Compass IconExplore
Clarity Building Line IconHotel
Compass IconExplore
Clarity Building Line IconHotel
Search location
Where are you going?
125500010115 port-elizabeth-eastern-cape

Search destinations
Add dates
Where are you going?

Port Elizabeth
Ages 13 or above
Ages 2 - 12
Under 2
London

The Donkin Reserve

Must see
Donkin Street Belmont Terrace, Port Elizabeth South Africa
888563 25.620482 -33.961811
89%
Great
Share Save
  • 89
    Great
    17 review
  • 60-120
    hours
    DURATION

About About the place

The Donkin Reserve is a significant historical and cultural landmark in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Originally established in 1820, it commemorates Elizabeth Donkin, the wife of Sir Rufane Donkin, the acting Governor of the Cape Colony, after whom the city is named. The reserve features a pyramid dedicated to Elizabeth Donkin, the original lighthouse, a tall flagpole displaying the South African flag, and various art installations, including mosaics and sculptures. It serves as a public space for relaxation, reflection, and appreciation of the city's heritage.

Best for

The Donkin Reserve is best suited for history buffs, art enthusiasts, photographers, and those seeking panoramic views of Port Elizabeth. It is also a good option for families with older children.

Best season

Spring (September-November) and Autumn (March-May) offer pleasant weather for exploring the reserve.

Best time to visit

Weekdays are generally less crowded than weekends. Mid-morning or late afternoon offer the best light for photography and avoid the midday heat.

Tips by Locals

Accessibility

The reserve has paved pathways, making it accessible to wheelchairs and strollers in certain areas. However, the lighthouse has steep, narrow stairs that are not accessible to those with mobility issues. Some areas may have uneven surfaces.

Kid friendly

The reserve offers a large grassy area for children to play. The art installations can be engaging for children, but supervision is recommended. There are no dedicated changing rooms or kid-specific activities.

Pet friendly

Pets are generally not allowed within the reserve.

Food facilities/restaurants/cafes

There is a coffee shop near the reserve offering refreshments. Picnic areas are available on the grassy lawns. Restrooms are located near the visitor information centre.

Top ways to experience The Donkin Reserve

top-places
top-places
top-places
top-places
top-places
top-places
top-places
top-places

Location

  • Donkin Street Belmont Terrace, Port Elizabeth South Africa
  • +27 41 585 8884

Explore other options in and around

Top attractions

Sorted by nearest
tourist-places
tourist-places
tourist-places
tourist-places

Restaurants

Within 1 KM
tourist-places
tourist-places
tourist-places
tourist-places

Best photo spots

Shoot from Zabeel Park ground level for symmetry

Shoot from the glass floor Look straight down for a unique perspective of the ground below.

Shoot from Zabeel Park ground level for symmetry

What's nearby

You might also like

NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel
NearBy Hotel

What travellers say about The Donkin Reserve

Jump to all reviews
Do you find this helpful?

Travellers Reviews

20%
No Review
(17 Reviews)
Recommended
0
Not Recommended
17

Reviews that mentioned

PamSteenbruggen
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The hotel is very well built and is clean and nice.The room was big and cozy and comfortable and the views from the room are just stunning and beautiful. We got the beach view and it was amazing.

Was this helpful?
AnnJHyde
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The cafe is a little place situated in the middle of the buzzing market of the city and is a cute little place with a really warm ambience and very nice and friendly people and staff. The food was great and had a lot of amazing local flavors. It was totally worth the visit and we really enjoyed the food and hospitality.

Was this helpful?
DankoLajos
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The trip to this place has been an emotional and a moving experience. The collection displayed and the stories behind it leaves you with a lump in your throat and makes you understand the sad history which people had to go through.

Was this helpful?
AnnotGalarneau
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

This is one of the most iconic and interesting buildings of the city where the architecture of this place speaks volume of its importance. It is a great place to visit and its tour throws some light on the history and working of this place.

