Tiffindell
South Africa's only ski resort, at 2,720 m on Ben Macdhui, which closed in 2020 and was put up for sale in 2024.
- Region
- Eastern Cape
- Country
- South Africa
- Status
- closed
- Year opened
- 1993
- Year closed
- 2020
- Reason for closure
- Two years of closure under COVID-19 lockdown, a delayed reopening that prevented preparation for the following season, inconsistent snowfall and the cost of running snowmaking
History
Tiffindell was opened in 1993 by a group of South African skiers who wanted a domestic winter sports destination. It sat at 2,720 metres on the south-facing slope of Ben Macdhui, the highest mountain in the Eastern Cape at 3,001 metres, and offered skiing and snowboarding across June, July and August with the help of snowmaking. It had lifts, a restaurant, a ski shop and a ski school, and in 2014 CNN Travel ranked it nineteenth in a list of the world's best ski runs. COVID-19 lockdown forced two years of closure; a delayed reopening then prevented preparation for the following ski season, and inconsistent snowfall together with the cost of extended snowmaking made operation unviable. The resort was advertised for sale in 2024 and South Africa has had no operating ski resort since.
Lifts
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Bar | T-Bar | Main lift; idle since closure | |
| Beginner tow | Surface lift |
Sources and further reading
More in South Africa
Location
-30.6400, 27.9200