{"id":811,"date":"2015-10-20T11:53:49","date_gmt":"2015-10-20T11:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bushbabyblog.com\/?p=811"},"modified":"2015-10-20T11:53:49","modified_gmt":"2015-10-20T11:53:49","slug":"drakensberg-canopy-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bushbabyblog.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/20\/drakensberg-canopy-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarzan and Jane Style, Ziplining in the Drakensberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

We took to the treetops and ziplined through the Blue Grotto Forest in the Drakensberg<\/h2>\n

It was a misty, drizzly morning in the mountains. We were not hiking into their heights though. We had a date to meet a different Drakensberg playground that morning. We were going ziplining in the Blue Grotto Forest with Drakensberg Canopy Tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"IMG-20151018-WA0009\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The treetop course is made up of 12 ziplines (or foefie slides) and platforms, set in an indigenous forest of the Central Drakensberg with Cathkin Peak peering down at it from the background. It\u2019s a magnificent environment in every sense. The canopy tour shows off Africa\u2019s first elevated rock face walkway and cable slides over the forest, some up to 60 metres high off the forest floor.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Ian Kidson<\/p><\/div>\n

Graham and I played \u201cTarzan and Jane\u201d<\/em> for about 2 hours when we flew through that forest, from platform to platform, wind and fat smile on our faces. Our guides were Vusi and Promise who took our safety and fun very seriously. They showed us the ropes (or should I say \u201ccables\u201d) and soon we were zipping through the eerily beautiful tree setting while Jabulane took photos and videos too. We glided over rivers and between boulders, through the treelines and passed sheer cliffs. That feeling of reeling quickly through the air, the whining sound of the pulley as a backtrack while holding on tight was just awesome. It was freeing.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>

Our happy canopy tour guides- Promise and Vusi with us on a cliff face platform. Photo thanks to Jabulane<\/p><\/div>\n

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Vusi…showing us how its really done in the forest.<\/p><\/div>\n

The slides varied in length with the longest being an exciting 180 metres long and nicknamed \u201cThe Black Ferrari\u201d<\/em> by the guides. Other slides had inventive names too like \u201cThe Granny Slide\u201d<\/em> and \u201cThe Rabbit Hole\u201d<\/em> (referencing Alice in Wonderland). Each lived up to its name in character.<\/p>\n

\"Flying<\/a>

Flying free! I loved the feeling of ziplining in that gorgeous setting. Photo thanks to Jabulane.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Safety really does come first to the canopy tour team. Our harnesses and ziplines were reinforced 3 times with safety lines and connections. We flew with confidence without a care in the world, safely secured and comfy. Vusi and Promise delivered us from one side of each zipline to the other seamlessly.<\/p>\n

\"Vusi<\/a>

Vusi and Promise. Canopy Tour guides and adventurous souls.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Safety

Safety comes first on every single slide. Check, check and recheck. Then fly!<\/p><\/div>\n

We learnt about the surrounding trees from Promise and spotted birdlife like sunbirds and Egyptian geese who shared their treed territories with us. We heard the tweeting chitter chatter of many other winged species too. We made sure we let our guides know of all the creatures we spotted to contribute to a species list they\u2019re compiling and to enter the Canopy Tours \u201cI Spy Something Wild Competition\u201d<\/a> while doing so too. Walking out of the forest after our 12 zipline adventures were done, we spotted a majestic African Harrier Hawk (we think) in a tree as well as footprints on the path- little antelope spoor, possibly duiker as well as cat prints which we thought could be caracal perhaps? It was just too wonderful being part of the forest life that way.<\/p>\n

\"We<\/a>

We spied wild things in the forest<\/p><\/div>\n

My video showing what it felt like to fly in a forest:<\/h2>\n