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Extreme Adventures in and around Cape Town
By Sarah Manners
Adventure tourism is a type of niche tourism involving exploration to areas, where the traveller should expect the unexpected. Adventure tourism is rapidly growing in popularity as tourists seek unusual holidays, different from the typical beach vacation.
On the Mountain
Abseiling off Cape Town's magnificent Table Mountain is one of the most exhilarating experiences in the world. To begin your mind-blowing adventure there is a choice of hiking up the mountain on one of its many gorgeous routes or taking the 7 minute trip on the revolving cable car, the panoramic views from the car are some of the best in the world. Abseiling off the mountain entails stepping off the top at 1000 meters above sea level, and repelling into pure oblivion, while surrounded by awesome views and the wide stretch of the blue Atlantic down below.
If plunging into thin air doesn't appeal to you why not mountain bike up this magnificent natural wonder. Mountain Biking day trips on Table Mountain have been carefully designed to offer guests of all experience levels a challenging, fun-filled experience. There are two amazing mountain bike trails that will take you on a magnificent tour of the mountain. The trails showcase some of the most breathtaking views of Table Bay, Robben Island, Lions Head and the city bowl.
In the Air
Paragliding from one of Cape Town's many sites which include Lion's Head, Signal Hill, and Dassklip Pass, is a thrilling adventure. Paragliding is considered an extreme sport but for those who have no experience, tandem Paragliding is the solution – with an over-sized, specially designed tandem glider and two harnesses, the sport now invites all who wish to explore the skies and soar the mountain tops, but don't want to learn to paraglide on their own. Being the passenger rather than the one in control you are afforded the fantastic views of the mountains, ocean and earth below you. Once you have paraglided you will want to do it time and time again.
Tandem Skydiving is hailed as the ultimate adrenaline sport! The views from the plane on the 30minute trip up to 9000ft are amazing. Once you hit the 9000ft mark you jump freefalling for the first 5000ft before the parachute is opened. Not only is the jump itself an amazing adrenaline rush, it combines with stunning aerial views of Cape Town, Hout Bay and Cape Point on a 4-5 minute parachute ride back to earth.
In the Sand
Sandboarding is Cape Town's alternative to the Northern countries snow glazed mountains. Sandboarding is not only for the hardened extremists among us, it is relatively easy to learn which ensures that you'll be flying down the dunes in no time. A short drive from Cape Town takes you to some of the most spectacular dune environments the cape has to offer. This addictive adrenaline sport is taking the world by storm and Cape Town is one of the best places to indulge your cravings.
Off-road Quad Biking adventures are the latest of Cape Town's extreme crazes. This is by far the most exciting thing on 4 wheels. The trails twist and wind through sand and bush, offering climbs, descents, technical sections and flat out straights. Reaching speeds of up to 80 km per hour, find out what your machine's got, or take it easy and enjoy the awesome scenery.
In the Sea
You don't get more extreme than coming face to face with one of the worlds most feared creatures. Great White Sharks are prolific in the oceans around Cape Town. Dyer Island is possibly the best place in the world to view these magnificent predators. The island is a bird sanctuary and a breeding site for the Jackass penguin. Adjoining it is a second smaller rocky island called Geyser rock, which supports a large seal population. Separating Geyser and Dyer is a channel aptly named "Shark Alley", arguably THE prime spot in the world for encountering the Great White shark. Shark cage diving is an extremely popular adventure activity – you leave on a boat which will take you to shark alley, it can then take up to an hour of chumming before the first shark appears. Once the sharks have settled down, the first group of cagers prepare to enter their cage while the rest retreat to the back of the boat or viewing platform to witness the spectacular proceedings, eagerly awaiting their turn in the cage. The bait line is slowly drawn towards the cage. As the bait line approaches so too does the Great White. The cage experience has been described by some as an emotional, heart-stopping and truly thrilling experience.
Cape Town – An Extreme City
Cape Town is and adventure tourist's paradise. Home to an abundance of extreme activities it is a highly sought after travel destination for those who live for natural highs. The cosmopolitan city is also home to a fantastic array of cultural, natural and historical highlights. From the vibrant restaurants and the African markets to the shark cage diving and paragliding; Cape Town offers something for every kind of tourist.
About the Author
Escape Tours is proud to show off the adventurous side of South Africa culture. Mixing the exhilaration of an adventure travel company with the expertise of a travel agent, we've sourced the best that adventurous Southern Africa has to offer.
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