Fancy dangling from the top edge of a mountain? And then being lowered at quite a pace? If you do, then it sounds like abseiling might just be the ticket for you!
South Africa is fast becoming a top extreme sport destination, and one of the newest forms of outrageous activities is abseiling. Abseiling was developed by mountain climbers as a fast – yet totally safe – way of getting back down to the bottom, once they had reached the peak and enjoyed the view. But soon it became an activity in its own right, and there are now dedicated abseiling spots in South Africa where you can lower yourself off the edge – without having to do the sheer rock climb to get there!
South Africa has some incredible abseiling locations, including Table Mountain in beautiful Cape Town, where you can hang 112m above the city! In Knysna, also in the Western Cape, you can dangle above the crashing waves below. If you find yourself in the urban centre of Johannesburg, there are abseiling opportunities to be had, and some companies even offer abseiling down a high rise building!
If going backwards down the rock face is too boring for you, then you can try rapp jumping, in which the rope is tied to your back and you run down the cliff facing forwards!
South Africa is at the cutting edge of this mind-blowing outdoor activity. No mountain climbing experience is required to get involved in abseiling… just a bit of courage! |
