Taking the plunge with the Oribi Gorge Swing
Something a little different for today - a return to travel blogging.
On Sunday I headed down the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast with a group of friends to Oribi Gorge for a mate's "extreme" birthday celebration. Southern Africa is about more than wildlife and breathtaking natural scenery. The region is also a paradise for adrenalin junkies. The Bloukrans Bungy Jump on South Africa's Cape Garden Route is the highest commercial bungy jump in the world, Zambia hosts the world's first gorge swing (popularised on the debut episode of reality TV show The Amazing Race), and Oribi Gorge offers what is apparently the world's highest gorge swing: The Wild 5 Wild Gorge Swing. I do have to add "apparently" though seeing as there is at least one other South African gorge swing that claims the same title.
Anyway, Oribi Gorge is an easy day trip if you're based centrally in KZN. The gorge is located about 1 and half to 2 hours' drive from Durban, heading south along the N2. You gain access to the Wild Swing - which is located in the Lake Eland Game Reserve - through the 3-star Oribi Gorge Hotel Conference and Adventure Resort, which includes a restaurant, coffee shop and assorted outdoor activities such as horse riding, hiking trails and birding (although there are buck inside, the only wildlife I saw during our visit was an eagle and a lizard). There's a R20 fee for adults entering the Game Reserve, while children under 5 are free.
The Oribi Gorge Swing takes place inside the Reserve, next to Lehr's Waterfall - or, rather, the current trickle and spray splatter that passes for a waterfall. The site of the swing is the base of adventure company Wild 5, which, along with the swing, also offers abseiling, a foofie slide, white water rafting as well as guided hikes and off-road cycling trails around the gorge.
The Gorge Swing is the company's most famous "product" of course, and refreshingly there's no need for pre-booking, even if your numbers are large. You just pitch up with your credit card or R350 cash (there's also a 10% discount for groups of 10 or more), and after signing the usual indemnity forms, and donning a surprisingly comfortable full-body harness, you can be leaping from the cliff-face in 5-8 minutes. I'll add here that the appeal of the gorge swing for me was that I remained upright, instead of being suspended upside down (which I hate) as I would be for a bungee jump.
The Oribi Gorge Swing is 33-storeys, or 100 metres high, and takes place over a riverbed and forest canopy. You'll "enjoy" 3-4 seconds of free-fall before the actual swing kicks in. A common activity for school tours and corporate teambuilds, the swing is open to anyone. You only need courage! And for the record, the youngest person to ever swing was apparently 5 years old.
Unlike a lot of the other gorge swings, there is no tandem 2-person jump on offer at Oribi, so you will be doing it on your own. And although the instructors and crew joked that they only inspect the equipment after accidents, safety seems to be at solid level, with routine inspections and multiple well-practiced procedures in place. While we were there an electrician was called in and the staff had to re-test the swing after a fan that cools the winching device failed, leading to a strong burning smell. It's the winching device that hauls you up after your jump.
As for the swing experience itself, on the whole it's a fantastic thing to do that doesn't leave you jelly-legged and jittery afterwards. After being strapped into your harness you descend a 10 metre ladder to a jump area just below the crest of the cliff. Here your harness is rechecked, tightened, attached to the swing cable and you receive a briefing from the jump instructor - basically where to stand and what parts of the swing rope shouldn't be gripped (too high and you could dislocate your shoulders; too low and you could catch your fingers in the carabiner). Personally I was so paranoid about grabbing the cable in the wrong spot that I ended up jumping with my arms flung wide.
At the take-off point, you also receive the option to either launch yourself off the edge or, like me, be pushed by the instructor at the count of 3. I'd go with the latter if you feel like you can't overcome your natural self-preservation instinct, which is what a cliff jump naturally triggers. Then there was the issue of personal preference in regards to the leap's starting point - some people, myself included, stood on the very edge of the cliff for a moment, looking down; while others chose a running start from much further back, away from the intimidating edge.
For most people in our group, the free-fall was the most exhilarating part of the experience. Personally I hated the first few seconds, and I screamed the whole way - feeling on the edge of fainting actually - until my body grew used to the drop speed. Once the actual swing kicked in though, using the momentum of the fall, the experience was far more enjoyable - and actually quite relaxing as you sway back and forth over the landscape. For the record, I was expecting a strong jolt as the fall transitioned to a swing, but you barely feel it. Once you've stopped swinging, and the various cables and cords have ceased moving, you're slowly winched back up to the top, enjoying the views while you're suspended over free space.
