Snow Skiing Adventure in South Africa
As a country known for hot weather, blue skies and grassy plains, few people think of trying snow skiing in South Africa. However when you look to the country’s interior, you’ll find the fabulous Drakensberg (Dragon’s Mountain) mountain range. As this scenic collection of mountains rises ever higher, its tips eventually end up lightly dusted with soft, white, fluffy snow during the winter months. This is the setting for Tiffendell, South Africa’s only ski resort.
On first approach you’ll likely notice that Tiffendell Ski Resort is not all that big. It is certainly a world away from the bigger ski resorts that you’ll find overseas. But then again, this is South Africa – land of sun and sea, remember? Still, a number of resourceful South Africans were determined not to miss out on the joys that are provided by this cold white powder and after a lot of effort, Tiffendell Ski Resort became a reality. The resort is situated at a high altitude which is naturally prone to light snowfall and low temperatures in winter. These natural resources are combined with snow machines to ensure that visitors can ski the slopes for as long as possible during the winter months. Tiffendell Ski Resort is about the closest that most South African’s will ever get to skiing and snowboarding and subsequently the resort caters largely to beginners. Equipment can be hired and timeshare at the various cottages around the resort is available. There are also child minding services, instruction and recreational activities available at the lodge.
For those of us who are local, spending your holiday at Tiffendell ‘learning’ to ski may seem like a waste of money. However there are several indoor ski slopes in Gauteng where you can prep yourself for your stay. Snowscape is a 50m indoor ski slope which works in conjunction with Tiffendell to provide the people of the country with a fun and interactive skiing experience. Ski Deck is another alternative. So why not start practising now? You can try your hand at skiing or snowboarding at one of these malls to get a taste for the real thing long before you even set foot on real snow. Then you can venture out to the Drakensberg and try your hand at skiing the South African way.