Adrenaline adventures in South Africa

South Africa has a lot to offer as far as adrenaline adventures go. Adrenaline enthusiasts have a lot to choose from.

Activities for adrenaline enthusiasts are available all over the country from bungee jumping to white-water rafting.

ADRENALINE ADVENTURES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

South Africa has a vast variety of adrenaline adventures including:

• bungee jumping off the world’s highest commercial bridge,
• navigating churning rapids on a white-water adventure,
• exploring vast desert landscapes on a quad bike safari, and
• getting up close with great white sharks.

These are just a few examples of the activities on offer for adrenaline enthusiasts.

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HIGH-ALTITUDE THRILLS

Popular spots for skydiving and paragliding include Magaliesberg near Johannesburg, Robertson in the Western Cape, and Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape.

The Bloukrans bridge bungee jump is the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. It has a jump height of 216 meters. Other options for bungee jumping are the Mossel Bay bungee jump with a height is 55 meters and the Soweto Towers bungee jump with a height of 60 meters.

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WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES

Another popular adrenaline adventure is on the water. Some of the better-known rivers for white water rafting in SA are the Orange river (Northern Cape and Western Cape), the Vaal river (Gauteng and Free State), Doring river (Western Cape), Blyde river (Mpumalanga), and the Umkomaas and Bushman’s rivers (both in KwaZulu-Natal). More experienced rafters should look into expeditions along the Blyde river, which are known for their intensity, according to South African Tourism.

When rivers contain more water than usual and is flowing very fast, distances of up to 12km can be completed within 2 hours, allowing participants to experience a wide range of scenery and wildlife.

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WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

Compared to other adrenaline activities, shark cage diving is top of the list for adrenaline seekers. Get up close with great white sharks at Dyer Island, roughly 15 minutes by boat from Gansbaai, a fishing town in the Overberg, Western Cape.

Alternatively, you can see African wild cats, servals, caracals, cheetahs, lions and leopards at the Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre in Plettenberg Bay located on the border of the Western and Eastern Cape.

Want to ride an ostrich? Visit one of the ostrich show farms in Oudtshoorn in the Karoo, to sit on an ostrich, ride an ostrich or take part in an Ostrich Derby for those wanting intense adrenaline adventures. The ostrich is the largest living bird on earth. Find out more here.

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LESSER-KNOWN ADRENALINE ADVENTURES

Further to these adventures, some lesser-known adrenaline adventures in South Africa include:

• sandboarding in the Kalahari Desert or the Atlantis dunes,
• kloofing through the Oribi Gorge, and
• zip-lining in Constantia or Ceres.

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