The roadside village of Qunu is the home town of one Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who grew up here in the 1920s. The area has yet to fully capitalise on its famous son, but the Nelson Mandela Museum is worth a stop to get a sense of the great man's early life. The museum's two halls have information panels covering his childhood and later achievements. Also here are the remains of the primary school where a teacher gave the future president his Christian name.
Guides offer free tours; a highlight of the visit is when they point out spots in the undulating veld where, almost a century ago, the young Mandela herded cattle and swam in the river. You can also see his distant burial ground and his birthplace in the nearby village of Mvezo; in coming years these will hopefully open to the public, along with a museum in Mthatha's Bhunga Building. Phone the Nelson Mandela Museum in advance to organise a guided tour of the area.
The complex has worn but comfortable rooms (per person R137.50) with TV and a self-catering kitchen.
The museum is signposted on the N2 about 30km from Mthatha (and 500m across the village from there). Shared taxis running along the N2 can drop you at the turn-off for the museum.
