Buffalo Hills Game Reserve and Lodges innovates

Garden Route – Buffalo Hills Game Reserve and Lodges has announced a new direction which promises to raise enormous excitement amongst a whole new segment of both domestic and foreign visitors.

“Since our inception eight years ago we’ve followed the traditional model of luxury accommodation, coupled to guided game drives and game walks – although we did have one ace up our sleeve which no one else could offer: our cultural traditional Mampoer distillery,” said the reserve’s owner, Tony Kinahan.

“But our research showed that our guests wanted more choice in the way they could interact with the unique environment  – and we’re delighted to announce that Buffalo Hills is now open to small groups of mountain bikers, trail runners and walkers, with birding and horse riding products planned for early next year.”

Tony said that the inspiration behind the design of the new products was the rapidly-growing interest in multi-sports and the technology now used in orienteering and map-work.

“The GPS has opened great opportunities for us, and we’re busy plotting routes and designing route books to make exploring at Buffalo Hills an exciting and unusual experience for everyone – from children to senior citizens and from the relatively unfit to top multi-sports athletes,” he said.

“And, of course, these new products will also serve to make Buffalo Hills even more child-friendly.

“And we’re so excited about what’s happening here, that we’ve decided to change our name – from now on Buffalo Hills will be known as ‘Buffalo Hills African Adventure Reserve.”

About 800 hectares of prime conservation land in the Buffalo Hills / Bitou River area near Plettenberg Bay is available for use by guests on self-guided trails – and a further 20,000 hectares of indigenous forest is accessible on controlled, guided tours.

Animals contained within the fenced area of Buffalo Hills include relatively large herds of wildebeest, bontebok, kudu, eland, zebra, impala ,giraffe, red hartebeest & bushbuck. Nocturnal animals include the elusive leopard, bush pigs, blue duiker, honey-badgers, and rooikat (or lynx).

“Seeing animals in the wild when you’re sitting on a game viewing vehicle and when you’re walking close by them are two very different experiences,” said Tony, “and we expect that people will want to enjoy them both.

“And now our guests and day visitors will be able to combine game viewing with their favourite activities – and that’s the part we think will be unique.”

He said that the Reserve was currently negotiating with an internationally-known company “with experience of event management in more than 48 countries” for the development of some of the products.

“The company is headed by some of the world’s top adventure racers and we’ll be drawing heavily on their experience.

“In addition, we’ll be working with Tony Cook of Mountain Biking Africa – our current contractor for guided mountain biking – and Equitrailing, a local horse tour operator.

“But above all we’ll be working with the people of Wittedrif to use these new products to find ways of creating sustainable employment for member of the previously disadvantaged community in the village,” he said.

Buffalo Hills African Adventure Reserve offers accommodation in luxury lodges and tented camps – and has recently joined up with the on line booking system, Nightsbridge.

The Reserve’s management is presently building a new tented conference facility as well as a new restaurant.

More information: www.buffalohills.co.za

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