SUMMERPLACE EXPANDS BEGINNER/NOVICE/INTERMEDIATE MTB TRAILS NETWORK

David Baber and his team have extended the trails network at Summerplace Game Reserve to better cater for Beginner, Novice and Intermediate mountain bikers and offer more distance for Advanced riders. Here’s what’s new and why you should ride it as soon as possible…

Summerplace Game Reserve has always offered exciting trails for Advanced, skilled mountain bikers. But during 2024, landowner and avid mountain biker, David Baber, has been on a quest to add more trails that appeal to Beginner, Novice and Intermediate mountain bikers. He’s also made some of the existing trails less intimidating.

Earlier this year, the Orange Route was built. A mostly singletrack 23 km trail that explores the northwest section of the reserve, including three ascents and descents of a hill that adds a decent amount of elevation and some special views.

There’s now a wide range of MTB routes for Beginner, Novice and Intermediate riders. Photo: Glacier Waterberg Traverse

Over the winter, David and his team have added trails to the Langwater section of the reserve – on the left as you drive from the main gate to the Summerplace Restaurant. This is primarily a savanna area with very gradual climbs and descents. This allowed for the building of trails that link the existing small game-drive roads to deliver a Brown Route, that measures 28.4km and a longer Yellow Route, that measures 39.2km.

The Brown Route is ideal for Beginner and Intermediate level riders, starting on Aloe trail and exploring the south eastern area of the reserve.

Aloe’s rocky roll-downs made it somewhat intimidating for many riders in the past, but the trails team has added loads of soil to ensure they’re now roll-downs and more accessible to a wider range of riders. These roll-downs deliver the required momentum to fully enjoy one of the most fun, flowy trails at Summerplace Game Reserve.

Mellow Miles, Killing Kilometres, Salad, Eco Mode and Great Gnu are all new trails, which take the Brown Route into the wild-life rich plains area of the reserve, where Giraffe, Zebra, Tsessebe, Kudu and Impala are regular sightings from the saddle.

The new Pink Route is 15km long on gravel roads and jeep track – perfect for Beginners. Photo: Glacier Waterberg Traverse

The Yellow Route follows much of the Brown, but is more appropriate for Advanced and Intermediate riders looking to add distance with some engaging features.  The Yellow Route previously included Marula Flow, Marula, Aloe and Rooibos trails. It still has those, but has a fresh trail called Chicken Legs, which is now the descent off Marula Hill. It includes some switchback turns that have been superbly crafted with packed rocks. The switchbacks only occupy a short segment near the top and near the bottom of this descent, which has stunning views of the Waterberg and is a load of fun to ride.

Baber has also designed additional Beginner, Novice and Intermediate routes on less challenging sections of the original routes. So there is now one Beginner route and Four Novice routes totalling 78km in distance and four Intermediate routes that offer a total distance of 94km. With 15km of jeep track and gravel roads, the new Pink Route is designed specifically for Beginners.

David Baber checking the rocky switchback turns on Chicken Legs trail. Photo: Glacier Waterberg Traverse

“With our gravity trails now well established and attracting both high profile events and recreational riders seeking a challenging trails network, we have spent this year focussing on adding trails that all mountain bikers can enjoy. We now have a total of 12 mountain biking routes – one of which is specifically for Beginners, four routes suitable for Novices, four routes for Intermediate riders, two routes for Advanced riders and one route for Expert riders,” said Baber.

Summerplace Game Reserve offers a wide range of self-catering accommodation as well as a restaurant that serves meals for hungry mountain bikers. To book your stay at Summerplace Game Reserve to ride the new trails, click here.

Many of the new trails will be incorporated into the two-stage Glacier Waterberg Traverse, which takes place at Summerplace Game Reserve from 9-11 May 2025. To find out more, or to enter, click here.

 

SUMMERPLACE GAME RESERVE: COMPANY YEAR-END GETAWAY SPECIAL

Looking for somewhere fresh for your end-of-year corporate getaway? Summerplace Game Reserve, just over two hour’s drive from Pretoria, offers an authentic fully catered bushveld experience in the Waterberg that will deliver a meaningful, memorable end-of-year send-off.

Whether it’s a celebration of a successful year; a strategic team-building exercise, an opportunity to entertain key clients; or a bosberaad, Summerplace Game Reserve is equipped to ensure you can focus on your objective in a tranquil setting that’s removed from the city hustle, but which has all the necessary modern amenities.

We are running a 15% discount on a midweek three-night, full-board rate if booking is done before 10 October 2024. We can accommodate up to 60 people in our various lodges and we have an on-site restaurant to manage all the catering.

