Oribi Gorge Extreme Sports

You are securely strapped in, the instructor next to you is calm and steady while edging you to the edge, your heart is threatening to jump out of your too tight chest … and this is what you hear before taking the death defying jump:

THREE …….. TWO …….. ONE ……. !!!

If a countdown like this gets your heart racing and the adrenaline pumping the selection of adventure sports on offer in the Oribi Gorge area will be perfect for you.

There is something for everyone: from the heart stopping Swing to Abseiling down a 110 meter cliff face, to Zip lining 165 meters above the Gorge floor to the ‘most everyone can do it’ Suspension bridge – you won’t be left wanting after spending a day at Oribi Gorge.

The Wild 5 (Swing, Abseiling, Slide, White water rafting and Suspension bridge) is in the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve while the 4,5 km Zipline and Suspension Brigde are in the Lake Eland Game Reserve.

Wild 5 @ Oribi Gorge

On the premises of the Oribi Gorge Hotel is the well known Wild 5 Adventures Company. With the dramatic Oribi Gorge as a backdrop the Wild 5 is the ultimate adrenaline rush what you won’t easily forget.

Click here for driving directions to the Wild 5.

Wild Swing

This is the highest swing of its kind in the world and jumping 165m, equivalent to 55 storeys, from the top of the Lehr’s waterfall into the belly of the Gorge is truly exhilarating.

You are securely strapped into a full-body harness and swing instead of bounce when bungee jumping. The acceleration is from 0 to 120 km in 2.3 seconds. Don’t worry about the few extra kilo’s you are still battling to shake off, the swings can take a weight of up to 12 tons!

It takes about 10 minutes to be towed back in and allows you plenty of time to enjoy the spectacular views.

Wild Slide (Zip Line)

For a more leisurely but still exciting experience you must try the Wild Slide. This Zip line, that spans across the Gorge, is 120 meter long and 165 meters above the Gorge’s floor. Safely strapped into a full body harness the ride is comfortable and not as hair raising as the swing.

The slide across is thrilling and the birds eye views of the Lehr waterfall, Baboon’s Castle and the Pinnacle is breathtaking.

If you even wanted to know how it feels to fly (without doing the actual work) this is a must do.

Wild Abseiling

This is one of the highest commercial abseils in the world at 110 meters. The first 45 m is down the side of the cliff next to Lehr’s waterfall and the last 65 m is free abseiling until you reach the floor of the Gorge.

Don’t worry if this is your first time. 80% of the abseilers going down this cliff is first timers. The very knowledgeable and friendly staff will teach you everything you need to know beforehand and will only then allow you to tackle this exciting adventure.

Follow the hiking route out when reaching the Gorge floor for more sightseeing.

Wild White Water Rafting

If aqua adventure is your thing you won’t be able to resist tackling the grade 2 to 4 rapids of the beautiful Umzimkulu with the very capable White Water Rafting team.

There is a choice of doing short sections to one and two day adventures that includes everything. Booking is a must as proper preparation and safety is of high priority.

Need I say ‘FUN!’ in capital letters?

Wild Suspension Bridge

This is the mildest of the extreme activities on offer and perfect for those who are more ‘mild at heart’ adventurers. And it’s free!

The 84 meter long suspension bridge spans across the cliffs and hangs 100 m above the Gorge’s floor. The birds eye views of Lehr’s Waterfall, Baboon’s Castle and the World’s Highest Gorge Swing is worth the walk.

This is the ideal opportunity to conquer your fear of heights!

Adventure @ Lake Eland

Lake Eland Game Reserve is short 16 km drive from Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve. On offer is the very exciting and longest zip line in Africa, a ‘not for the fainthearted’ suspension bridge, 4×4 drives for a (own) vehicle/bike/quad, mountain biking and horse riding opportunities.

Click here for driving directions to Lake Eland Game Reserve.

Ziplines

At 4,5 kilometers long, this is the longest Zip line tour in Africa. The 14 slides start at the top of the Oribi Gorge and winds down to Lake Eland from where you will be transported back.

There is an exhilarating section of 680 meters long and 300 meters high above the Gorge. The Zip eXtreme is a 1 km downhill exciting ride that will reach speeds of up to 160 km per hour.

Besides the rush and exhilaration of these rides you can expect to see spectacular views as you go down.

Suspension Bridge

The 80 meter suspension bridge stretches across the Gorge from a viewing area on the one side to the open rondawel (grass roofed) viewing spot on the other side.

The narrow bridge is exhilarating to walk and the views from there over the dramatic Oribi Gorge is spectacular.

If you have a fear of heights – don’t look down but rather focus on what you can see at eye level. It is perfectly safe as each cable can support 70 tons!