How to get here
From Mthatha take the Coffee Bay road. After 37km, turn off onto the dirt road at Nocollege Store/Lutubeni Mission. The store has a big OMO sign on the roof. Follow the road for 20km, then take a right turn at Embekweni Store (you'll see the sign "Bulungula, Arts Centre"). At the next fork, you'll see the sign "Bulunglua 4x4". Turn left here. Follow the road for about 20 minutes, then turn right just before Mpame Store, at the fork where all the construction vehicles are parked. You are now on the road to Manzamnyama. Follow that road past a pink shop on your left, into a dip and over a hill, past the new school on your left (big brick buildins under construction), over another hill, down a steep dip, and at the bottom leave the road and turn left, crossing the river. Keep to the bushes on your right, driving up the hill. Normal cars can park here. 4x4's can follow the road to the hilltop, straight to Sobonana Lodge.
Extract from the map 'Wild Coast' ©2008 Peter Slingsby
click on the map for full size image
Public Transport
If you come by public transport, be prepared to change taxi several times! There are no busses or taxis straight to Manzamnyama. It is advisable to leave Mthatha either early in the morning or around 3 p.m. During the day there are no taxis down at the coast. From Mthatha you can take the Bulungula shuttle (book with Bulungula) all the way down to Tafalehashe (close to Bulungula Arts Centre) and then catch a local taxi to Manzamnyama. Or, you take the Coffee Shack shuttle to the dirt road turnoff at Luthebeni Store, catch a taxi to Tafalehash, and from there a taxi to Manzamnyama. Or, you take a local taxi from Mthatha towards Coffee Bay (you might have to change taxi at Mquanduli), get dropped off at Luthubeni Store, and follow the advice above.