The consistent maintenance of our roads means that all vehicles can manage the drive once the route leaves the tar road. Most of the drive is on the N1 freeway with the final section on good quality tar and gravel roads through the towns of Modimole and Vaalwater.

Summerplace Game Reserve regularly hosts corporate functions. From Blue Chip companies to small and medium-sized businesses, we are able to customise your corporate getaway to your needs. With unlimited, always-on WiFi, solar power and borehole water, Summerplace Game Reserve is equipped to operate off the grid and ensure your corporate event runs smoothly from start to finish.

“As the word spreads, more and more companies are choosing Summerplace for their business breakaways. We are remote enough to be removed from the company premises and related distractions, but close enough that the travel time isn’t a challenge from Pretoria and Johannesburg,” said Simone Baber, Director Summerplace Game Reserve.

“Because we are able to customise our corporate breakaways to each client’s needs and don’t just offer a singular package, we have hosted quite a variety of company bookings in the past 18 months. The fact that we have luxury, self-catering lodges and also offer a fully catered package gives companies flexibility too,” added Baber.

“We needed a place where our staff could relax and be spoiled by us as a company.  We wanted comfortable, upmarket accommodation, good food, and a place where we could relax and play a few games.  We also wanted an option where we could bring our own drinks when we relaxed at the lodges. Summerplace offered all the above and more,” said Wilna van Heerden of DNA Outsourcing (Pty) Ltd, a HR and payroll solutions company that recently booked a company breakaway at Summerplace.

As one of the leading wilderness trails destinations in South Africa, Summerplace Game Reserve offers a network of engaging trails for mountain biking, trail running and hiking. We have a fleet of rental eBikes – ideal for those that don’t have their own bikes but who want a riding experience in the bush.

With over 40 species of large mammals and more than 140 bird Summerplace Game Reserve is a wildlife haven as well as a Waterberg region conservation hub for Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Tsessebe and Mountain Reedbuck. We also offer sundowner drinks excursions or game drives to bid a scenic farewell to the day.

To find out more about our corporate conference options, email bookings@summerplacegamereserve.com

THE HIDEOUT – A NEW GLAMPING EXPERIENCE AT SUMMERPLACE

Summerplace Game Reserve is pleased to officially launch The Hideout, our new ultra-luxury glamping experience where you can get the best of plush accommodation and gourmet food in the silence and sanctuary of the South African bush.

The Hideout features 10 brand new ultra-luxury glamping units, each privately located to ensure it’s just you and the Bushveld. Each unit sleeps two has been designed with glass doors and windows as well as a covered porch to offer unrestricted views of the bush and a feeling of serenity.

The Hideout glamping tents are ideal for couples in search of a romantic escape. Relaxation is the priority and meals are prepared by our gourmet chef and served in the on-site restaurant, a pleasant short walk away from each unit. Each glamping unit has a kitchenette with bar fridge and coffee station to ensure refreshments are close at hand. There’s also fine linen, electric lighting, power points and appropriately placed carpets to ensure optimal comfort.

There’s a private wood-fired hot tub at each glamping unit where you can enjoy the sights, sounds and aromas of the Waterberg bush while relaxing under the stars or savouring a sundowner with a difference. Each Hideout unit features an en-suite bathroom with a twin basin and a shower with internal and external doors.

“We’re excited to expand our accommodation options with The Hideout glamping units. We have steadily been growing our guest options over the past couple of years to ensure we cater for everyone that loves to spend time in the bush. The Hideout glamping is a dinner, bed and breakfast offering, which is ideal for those who don’t want to think about meal preparation during their stay at Summerplace,” said Simone Baber, Managing Director, Summerplace Game Reserve.

With a full-time chef at the Summerplace Restaurant, gourmet meals are prepared daily. The Summerplace Restaurant is the social hub of Summerplace Game Reserve. There’s a fireplace for when it’s cold and a swimming pool for when it’s hot. A drinks bar, uncapped WIFI, a big-screen TV and ample comfortable seating both indoors and on the veranda make the Summerplace Restaurant the ideal chill zone before and after meals.

There’s also the bike rental kiosk where you can rent regular mountain bikes and e-bikes as well as the Summerplace shop where you can find a range of Summerplace apparel and interesting mementos. Sundowner game drives can also be booked to ensure you get an opportunity to interact with a wide range of wildlife, including giraffe, zebra, Eland, Kudu, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Tsessebe and much more!

While The Hideout glamping units are ideal for couples, they’re also appropriate for group or family bookings, able to accommodate up to 20. Although each glamping unit is private, they’re within a short walk of each other. The king size beds can be separated to two single beds on request.

To find out more or to book your special glamping bushveld break at Summerplace Game Reserve, click here.

