Eight Bells Mountain Inn
About the Accommodation
Eight Bells Mountain Inn is a proudly South African-owned and family-run resort hotel set in a picturesque mountain landscape at the foot of the Robinson Pass near the Western Cape town of Mossel Bay – a mere 40 minutes from George Airport. We are a full-service, four-star hotel situated on a beautiful 160-hectare estate with an on-site restaurant and a variety of additional amenities and outdoor recreation facilities. We have a total of 25 rooms which include standard en-suite rooms, family units, log-cabin style chalets, and thatched rondavels, all of which are immersed within our lush gardens, which are home to a year-round abundance of bird life.
About the Birding
Whilst relaxing on your ‘stoop‘ you may spot Knysna Turaco, Black-headed Oriole, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Olive Woodpecker, and a variety of other specialist forest species often associated with the Garden Route region. Beyond the hotel gardens, one can venture along our walking trails to explore a variety of habitats including mixed riparian woodland and pristine mountain fynbos. This will allow birders to connect with the likes of African Olive Pigeons, Knysna Warblers, the diminutive Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Cape Sugarbird, the secretive Victorin’s Warbler, and Orange-breasted Sunbirds.
We have identified over 115 species within the Eight Bells estate alone, but the adjacent area is home to a substantially higher species count. The estate is only a ten-minute drive to the top of the nearby Robinson Pass, where birders stand a chance to find the like of Cape Siskin or perhaps even the elusive and endemic Cape Rockjumper. Should birders continue to explore the remainder of the pass, they will very quickly enter the ‘Klein Karoo’; providing them with an entirely different list of avian possibilities more commonly associated with this unique South African biome.
With abundant birding opportunities both on our property and in the diverse surrounding landscape, Eight Bells is quite simply a birder’s paradise!
Contact details:
Eight Bells Mountain Inn
Ruiterbos, Mossel Bay, Western Cape
Cell: +27 44 631-0001
E-mail: info@eightbells.co.za