Back at the top of the cliff you receive your tongue-in-cheek certificate of achievement. Alternatively, you can always jump again, utilising the same-day second swing discount of R200. Before your swing, you can also arrange to have the experience filmed for an additional fee. If you're in a group, you can squeeze 4 people's jumps onto a single DVD.
The only downside of the Oribi Gorge Swing experience I felt was the lack of facilities, particularly for people just watching. There are no decent picnic spots with tables, and the fridges at the Wild 5 booking office are empty. On Sunday, given how oppressively hot it was, they would have done excellent bonus business if cold drinks had been easily available. There is a shop and restaurant just outside the entrance to the Reserve, as part of the Oribi Gorge Hotel, but it's a schlep to drive back and forth through the Reserve's entry boom gate. And you're not allowed to sit at the covered benches and tables there unless you're a paying restaurant customer.
Anyway, along with the other activities already mentioned - both leisurely and more physically demanding - it's worth crossing the 80 metre metal suspension bridge just 2 minutes' walk from the Wild 5 base. Given its height over the gorge and the way it sways in the wind (and under your feet as you walk), it gave me a serious case of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom nostalgia. I wouldn't recommend it if you have a fear of heights but the bridge does offer great views of the gorge and the swing. It was just beyond the bridge that I shot this footage. Enjoy!
If you're an adventurous type in, or visiting, KwaZulu-Natal and you're prepared to do a bit of travelling to get there, the Oribi Gorge Swing is worth experiencing. It's also much cheaper and a much more authentic "bush experience" than the Big Swing offered at Durban's new Moses Mabhida Stadium.
On Sunday I headed down the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast with a group of friends to Oribi Gorge for a mate's "extreme" birthday celebration. Southern Africa is about more than wildlife and breathtaking natural scenery. The region is also a paradise for adrenalin junkies. The Bloukrans Bungy Jump on South Africa's Cape Garden Route is the highest commercial bungy jump in the world, Zambia hosts the world's first gorge swing (popularised on the debut episode of reality TV show The Amazing Race), and Oribi Gorge offers what is apparently the world's highest gorge swing: The Wild 5 Wild Gorge Swing. I do have to add "apparently" though seeing as there is at least one other South African gorge swing that claims the same title.
Anyway, Oribi Gorge is an easy day trip if you're based centrally in KZN. The gorge is located about 1 and half to 2 hours' drive from Durban, heading south along the N2. You gain access to the Wild Swing - which is located in the Lake Eland Game Reserve - through the 3-star Oribi Gorge Hotel Conference and Adventure Resort, which includes a restaurant, coffee shop and assorted outdoor activities such as horse riding, hiking trails and birding (although there are buck inside, the only wildlife I saw during our visit was an eagle and a lizard). There's a R20 fee for adults entering the Game Reserve, while children under 5 are free.
The Oribi Gorge Swing takes place inside the Reserve, next to Lehr's Waterfall - or, rather, the current trickle and spray splatter that passes for a waterfall. The site of the swing is the base of adventure company Wild 5, which, along with the swing, also offers abseiling, a foofie slide, white water rafting as well as guided hikes and off-road cycling trails around the gorge.
The Gorge Swing is the company's most famous "product" of course, and refreshingly there's no need for pre-booking, even if your numbers are large. You just pitch up with your credit card or R350 cash (there's also a 10% discount for groups of 10 or more), and after signing the usual indemnity forms, and donning a surprisingly comfortable full-body harness, you can be leaping from the cliff-face in 5-8 minutes. I'll add here that the appeal of the gorge swing for me was that I remained upright, instead of being suspended upside down (which I hate) as I would be for a bungee jump.
The Oribi Gorge Swing is 33-storeys, or 100 metres high, and takes place over a riverbed and forest canopy. You'll "enjoy" 3-4 seconds of free-fall before the actual swing kicks in. A common activity for school tours and corporate teambuilds, the swing is open to anyone. You only need courage! And for the record, the youngest person to ever swing was apparently 5 years old.