SUMMERPLACE GEARS UP FOR GRAVITY FESTIVAL

The South African Gravity Racing community will descend on Summerplace Game Reserve in June 2024 where the Summerplace Gravity Festival will see Enduro and Downhill SA Cup events consecutively hosted on the slopes of the beautiful Waterberg.

Running from Friday 14 until Monday 17 June, the Summerplace Gravity Festival will be held over the long weekend – Sunday 16 June is Youth Day, making Monday 17 June a public holiday.

The Enduro will include six stages ­­– five that were used at the SA Cup event in 2023 and one brand new stage.

Photo: Dominic Barnardt

“The feedback on the 2023 event was so positive, so we are going to use five of those stages again this year. We will use Tumbleweed, Load Shredder, and Red Mountain as we did last year. Skyfall will feature again, but not the top section as that will form part of the new Downhill course this year,” explained David Baber, Summerplace co-owner and trailbuilder.

“We will use Summerflow again too as the final stage and have added a brand-new stage called Green Moss, which is around three minutes in duration for the fast racers and which has a nice range of natural features, including rock gardens and a drop-off near the end. Obviously, there will be B Lines where necessary,” added Baber.

The Lite Enduro will use Red Mountain, Green Moss and Summerflow as its three stages.

Photo: Dominic Barnardt

The new Downhill course uses the top part of Skyfall and is then all new from there.

“Downhill racers can expect a very natural course with limited man-made features. It’s about 1.7km long with a drop of around 200 metres. I expect the top racers to do around 2 minutes 45 seconds or so. We have opened it up quite a lot in places, especially over rocks and ridges to give riders a range of line choices,” explained Baber.

The Summerplace Gravity Festival has been designed to accommodate racers that want to compete in both the Enduro and the Downhill events. The Enduro race day will be Saturday 15 June, offering the days leading up as practice days. The Downhill race day will be on Monday 17 June (a public holiday), allowing for practice and qualifying on Sunday 16 June.

Photo: Dominic Barnardt

Cycling South Africa has scheduled Summerplace Gravel Festival to coincide with government mid-year school holidays, which start on Monday, 17 June and run until Monday 8 July, making it easier for families to schedule a trip for the two events.

Summerplace Game Reserve is one of South Africa’s premier mountain biking destinations. There is more than 120km of marked and maintained mountain bike trails on the 3500-hectare game reserve. Summerplace offers trails for all levels of mountain biker, from enthusiastic newcomers to seasoned veterans. A large volume of the trails are hand-build singletrack, designed to be challenging and rewarding. There are more than 40 species of large mammals at Summerplace and wildlife encounters while mountain biking are common.

Summerplace Game Reserve offers a range of high-quality accommodation with various lodges as well as a campsite. To see the range of accommodation for the Summerplace Gravity Festival, click here.

INTRODUCING THE NEW ORANGE MTB ROUTE

There’s a new route at Summerplace Game Reserve that’s instantly broadened the riding options to a greater range of mountain bikers. The 22km Orange Route is ideal for lesser skilled recreational riders, but it also adds great value to experienced riders and wild-life lovers.

Already a premier mountain biking destination, Summerplace now offers even more to mountain bikers. During the summer, trailmaster, David Baber and his team added more than 25km of new mountain bike routes to the reserve’s trail network. Most of these additional kilometres went into the new Orange Route, which explores a fresh section of the reserve.

As you drive into the main gate at Summerplace, the land to your right, which includes a decent sized hill, now has many kilometers of engaging mountain bike trails. You need at least -4% gradient to create good flow and this slope ranges from -4 to -25%, which means plenty of flow.

We’ll get back to that hill in a bit though. It’s important to know that the Orange Route is a route that’s ideal for most mountain bikers. It’s got a couple of steep bits that might be a bit intimidating for some, but these are quite easy to dismount and portage. Ninety percent of the route is unintimidating and ideal for most mountain bikers.

The Orange Route starts near the Bike Village on the road that heads to the main gate. It hugs the side of the hill on a trail called Spook Huis, where many rocks have been cleared to ensure as smooth a ride as possible before it joins onto Drop to Gulley trail.

This piece of trail rolls gently down the slope in the direction of the main reserve road for a few hundred metres before it takes a left onto a trail called Old School. This is a completely new trail that winds its ways gradually in a northerly direction down to the low ground and then up the opposite slope, which is very slight in terms of gradient. It then turns east and takes you on an engaging path before turning north to join a gravel road.

You follow the gravel road for a while until you reach a boundary fence, turn right and then right again to begin the first of three ascents of the large hill that dominates this section of the reserve. David has masterfully crafted trail to make the most of this elevation, which delivers a moderate climbing challenge and stunning views.

