Cape Canopy Tour Review: Fly Air Nature with this Zipline Tour Through a Breathtaking World Heritage Site
Are you in need of an adrenaline adventure in nature? How does a zipline canopy tour surrounded by breathtaking Cape Fynbos panoramas and mountainscapes sound? Only an hour’s drive from Cape Town, Cape Canopy Tour in Grabouw could well be exactly what you are looking for. A recent road trip to Arniston saw us enjoying an adventure-packed pitstop at Cape Canopy Tour in Grabouw in the Elgin Valley. As far as pit stops go, this bucket list activity located in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve is one for the history books.
A member of Cape Country Routes, this exhilarating activity is a must-try for both adults and children alike (provided they meet the height requirement). It’s an activity the whole family can enjoy and is sure to offer a great way to build lasting memories. Loved for its carefully selected group of owner-operated and managed accommodation and activity establishments, Cape Country Routes represents more than 20 privately owned activities, hotels, lodges guest houses — located on the scenic and historic routes in the Western and Eastern Cape.
Established in 2014, the Grabouw Cape Canopy Tour takes thrill-seekers through breathtaking mountainscapes using a system of cables and platforms high up in the mountains over 1,000m above sea level. The tour offers nature lovers, keen hikers, and adrenalin junkies the chance to explore their limits and enjoy the breathtaking views of previously inaccessible and pristine parts of this amazing World Heritage Site.
Zipping past waterfalls and soaring through the air, you’ll get an exciting aerial perspective of this beautiful nature reserve. The activity is often hailed as the Cape’s most epic mountain-top zipline experience, and for good reason.
The half-day Adventure in Africa/Zipline plus 4×4 Adventure offers a fun adventure for anyone willing to take on the challenge. The journey starts with an exhilarating 4 x 4 journey through the nature reserve and the next minute you’re soaring through the air on 11 thrilling slides (some over 300 m long!) with ziplines ending on a platform on the cliffs of the fynbos-covered mountain slopes above the Riviersonderend Gorge.
While you’re up there, don’t forget to look down because the view below is staggering! One of the unforgettable highlights of the tour is a unique suspension bridge constructed between a narrow sandstone ravine above a spectacular double waterfall. It’s a sight you certainly don’t want to miss.
If you’re concerned about safety or a fear of heights then you can rest assured knowing many zipliners who have completed the course have described it as super safe. After spending four hours up there with the very capable (and oh-so-encouraging) guides, it’s evident that the quality of the structure and equipment is reassuringly high. In fact, many who have completed the tour have commented on the safety standards and said the high-quality equipment made their fear of heights irrelevant.
The tours are between 4 to 5 hours in duration and are priced at R1,095 per person. The price includes all equipment and training, the return 4×4 experience from base up into the mountains, the zipline adventure along 13 elevated platforms, two fully trained Cape Canopy Tour Guides and the CapeNature Conservation levy.
For more must-try activities and accommodation options along the scenic and historic routes in the Western and Eastern Cape be sure to visit the Cape Country Routes website. It’s an incredible resource for keen travellers to plan routes, where to stay, and what to do along the way.