Was this helpful?
TristanMMathiesen
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The place is so beautiful that I could not take my eyes off it. The place is a heritage building which has stunning architecture and the Victorian style walls are simply amazing. We visited the place on a weekday and it had a lot of people. But things were arranged in a proper way and we could have the tour nicely.

Was this helpful?
PatrickLewis
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

This was a beautiful park which has pretty scenery and lush greenery. It has walking pathways with proper trails lined with pretty trees and there are also plenty of benches to sit there for the people. The musical fountain was the highlight and it was amazing.. This is an amazing place and a must see for all the visitors. It is adorned with beautiful interiors and historic walls. The stories of the past of this building are incredible and the view is just awesome.

Was this helpful?
PaviaPedersen
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

This is one of the most iconic and interesting buildings of the city where the architecture of this place speaks volume of its importance. It is a great place to visit and its tour throws some light on the history and working of this place.

Was this helpful?
HelenMKruse
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The place is so beautiful that I could not take my eyes off it. The place is a heritage building which has stunning architecture and the Victorian style walls are simply amazing. We visited the place on a weekday and it had a lot of people. But things were arranged in a proper way and we could have the tour nicely.

Was this helpful?
OiliVaaraniemi
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

If you visit this place, you will be mesmerized by the sheer beauty of this city. It's like everywhere you look, you end up with fantastic views of nature and pure gorgeous scenes. The holiday could not have been any more pretty and relaxing.. This place is filled with tourist attractions so you have a lot of options for sightseeing. We made a list of places we wanted to see and missed out on a few museums and other places. Overall we really liked the city and the places here and it was an amazing vacation with the family.

Was this helpful?
AndreasPetrussen
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

This is one of the most iconic and interesting buildings of the city where the architecture of this place speaks volume of its importance. It is a great place to visit and its tour throws some light on the history and working of this place.

Was this helpful?
CarolosLecuyer
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

This is one of the most iconic and interesting buildings of the city where the architecture of this place speaks volume of its importance. It is a great place to visit and its tour throws some light on the history and working of this place.

Was this helpful?
RagnaUlfarsdottir
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

Our journey to this place was nothing less than a magnificent memory. This is the most beautiful place I have visited and stayed. I have never experienced luxury like that and the hospitality was top notch. I am still so grateful for all the people who hosted us and took us on an incredible journey.

Was this helpful?
KristinnIngvason
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The place was great, ambience was amazing and the food was delicious and it brought back a lot of memories of your childhood days since the concept of the place was to make customers nostalgic about the comfort food everyone used to have. It was simply incredible.

Was this helpful?
PavelKloucek
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

It was an outstanding historic tour of this place where the incredible collection was displayed for visitors while stating the facts and interesting information. With the striking beauty of its architecture, the visit was successfully completed with the final visit to a splendid museum.

Was this helpful?
IsobelSanderson
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

We decided to visit this place and I think that because it was the weekend, it was too crowded. We were not able to have a good tour since so many people were there and it was not a very nice experience. The place seemed good but I guess the crowd ruined it for us.

Was this helpful?
SalvorKarlsdottir
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The cafe is a little place situated in the middle of the buzzing market of the city and is a cute little place with a really warm ambience and very nice and friendly people and staff. The food was great and had a lot of amazing local flavors. It was totally worth the visit and we really enjoyed the food and hospitality.

Was this helpful?
PeterBarton
Port Elizabeth
Report this
Follow

The hotel was a nice place to stay and the best part here was the free wifi and free parking which is the hardest thing to find in this city. The hotel was well equipped and the staff was very professional. The rooms were big enough and it was a decent stay which also included breakfast.

Was this helpful?
Enjoyed the stay?

Let others know your experience here.

FAQ's about the The Donkin Reserve

FAQ's

Ask a question

Add Highlight Review

Tower Bridge

The Donkin Reserve

Donkin Street Belmont Terrace, Port Elizabeth South Africa
Click to add photos
or drag and drop
your image

Write a review

Tower Bridge

The Donkin Reserve

Donkin Street Belmont Terrace, Port Elizabeth South Africa
  • Business
  • Couple
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Solo
Click to add photos
or drag and drop
your image