Ben McDhui Mountain

Ben Mcdhui - Loch Ness in foreground

© Chris Marais

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Ben McDhui in the Eastern Cape Highlands is a majestic mountain that lies next to the small village of Rhodes.
 
The area offers a wealth of outdoor activities and splendid scenery. There are more than 200km of running water in the area, making it a fly-fisherman's paradise.

There are also several walking trails and passes offering day walking trips and hiking outings up The Dragon's Tail and Naudes Nek, the highest pass in the country.

For the nature enthusiast, there are rare birds to be seen including the Bearded vulture, Orange-breasted Rockjumper and Ground woodpeckers. There is also a profusion of alpine and sub-alpine flora and the midsummer months are a fine time to view these hardy plants on the Ben McDhui plateau.

During the summer months, its walking trails and fly fishing make for a sedate and healthy escape from city living, and the natural splendour of this mountainous region is a tonic for the soul, as much as the fresh air is for the body.

At 3 001-metres, Ben McDhui is the highest peak in the Eastern Cape. Known by the local community as ‘Makhollo’ (Great Mother), or, simply, ‘Ben Mac’.

Known as the Switzerland of South Africa, the ridges along Ben Mcdhui were until recently full of snow-skiiers staying at the Tiffendell Resort. Tiffendell is temporarily closed but locals hope it will be open for business again by the winter of 2013.

The first people to ski down the slopes of Ben McDhui went up on donkeys sometime in the 1950s and came down on their skis – presumably with the donkeys following at a more leisurely pace.

In the winter, Rhodes village is the weekend hideaway of preference amongst hardy visitors, from South Africa and abroad. It has the snowy atmosphere of a European hamlet and the pubs and guest houses are particularly well-patronised. Rhodes has been declared a National Monument from one end of the village to the other.

Tiffendell Ski Resort on Ben McDhui Mountain, South Africa's only natural outdoor skiing location, was closed for a number of years but has now been bought at auction by a Johannesburg businessman and ski enthusiast. The new owner, Lew Campbell, plans to re-open the resort in 2014 after extensive renovations. Which also means that the highest pub in South Africa will be in operation again...