"Eerie": SA TikToker Explores Tiffindell, Mzansi's Abandoned Ski Resort in Eastern Cape

• A TikTok video showing South Africa's only ski resort lying deserted in the Eastern Cape mountains caught thousands of viewers off guard
• Tiffindell Ski Resort, once ranked among the top 20 ski runs in the world, shut its doors after COVID-19 wiped out three years of revenue
• The property is now listed for sale, and South Africans online had a lot to say about its future

South Africa has a ski resort, and most people had no idea it even existed. A viral TikTok posted on 21 September 2026 by @coolstorybru_ showed sweeping aerial footage of Tiffindell Ski Resort sitting completely abandoned in the snow-dusted mountains of the Eastern Cape, sparking shock and curiosity across the country.

SA's only ski resort left to crumble

Tiffindell was established in 1993 on the south-facing slopes of Ben Macdhui, the highest mountain in the Eastern Cape, at an altitude of 2,720 metres. Situated 24 kilometres above the hamlet of Rhodes and roughly 212 kilometres east of Aliwal North, the resort was the country's sole ski and snowboarding destination for nearly three decades.

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At its peak, it was no small operation. CNN ranked Tiffindell number 19 on its list of the top 100 ski runs in the world, and the resort regularly hosted the South African National FIS Championships alongside international FIS Ski Races. The resort also used snowmaking and grooming machines to extend the season beyond natural snowfall during the June to August winter window.

Its downfall came swiftly. COVID-19 lockdowns forced the resort to close in 2020 and 2021, and disrupted preparations for the 2022 season entirely. Agent Chris Stevens of Chris Stevens Real Estate, who listed the property for sale, explained that three consecutive lost seasons was simply too much to recover from, given that the resort operated for only three months a year.

Ron Mackenzie from The Safari Guys visited the site and described the experience as "surreal and eerie." He wrote on Facebook that despite seeing fresh footprints in the snow, he could not find a single person to speak to. He wrote:

"The stillness was eerie, and apart from weathered timber railings, it looked as though the last guests had departed only days earlier."

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi reacts to the abandoned resort

South Africans in the comments section of the page had plenty to say, ranging from disbelief to humour:

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@Hair'ducator🇿🇦 said:

"I didn't even know we had a ski resort."

@Zee wrote:

"They should create jobs there."

@𝕬𝖒𝖆𝖍𝖑𝖊 𝕸𝖇💋 asked:

"How much is it? I want to buy it."

@Segopotje PapaKamo M joked:

"Do they take PayJustNow?"

@MandyPashla quipped:

"Everything built in 1993 is abandoned, look at me, I don't have a man 😭😭"

@diann muller shared:

"I used to work there."

@Qheluchebixhegwinkqayi asked:

"Does it come with the snow or am I gonna have to buy my own?"

More Briefly News stories on abandoned buildings

• An abandoned Cape Town hotel on Loop Street is being transformed into 130 modern long-term rental units.
• YungEarn explored a derelict hotel in Port Alfred, where the mysterious Kawi Angel statue was discovered beneath the crumbling building.
• A young KZN couple is renovating an abandoned half-acre property into their dream home, leaving viewers stunned by the transformation.

Source: Briefly News