The first descent is on a trail called Mountain Oak, which starts off steep, but which eases as you reach the gravel road where you can take a drink, chat excitedly to your mates about that cool descent before turning onto a long singletrack trail called Easy Going, which lives up to its name and allows you some freedom to enjoy more game-spotting.

The second ascent is more direct and on a jeep track road, which has some steep pitches but is superbly rewarding once you begin the second descent, which takes you about halfway down the slope before tackling the final ascent. This ascent brings you to the top of the hill again where you can appreciate some superb vistas to the south and west before dropping down the final descent on a trail called Ball Itch.

The name may be uncomfortable, but the trail is a delight! It drops 100 metres in 2km, has an average of -4.6 percent gradient and delivers some classic David Baber flow! This is sure to become one of the new favourite trails at Summerplace because no matter what your skill level, it’s so much fun.

The fun does end though, right in the dip, but you do get to take a steady pedal back to the end of the Orange Route on the gravel road, where you can process what you have just ridden or contemplate a second lap!

The Orange Route is mostly rideable for newer mountain bikers, but expect a couple of short portage bits. It’s all part of the adventure and it does allow you to pause and take in the natural beauty around you. For Intermediate and Experienced mountain bikers, the Orange Route is an absolute gem! The balance of climbing, descending and singletrack is just right and, like a small slab of your favourite chocolate, leaves you feeling both satisfied and craving more…

The Orange Route can also be considered a Mountain Biking Safari. A wide range of game can be encountered on this route, including Giraffe, Zebra, Roan Antelope, Impala, Kudu, Sable Antelope, Eland, Tsessebe, Warthog and Reedbuck, partly because the route covers a large area and partly because the vegetation isn’t too dense, which makes it easier to spot wild animals from your saddle.

For experienced/fit riders, the Orange Route is a great start or end loop as either a long warm-up or cool-down to a longer ride. It’s a highly engaging way to add another 20-odd kilometres of distance without too much toil.

To experience the new Orange Route – and all of the other mountain bike routes and trails at Summerplace Game Reserve, book your accommodation here. https://summerplacegamereserve.com/accommodation/

MAIDEN STAGE RACE SUCCESS FOR SUMMERPLACE MTB RACERS

Summerplace Game Reserve’s mountain bike team racers, Inus du Preez and Lilian Baber, contested the Tankwa Trek for the first time in early February. The four-day stage race in the Cederberg is considered one of the toughest short stage races on the international calendar and it attracted a strong field comprising top South African and international racers. It was a huge success for them. Here’s how it went.

Since it’s a two-rider team event, Inus and Lili needed to find appropriate partners for the race. This can be a challenge as a good team dynamic isn’t a given and can often become a weakness if teammates are mismatched on any level. Fortunately, both found very solid teammates. Inus paired up with Johan de Villiers of Project Dream SA to form the Summer Dream team; while Lili partnered with Karlise Scheepers of Skynet Worldwide Express to form the Summerplace Game Reserve team.

The weather was hot and the stages were generally quite technical, ranging in distance from 26km to 96km to offer a formidable allround challenge to the competitors. As a UCI-rated event, the route needs to change each year, but, as with every edition, the organisers included the Merino Monster on Stage 3. This climb is one of the toughest in South African mountain bike racing and is generally feared by most.

Inus and Johan raced in the UCI Elite Men’s category and finished eighth overall, while Lili and Karlise raced in the UCI Elite Women’s division and also secured eighth overall. Very respectable results for such inexperienced stage racers in a stacked field.

We had a chat to Inus and Lili to find out more about their Tankwa Trek experience:

INUS

This wasn’t your first stage race, but it was the first one you have done with a teammate. How did that dynamic feel for you?

It was quite special. We did train for a week and a half together beforehand and we also share the same coach. That helped a lot. But training together and racing together can be quite different. Fortunately, from the first stage we just clicked immediately. We already knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses and we used that to our benefit. I’m grateful to Johan for being such a great teammate. We are very chuffed with our performance.

You and Johan were 10th (Stage 1), 10th (Stage 2), 8th (Stage 3) and 7th (Stage 4). You moved up the positions as the race got longer. What do you attribute this to?

A lot of things happen over four days of racing, such as injuries and illness. It’s really important to look after yourself, which we managed to do well. Some teams unfortunately had to pull out because they didn’t’. We are both quite inexperienced in terms of racing those distances, so we went in quite conservatively. The longer the race went on, the more we realised our potential. We started pushing harder as the race went on, looking for our own and each other’s limits and that saw us finishing higher up by the final stage.

Which do you feel was your best stage – and why?

I would say the last stage. The terrain on the last stage suited us as XCO racers. Very rough, rocky and with a lot of singletrack over a shorter distance than the previous two stages. Because we raced mostly on the conservative side, the legs felt really good still and we still had quite a bit left to give on that last day.

