Hospitals elsewhere in the country. The hospital is centrally located at 30 Durham street and is easily accessible off Nelson Mandela drive, close to the Nelson Mandela Museum. When you enter Mthatha from the airport you will be able to see the bright red hospital tower above the surrounding rooftops. Tel: +27 47 505 5600.

Eat

• Ebony B&B. The Ebony Restaurant is perhaps the best restaurant in the Eastern Cape and one would not expect to find it in Mthatha. 
• Ocean Basket. A seafood chain found in most cities and large towns, it also offers a reasonable salad. 

Sleep

There are numerous places to stay in the town, and finding accommodation is usually not difficult.

• Ebony B&B (Not far from Walter Sisulu University). An enjoyable place to eat and sleep is the Ebony B&B. Steak, Johannesburg Urban Art décor, wrap around patio, plantation-style building. The site of the local Lion's Club dinners. R400 per night. 
• 70 Blakeway B&B, 70 Blakeway road, ☏ +27 47 532 6690, blakewayb&b@gmail.com. This B&B is clean and comfortable. From R390. 

Go next

• East to the Wild Coast and Durban.
• Southwest to East London and Port Elizabeth
• West to Queenstown