Abseiling is a great way to get close and personal with the beautiful landscapes South Africa has to offer, giving you a truly unique perspective and experience. The thrills of abseiling also allow you to indulge your inner adrenalin-junkie in a relatively safe and controlled environment.
What is abseiling?
Abseiling was developed as a way for mountain climbers to descend very step or vertical cliffs using harnesses, specialized ropes and other safety equipment. Absailing is now a popular sport around the world which involves being strapped in a harness and going down a steep cliff by controlled release of a rope that is attached to a secured point on top of the cliff. You can also abseil down dam walls, the walls of high rise buildings, or any other vertical surface.
South Africa claims to have the highest commercial abseil, allowing those who dare to scale 112m down the cliffs of the beautiful Table Mountain situated in Cape Town. A professional company will give you a quick crash course before helping you to face your fears as you lower yourself over 112m of cliff face. The only requirement is that you are brave enough to look around and be able to appreciate the sights and scope around you.
For those who are seeking an even greater thrill, rapp jumping is abseiling done face-first, allowing you an eye-pooping lean over the precipice you are about to descend.
Where to go absailing in South Africa
- Abseil Africa: This company allows you to descend the famous landmark of Table Mountain or the 65m cascade of water down Kamikaze Kanyon. If abseiling is not your cup of tea, the company also offers team building and a Table Mountain Summit Walk.
- Adventure Realm: Based in Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, Adventure Realm caters to small groups, scholars, corporates, as well as individuals. The company offers a number of adventure and adrenalin-pumping activities, including abseiling, rapp jumping, archery, rock climbing, white water rafting, scuba diving, horse riding, paintball, sailing and quad biking.
- Ashanti Travel Centre and Lodge: This company also offers a wide range of adventure activities including abseiling down Table Mountain.
- Downhill Adventures: the beauty of Table Mountain and the city of cape Town make Table Mountain a very popular abseiling destination. Downhill Adventures offers the world’s highest commercial abseil of 112m down the slopes of Table Mountain, offering breath-taking views of the city.
- Eden Adventures: Situated along the beautiful Garden Route is Eden Adventures, a company that offers abseiling, kloofing, and a combination of the two in the Kaaimans George. Also along the Garden Route is abseiling in Robberg in Plettenberg Bay.
- Extreme Scene: if you’re not afraid of getting wet, try abseiling down 65m of the Thunder Falls in Cape Town.
- GoVertical Mountaineering Adventures: This company offers adventures all around South Africa, and even leads tours to Mount Kilimanjaro. With GoVertical, you can abseil near the Hartebeestpoort Dam or down the Magaliesberg.
- The Oribi Gorge Hotel, Conference and Adventure Resort: At this beautiful Gorge inland of KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast you can cajole yourself into doing the highest natural abseil in the world. At 110m high, this descent is not for the faint of heart!
- Outsidedge: This company operates in and around the North West Province and Gauteng. Along with abseiling, you can also take part in rock climbing or kloofing. The abseiling is great for first-timers, taking place at Broederstroom.
- Over the Top Adventures: At South Africa’s second highest waterfall, the Howick Falls (at 107m), you can abseil right along the thundering waterfall. Collected at the bottom by an inflatable kayak. The company also provides hiking, rapp jumping, team building, and white water rafting.
- Purerush Industries: For something different, you can try tap jumping down the iconic Orlando Towers in Soweto, south west of Johannesburg.
- Roc ‘n Rope Adventures: At one of the best rock climbing destinations in South Africa, the Mpumalanga Heights’ Waterval Boven you can take part in abseiling, fly fishing, mountain biking, fly fishing and horse riding.
Once you have been abseiling for the first time, it is likely that you will want to take the plunge again to relive the thrill and to feel more relaxed in taking in the beautiful sights around you.