The Merino Monster is a huge climb by anyone’s standards – how did you tackle it and was it as hard as you had heard?

Beforehand, looking at the maps and graphs and hearing what people were saying about it, that was an intimidating stage. With the climbing only really starting 70km into that stage, pacing is important. Johan and I paced well. When you come around the second or third corner you can actually see the top of the mountain and it’s quite daunting. Mentally it was quite hard because you want to hold back a bit to keep something for the last bit. But in hindsight, I think we could have pushed a bit harder on that climb. It really is a massive climb.

You and Johan finished 8th overall, beating some experienced pro teams. How did this make you feel?

We were super happy with this result. Especially me, who didn’t feel as good as I hoped to at the Trailseeker race at Banhoek the weekend before. I’m sure happy how we worked together to get a proper result. This is also a bit of a reflection of how well my base training went over the summer.

Did you have any major bad luck incidents during the race?

We didn’t have any bad luck or technical problems. But to an extent, you can avoid some incidents. We saw how rough the terrain was and we just tried to manage our bikes as best we could by being more cautious at times, rather than just charging and hoping for the best.

You are focusing mainly on XCO this year, but after that solid stage race result, do you see marathons and stage races playing a bigger role in your future as a racer?

XCO stays my main priority for now, but marathon racing will always be there and something I can move up to more in future. The marathon racing market is big in South Africa and I do look forward to exploring it more as I mature as a mountain bike racer.

What is your next major racing goal for 2024?

The XCO SA Cup Series and SA XCO Champs. Getting closer to the XCO season now and all my attention will be on those national level goals for the next couple of months.

LILIAN

You were the youngest competitor at the 2024 Tankwa Trek! Did you feel like the youngest or were there times where you felt more experienced than other riders?

I did feel very young in terms of the bigger distances, racing strategy and just being at a high-profile stage race, but technically I felt a bit more experienced than other riders.

What was the best thing about the Tankwa Trek experience for you as a first timer?

I would say I loved almost everything about it! It was also my first stage race ever. For years as a XCO racer, I do a lot of training for a one-hour race, so it was so nice to be racing longer and for a few days in row! The team dynamic was also something different for me and I really liked it.

And what was the worst part?

There weren’t really any worst parts for me. If I had to choose, I would probably say the early mornings where we had to warm up while it was still dark and quite cold. Also, after a stage when you feel your legs are sore and you know you must race again tomorrow. And maybe the fact that you have to eat so much to stay fueled for so much racing time.

As a skilled mountain biker, what did you think of the race route?

I loved the race route! I don’t think they could have made it any better. They included a lot of different features and a great mix of different types of riding. It was also good to hit really challenging climbs. I loved the climbing!

Was the Merino Monster climb easier or harder than you expected?

It was easier than I expected. Everyone built it up to be one of the worst climbs you can encounter, so I was expecting the worst on Stage 3. When I was overseas last year I did a lot of climbing. I have done bigger climbs than that before, so it wasn’t as bad as I expected. I actually felt that Stage 2 was harder than Stage 3.

You finished eighth overall against a strong field. How did this make you feel?

Our main goal was to finish top 10 overall. It was amazing to finish to eighth overall. It was such a competitive field, so that makes it more special.

You teamed up with Karlise Scheepers, who has more experience than you in these types of races. Did you connect well as teammates?

We connected really well! It was a bit of a risk because we had never ridden together before. The first time we rode together was on Stage 1! Karlise gave me bits of advice, which helped a lot. We used our strengths well. I would go to the front on singletrack and she would pull me along on the road sections. We also communicated really well, which I realise is so important in stage races.

Did you have any major bad luck incidents during the race?

I had some bad luck on Stage 2 with a puncture about 35km in. It cost us about five minutes. After that I noticed my back wheel was a bit loose, so we stopped to tighten it. Not too bad considering the rough terrain there.

You are primarily a XCO racer, but based on this stage race, do you see yourself doing more stage races in the future?

I loved it! I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did. So yes, for sure. I have already planned to do Cape Pioneer and Wines2Whales at the end of this year. People say stage racing can rob you of your XCO speed, so we have made sure the stage races I do are at the beginning and end of my season and form part of my base training. It’s so much fun. In a couple of years I can see myself doing the Cape Epic.

What is your next major racing goal for 2024?

Qualifying for the 2024 XCO World Champs. I’m a first-year Under-23 racer this year, so I’m up against some faster girls than before. It won’t be easy, but I am looking forward to the challenge and I will be honoured to be selected for World Champs.

Inus and Lili live and train at Summerplace Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s premier mountain biking destinations. They have daily access to a world-class trails network that appeals to all levels of mountain biker. To secure your own Summerplace Game Reserve mountain biking experience, book your accommodation here.