Unlike a lot of the other gorge swings, there is no tandem 2-person jump on offer at Oribi, so you will be doing it on your own. And although the instructors and crew joked that they only inspect the equipment after accidents, safety seems to be at solid level, with routine inspections and multiple well-practiced procedures in place. While we were there an electrician was called in and the staff had to re-test the swing after a fan that cools the winching device failed, leading to a strong burning smell. It's the winching device that hauls you up after your jump.
As for the swing experience itself, on the whole it's a fantastic thing to do that doesn't leave you jelly-legged and jittery afterwards. After being strapped into your harness you descend a 10 metre ladder to a jump area just below the crest of the cliff. Here your harness is rechecked, tightened, attached to the swing cable and you receive a briefing from the jump instructor - basically where to stand and what parts of the swing rope shouldn't be gripped (too high and you could dislocate your shoulders; too low and you could catch your fingers in the carabiner). Personally I was so paranoid about grabbing the cable in the wrong spot that I ended up jumping with my arms flung wide.
At the take-off point, you also receive the option to either launch yourself off the edge or, like me, be pushed by the instructor at the count of 3. I'd go with the latter if you feel like you can't overcome your natural self-preservation instinct, which is what a cliff jump naturally triggers. Then there was the issue of personal preference in regards to the leap's starting point - some people, myself included, stood on the very edge of the cliff for a moment, looking down; while others chose a running start from much further back, away from the intimidating edge.
For most people in our group, the free-fall was the most exhilarating part of the experience. Personally I hated the first few seconds, and I screamed the whole way - feeling on the edge of fainting actually - until my body grew used to the drop speed. Once the actual swing kicked in though, using the momentum of the fall, the experience was far more enjoyable - and actually quite relaxing as you sway back and forth over the landscape. For the record, I was expecting a strong jolt as the fall transitioned to a swing, but you barely feel it. Once you've stopped swinging, and the various cables and cords have ceased moving, you're slowly winched back up to the top, enjoying the views while you're suspended over free space.
Back at the top of the cliff you receive your tongue-in-cheek certificate of achievement. Alternatively, you can always jump again, utilising the same-day second swing discount of R200. Before your swing, you can also arrange to have the experience filmed for an additional fee. If you're in a group, you can squeeze 4 people's jumps onto a single DVD.
The only downside of the Oribi Gorge Swing experience I felt was the lack of facilities, particularly for people just watching. There are no decent picnic spots with tables, and the fridges at the Wild 5 booking office are empty. On Sunday, given how oppressively hot it was, they would have done excellent bonus business if cold drinks had been easily available. There is a shop and restaurant just outside the entrance to the Reserve, as part of the Oribi Gorge Hotel, but it's a schlep to drive back and forth through the Reserve's entry boom gate. And you're not allowed to sit at the covered benches and tables there unless you're a paying restaurant customer.
Anyway, along with the other activities already mentioned - both leisurely and more physically demanding - it's worth crossing the 80 metre metal suspension bridge just 2 minutes' walk from the Wild 5 base. Given its height over the gorge and the way it sways in the wind (and under your feet as you walk), it gave me a serious case of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom nostalgia. I wouldn't recommend it if you have a fear of heights but the bridge does offer great views of the gorge and the swing. It was just beyond the bridge that I shot this footage. Enjoy!
If you're an adventurous type in, or visiting, KwaZulu-Natal and you're prepared to do a bit of travelling to get there, the Oribi Gorge Swing is worth experiencing. It's also much cheaper and a much more authentic "bush experience" than the Big Swing offered at Durban's new Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Comments
I have this fear of not being in control. Like, i would drive fast in a car no problem, but don't ask me to drive fast in a car being driven by someone else. That is why I don't like rollercoasters, would never bungy jump or do this gorge swing. It does look like fun though and the scenerary
The swing, I'm sure, is also very exhilarating, but I think they should (if they can) get a bridge there from which you can jump off of, or do they have a bungee site there too?
Cleric, bungee is one of the few things they don't offer... probably because it's a remote place without any big road bridges sturdy enough to accommodate the activity. I doubt it's financially feasible to put one up just for bungeeing.
Brandon, I heartily recommend it. Bridge jumping is available all over the world but actually gorge swinging - off a cliff side - seems to be largely confined to Africa.