Ski resorts in southern Africa

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Ski resorts in southern Africa

The ski areas in southern Africa include two developed winter sports areas in the Drakensberg Mountains on the border between South Africa and Lesotho and another, undeveloped area in Lesotho, which are used in the southern winter from around June to August. There is also another ski area in South Africa. In Namibia sand skiing is practiced on high dunes .

South Africa

Tiffindell in summer

Tiffindell ( 30 ° 39 ′ 11 ″  S , 27 ° 55 ′ 31 ″  E ) is located immediately south of the border with Lesotho in the South African province of Eastern Cape . It is the first winter sports resort in South Africa; it was founded in 1993 and is located at an altitude of 2720 meters on the southern slope of the 3001 meter high Ben Macdhui (often also Ben McDhui ). In addition to two ski slopes (1,300 meters) on 2.3 hectares and a drag lift , the resort offers accommodation for 148 people. The snow season lasts around 100 days. The snow cover is partly formed by snow cannons . All slopes belong to the "easy" category. Until 2009 and since 2012 the annual South African championships in skiing and snowboarding were held in Tiffindell . In 2010 the resort operator was insolvent; the resort was closed. On July 12, 2012, it was sold for 5.5 million rand and reopened in 2013. In 2014, the first FIS ski race on the African continent took place in Tiffindell .

Matroosberg ( 33 ° 22 ′ 55 ″  S , 19 ° 40 ′ 3 ″  E ) is the official ski area of ​​the South African ski club The Ski Club South Africa . It is located on the Matroosberg at an altitude of up to 2132 meters. A total of two kilometers of slopes and two drag lifts are available.

Lesotho

Ski resort Afri-Ski in Lesotho

Afri-Ski is located in the north-east of Lesotho in the Butha-Buthe district . It is the most modern and largest winter sports resort in southern Africa and is located at around 3,030 meters in the Maloti Mountains . The ski area offers two slopes, each with a ski lift, and a snow park for snowboarders. Snow cannons support snow formation. The resort offers various accommodations for 350 people. In 2010 the South African championships in skiing and snowboarding took place here.

As early as the early 1970s, there was a ski slope with a ski lift on the site of today's Afri-Ski , and the Club Maluti Ski Chalet was nearby . There was also a small snow cannon back then. Most winter sports enthusiasts were cared for in the New Oxbow Lodge , 13 kilometers to the west .

With Sani-top , another ski area is located west of the Sani Pass in Mokhotlong District . Visitors can stay in the Sani Top Mountaineers' Chalet , which is built in the style of alpine mountain huts. You can also skate on a frozen lake. However, there are no facilities such as lifts and marked slopes.

Namibia

Ski Namibia is located near Swakopmund in Namibia . Here is on dunes slopes in the desert Namib Sand Skiing operated. On May 31, 2010 the speed record in sand skiing was set here.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ How the good times have melted away at Tiffindell . Mail & Guardian. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ Report to exploreonline.co.za. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  3. ↑ Homepage of the Tiffindell ski area. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  4. ^ The Ski Club South Africa. Official website
  5. ↑ Matroosberg ski area. Retrieved on June 30, 2014 at skiresort.de
  6. ↑ David Ambrose : The Guide to Lesotho . 2nd Edition. Winchester Press, Johannesburg and Maseru 1976, ISBN 0-620-02190-X , p. 197.
  7. ^ A b David Ambrose: The Guide to Lesotho . 2nd Edition. Winchester Press, Johannesburg and Maseru 1976, ISBN 0-620-02190-X , p. 321
  8. ↑ Information at webpro.co.za (English), accessed on November 20, 2010