SUMMERPLACE – THE SCHOOL HOLIDAY SOLUTION

While school holidays are great for kids, they can be a real challenge for parents. You want your kids to have an enjoyable, wholesome experience during their mid-year break, but you’re not exactly able to take much time off work. Summerplace Game Reserve offers a school-holiday solution!

Less than a three-hour drive from Johannesburg and shorter from Pretoria, a couple of nights at Summerplace Game Reserve may only require taking a Friday afternoon off work to create an experience that is meaningful and memorable, for your kids and for you.

Our high-quality self-catering accommodation makes it relatively cost effective too. You have to eat every day anyway, right? Why not prepare your family’s food on a gas stove or over a fire and enjoy it in the quiet of the beautiful Bushveld?

Here are a few more reasons it makes sense to book a Summerplace Game Reserve visit during the school holidays:

It’s safe

Summerplace Game Reserve has a secure boundary fence with access control as well as regular security patrols. The reserve itself is very safe for families and children.

There’s so much space

At 3500 hectares, there’s plenty of space for kids to roam and experience the feeling of freedom. No walls, fences, or gate remotes here!

Bicycles for the win

As a premiere mountain biking destination, we have built a world-class trails network. Several of the trails close to the accommodation are ideal for kids. The flowline between the Bike Village and the campsite if very popular with small kids, who can spend hours rolling down the gently sloping trails.

Bikes for hire

While most kids bring their own bikes, we do also have several kids bikes for hire. They’re high-quality models from Specialized that are very stable and easy to handle, with excellent braking power. We also have range of adult Specialized mountain bikes and eBikes for hire so you can do fun rides with your kids.

Exploring is fun

Safety and space make exploring the reserve a fun activity for kids. Whether on their bikes or on foot, they’ll find plenty of natural features to keep them engaged and connected to nature.

Wildlife

With more than 40 species of large mammals, including a wide range of Antelope, Zebra, Giraffe, Warthog and scores of bird species, a visit to Summerplace Game Reserve always delivers several memorable wildlife encounters. We also offer game drives which is a great experience for families.

Unlimited Wi-Fi

Although we’re far from any cities, we have unlimited Wi-Fi which is ideal if you need to keep on top of your work while visiting our reserve.

No load-shedding

With our own solar-power grid we are not affected by load-shedding, which most city visitors find refreshing! We also use gas-powered geysers and borehole water, making our reserve entirely self-sufficient and offering peace of mind for our guests.

DSTV

While our lodges don’t have televisions, we do have a large-screen TV with DSTV at the Bike Village, so any important sports events can still be enjoyed during your visit to Summerplace Game Reserve.

Catered meals

Of course we know that a break from the city grind is even better if you don’t have to cook all meals! We have a chef that makes the most tasty, nourishing dishes which you can order in advance and either eat at the Bike Village or have delivered to your lodge.

Cooling off

Some of our lodges have private swimming pools but there’s also a swimming pool at the Bike Village for any guests to use. Even in winter we get some hot days and a dip in the pool is most welcome.

Drinks galore!

Our drinks bar serves great coffee in all its forms, most cooldrinks, popular beers and gin and a range of cocktails and wines to help you unwind on our comfortable couches or pool recliners.

We currently have some vacancies over the July school holidays so be sure to plan ahead and secure a short – or long – visit to Summerplace Game Reserve. They’ll remember that school holiday forever and you’ll return to the city feeling refreshed.

To see our range of accommodation that suits all budgets, click here.

SUMMERPLACE GAME RESERVE – THEN AND NOW

Summerplace Game Reserve is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when ambitious humans combine their skills and commitment for a common, greater goal. In less than five years, the transformation of Summerplace from a cattle and pig farm to an international tourist destination has been remarkable. We have compiled a ‘Then and Now’ to reflect on our progress.

But first, a short summary: David and Simone Baber primarily farmed cattle and pigs for more than two decades. Floods and drought between 2014 and 2018 played havoc with their ability to remain a viable business as a farm and, with advice from a friend, they took a decision to change Summerplace to a tourist destination. They began to repurpose existing farm buildings one by one and by late 2019 were ready to accommodate guests.

Marula Cottage

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 virus sparked a government reaction that was detrimental to tourist destinations in South Africa and the Babers were faced with a disrupted start to their new business, which was called Summerplace Farmstay. But that didn’t deter them from making progress on creating a comfortable, tranquil destination in the Waterberg.

The Shed

Simone’s natural flair for interior decoration ensured that each of the self-catering cottages felt fresh, comfortable and like a home away from home. With an existing mountain bike trails network, hand-built by David over the years, it was mountain bikers that first began to visit Summerplace Farmstay. Instagram posts were noticed, word spread and accommodation was booked on a more consistent basis.

