title: Maclear, South Africa
text: # Maclear, South Africa
  
  Maclear, officially Nqanqarhu, is a small town situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, near the Mooi River (a tributary of the Tsitsa River), 172 km (107 mi) north of East London and 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Elliot.
  
  It lies just north-east of Ugie. The land to the east and south was part of the former homeland of Transkei.
  
  ## History
  
  It was founded in 1876 as a military camp, called Nqanqaru Drift and developed rapidly, reaching municipal status in 1916. It is named after Sir Thomas Maclear (1794-1879), a famous astronomer who laid the foundation for a trigonometrical survey of the Cape Colony.
  
  In 2021, the town was renamed Nqanqarhu.
  
  ## Tourism
  
  Maclear is a trout-fishing resort.
  
  ## Geographic location
  
  Maclear lies between Mount Fletcher and Ugie, in the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, and at the intersection between the R56 and R396 roads.
  
  Places adjacent to Maclear, South Africa :
  
  Tiffindell Ski Resort
  
  Rhodes 70 km
  
  Mount Fletcher 55 km
  
  Barkly East 98 km
  
  Maclear
  
  Mount Frere
  
  Indwe, Elliot 66 km
  
  Ugie 19 km
  
  Mthatha 82 km :
  
  