Mpongo attracts mountain-bikers

The Mpongo Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape has introduced mountain-bike trails which will take cyclists deep into the heart of the African bush.
Owned and operated by Premier Hotels & Resorts, which has its headquarters in East London 35km away, the malaria-free 3 200ha Mpongo Game Reserve is the closest true wildlife experience to the coastal city.
Cyclists can ride trails close to a variety of game. Mpongo is a birder’s paradise and in association with the Endangered Wildlife Trust has re-introduced the red-billed ox-pecker, a bird species that has been extinct in this part of the Eastern Cape since the early 1900s.
“We are attempting to create as complete an eco-system as possible at Mpongo and the mountain bike trails present an exhilarating opportunity for riders to encounter wild Africa at close quarters,” says Premier Hotels & Resorts Eastern Cape regional manager Jerod Flaum.
Along with a restaurant and three luxury lodges, Mpongo has conference facilities. Booking is essential for the mountain-bike trails.
The Mpongo Private Game Reserve is owned and managed by the Premier Hotels & Resorts group that also operates hotels in KZN, Gauteng and the Western Cape.