The Bike Village

Work was done on the Bike Village to ensure it became a homely communal place. Simone created a basic website and social media accounts and began to share the Summerplace energy. Non-mountain bikers started to book accommodation to explore this new Bushveld escape. And mountain bikers kept coming. One of those was Paul Rose, a businessman on the brink of retirement.

New Wine

Paul liked what he experienced and proposed a partnership with David and Simone and Summerplace Game Reserve was established, including the purchase of surrounding farms. More lodges were built and various species of game purchased and released. Old border fences were taken down and trails were expanded onto the new surrounding land. Investment was made in a fleet of rental mountain bikes, The Bike Village was extended further, the campsite was enhanced and meals-to-order became an option from the on-site chef.

Summerhill

Today, Summerplace Game Reserve is a world-class haven for those who seek a high-quality Bushveld escape where they can walk, run and ride freely to experience the variety of trees, birds and wildlife that find sanctuary in this piece of tranquil heaven in the Waterberg Biosphere.

Whether it’s self-catering or partially catered, more and more South Africans are discovering the magic of Summerplace Game Reserve with plans being finalised to start hosting more international tourists in 2024.

The Bike Village

To experience the magic of Summerplace Game Reserve for yourself, book a stay and discover just what it is that makes this such a compelling destination for outdoor lovers. See the full range of our tranquil Bushveld accommodation here.

SUMMERPLACE MTB TEAM SETS SIGHTS ON 2024 GOALS

Following a successful launch year in 2023, Summerplace Game Reserve is pleased to confirm the continuation of its mountain bike racing team for 2024. There will still be a firm XCO racing focus, but the team members will also add some stage racing for variety and to gain experience.

The team members are Inus du Preez, Lilian Baber and Respect Ramashia, all of whom raced for Summerplace Game Reserve last year. They’re all employed by the reserve but are supplied with bikes, gear and the appropriate support required to train and race in pursuit of their goals.

Respect Ramashia

Respect will once again focus on the regional marathon races including those in Limpopo, North West and Gauteng. He secured a few podium positions at Limpopo events last year and will be looking for improved performances at the larger events this year, particularly the Ford Trailseeker Marathons.

Lilian had a very successful final year as a Junior last year, where she focused primarily on XCO racing. She was dominant in local events, including winning the South African Championship, the African Continental Championship and South African Cup Series. She also contested several international races in Europe and the World Championships in Scotland.

Lilian Baber

“This is my first year in Under-23 so I don’t have any significant goals. I will do a variety races, but XCO is still my main discipline. I will use this year to find my feet and see where I am in relation to the other Under-23 and Elite racers. I plan to gain more experience at international races in Europe and it’s also a chance for me to get more settled in marathon races, which I haven’t done many of,” said Lilian.

“I feel my base training in the off season has been good and has helped improve my strength and stamina. I’m so fortunate to live at Summerplace, which is the perfect place for mountain bike training. Not only is there more than 100km of singletrack ranging from tame to technical, but there also surrounding gravel roads,” added Lilian.

Lilian Baber and Inus du Preez

Among the races planned for Inus and Lillian in 2024 are: The Tankwa Trek, Cape Pioneer and Wines2Whales stage races, the South African XCO Champs, the African XCO Champs, the World XCO Champs (based on qualification) and four UCI XCO World Cups in Europe.

“Being supported by Summerplace to be able to travel around South Africa to race as well as compete in Europe has given me so much and I’m looking forward to making the most of that in 2024. Last year was my first full year of racing and I improved so much. I learned to race smart and my power improved significantly over the course of the year,” said Inus.

Inus du Preez

“My main focus for this year it so see how well I can do at the four UCI World Cup races in Europe and also to qualify for the South African Under-23 team to compete at the UCI World Champs in Spain. I have other races on my schedule, but those and the relevant South African qualifying races will be priority,” added Inus.

The Summerplace MTB Team do all their training at Summerplace Game Reserve. With an established trails network that includes more than 100km of singletrack, an altitude of 1400m above sea level, a wide range of trail types, several measured routes and beautiful bushveld scenery with wildlife, it’s the ideal destination for mountain bikers.

It’s easy to book your own mountain biking stay at Summerplace Game Reserve. Check out the various accommodation options here.

OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PLIGHT OF THE PANGOLIN

The Pangolin is a curious creature. It looks like a reptile but is a mammal. Pangolins are the only mammals completely covered in scales. Pangolins are also highly sought after in the Far East and are therefore either on the endangered or vulnerable wildlife lists. While rare, we have seen Pangolins at Summerplace Game Reserve. And we’re on a mission to help protect this amazing animal.

