Live the view, feel the forest, fly

The Big Swing, situated in Graskop on Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route, is a must for adrenaline junkies.

June 18, 2019

Lowvelder 1 minute read

Now incorporated into the Graskop Gorge Lift Centre, the Big Swing is the world’s highest cable gorge swing.

The experience is very different to a bungee jump because participants are strapped in an upright position in a full safety harness. Being upright enables them to enjoy the magnificent views – that is if they can keep their eyes open as they do a 70-metre free fall at 140km/h in under three seconds.

If participants need to hold someone’s hand when they jump, they can choose the tandem option.

Once their hearts have stopped racing after their jump, participants get to immerse themselves further in the spectacular scenery of the gorge, waterfall and forest as they climb over 400 stairs back to the top.

Visitors to the centre who still want to get their hearts racing but who think the Big Swing is too extreme for them, can fly across the gorge on a 130m high-wire zipline.

The innovative Graskop Gorge Lift Centre is on the other side of the ravine and is home to Africa’s first viewing lift. It travels 51m down the face of the Graskop Gorge into the beautiful Afromontane forest, which is explored via a 600m circular trail consisting of elevated boardwalks, suspension bridges and interpretation boards.

You can also enjoy the Lift Café restaurant and bar, which is perched on the cliff edge and offers spectacular views, tasty, home-cooked meals, craft beer, and speciality teas and coffees. There is also a contemporary African art gallery, a curio shop and community craft market.

Work is nearly complete on an elevated walkway that will allow for ease of movement between the southern and northern sides of the gorge, while the two sides will also be linked by a suspension bridge within the next few months.

The centre is being developed into an adventure hub and will soon also offer guided electric bike trails and an extensive, well-maintained network of mountain bike and hiking trails, as well as an outdoor chill area.

The Graskop Gorge Lift Centre has ample parking for cars and buses and clean, modern toilet facilities and is less than an hour’s drive away from the Kruger National Park’s Phabeni Gate.