We were cautious about publishing an article that confirms Pangolins have been seen at Summerplace. The illegal trade of these unusual creatures – currently the mostly highly trafficked animal in the world – has understandably made location awareness a sensitive issue. However, promoting the plight of Pangolins is an essential part of helping save the species too and that’s the light in which this article has been published.

“I have lived, walked and ridden mountain bikes on this land my whole life and never seen a Pangolin,” says David Baber (52), co-owner of Summerplace Game Reserve. “So, we were quite excited when regular visitors, Sean and Joanne Badenhorst, came back from a late afternoon ride with photos and video of their Pangolin encounter.”

The Badenhorsts came across two Pangolins, a mother with a pup on her back on one of the popular mountain biking trails.

“We knew they were Pangolins, but we didn’t know that we were the only people to spot Pangolins here. We didn’t know how rare it is to see them in the wild. They were lying quite still in the middle of the trail when we saw them. We thought they would scurry off or roll up when they became aware of us, but they didn’t. I took a quick video and then wanted to get a bit closer to see if I could try and snap some photos,” explained Sean.

“They were aware of us because when I went around the other side of them to see their faces better, the larger one folded her head under her body. The younger one on top seemed unafraid and maybe even a bit curious. I knew that they roll into a ball for defence and I didn’t want them to feel threatened, so I only snapped a few pics. Interestingly, they never moved off the trail. Joanne and I walked our bikes around them and carried on with our ride,” added Sean.

“We are very pleased to have confirmation that there are Pangolins here. We haven’t seen any since that sighting in May 2023 and honestly don’t know how many there are here. As we grow our guest numbers, there’s a good chance there will be more sightings. Because we have such an established trails network, there’s a more consistent number of visitors enjoying riding, running or walking through the reserve in the early morning and late afternoon, when Pangolin are most likely to be seen,” says Baber.

“I don’t know much about Pangolins, other than they are very widely distributed in the Lowveld, Bushveld, Kalahari and Waterberg. You very rarely see them, but they are there. You can be sure that Pangolins live on any well-looked after farm. We probably have a good population of them at Summerplace, but it’s very rare that humans will ever see them here,” said John Mackie Conservation Director at Summerplace Game Reserve.

“The security at Summerplace Game Reserve – and the surrounding area – is of a very high standard. There are several properties in our region with Rhino, which are heavily protected by landowners and regional security companies against poaching and this no doubt also helps protect other species too, including Pangolins,” added Baber.

Pangolin primarily move around at night. | Photo: Pat Bonoir
Some facts about Pangolin:
  • There are eight species of Pangolins with four of those found in Africa.
  • Pangolins are insectivores and predominantly eat ants and termites, but also eat crickets, earthworms and flies.
  • They use their sharp claws to excavate into ant nests and their long, sticky tongues to reach the ants inside.
  • Little is known about their life span in the wild, but they have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity.
  • Pangolins are solitary creatures and are mostly nocturnal. They mostly live on the ground but can also climb trees.
  • The Temminck’s Pangolin, as spotted at Summerplace, can weigh up to 12kg and grow up to 90 centimetres in length.
  • When feeling threatened, Pangolins roll into a tight ball and use their hard, sharp-edged, overlapping scales as defence. They can also release a foul-smelling fluid from a gland at the base of their tail. Common animal threats are lion, hyena and leopard.
  • Pangolin give birth to live young – usually only one – with fully formed scales, which are still soft. When an infant, the pup will ride on its mother’s back.
  • Pangolins have poor eyesight but an exceptional sense of smell and hearing.
  • Pangolins are essential to the ecosystem in which they live. It’s anticipated they keep ant and termite populations under control.
  • Humans are Pangolin’s greatest threat. Organised crime syndicates traffic Pangolin illegally to Asia.
  • Pangolin scales consist of keratin, a substance found in fingernails, hair, and horns. They are used for traditional medicine in China and Vietnam and the Pangolin meat is also served as a delicacy in some places in Asia

According to the African Pangolin Working Group, the key to Pangolin conservation is to raise awareness about Pangolins. This can be done by sharing reliable and well-researched information on social media and in family and friends circles. Additionally, donating to verified Pangolin-focussed NGOs/NPOs goes incredibly far in Pangolin conservation. When donating to African Pangolin Working Group all funds go to research of the four African species of Pangolins as well as protection and rehabilitation projects.

There’s a very interesting 45-minute documentary video called, Eye of the Pangolin that’s worth watching if you have an interest in Pangolins. Watch it here.

To give yourself a chance at spotting a Pangolin at Summerplace Game Reserve, check out our variety of accommodation to suit all budgets here.

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