Following the immense success of their Africa-first viewing lift, Graskop Gorge Lift Co has now launched the Cliff Walk, a groundbreaking adventure that offers a unique and accessible way to experience a stunning landscape.
As a first-of-its-kind in South Africa, the Cliff Walk combines safety and innovation to cater to a wide audience. With its breathtaking views and immersive experience, this is a must-do for adventure enthusiasts and tourists alike, and cements Mpumalanga’s reputation as a premier tourist destination.
Construction of the walk started in April 2024 and was completed in September 2024.
Global innovation
The Graskop Cliff Walk has three elements to it – a walkway along the cliff face, two suspension bridges and a zipline. “It offers a close-up experience of nature – allowing participants to get into places that would otherwise be inaccessible,” says James Sheard, one of the Graskop Gorge Lift Co’s directors.
“Our focus was on creating unique access through the use of cliff-face walkways and other minimalist structures to environments normally limited to those with special training and fitness,” says fellow director Campbell Scott.
“The Graskop Gorge Lift Co is unique in that it offers so many activities in one gorge. Where else can you do a cliff walk, dare yourself to do an extreme 70-metre cable swing or double zipline across the gorge, cross a 51 metre suspension bridge, ride a viewing lift into the forest below and enjoy an interpretive forest trail – all in one breathtaking gorge?” asks Sheard.
What participants can expect on the Cliff Walk
Cliff Walk adventurers are connected to a safety line via a harness and begin a slow descent on a short narrow path, before reaching a set of stairs that lead to a walkway about half a metre wide and set above the treetops of the forest below. From there, a series of walkways, stairs and two suspension bridges first follow the contour of the cliff face before crossing to the other side of the gorge.
Thereafter, the walkway continues for a few metres to a bench. Participants can sit in a place normally reserved for birds and take in the spectacular views, before descending a few more steps to a zipline that takes participants back across the gorge to a mid-level viewing deck under a rocky overhang. After enjoying the spectacular rock formations and lush vegetation of this secret world, participants can take the lift to the forest walkway below or travel back to the upper level.
Participants must be over 1.2 metres tall and weigh under 120 kg.
Ongoing investment and innovation
It was the same desire to give people access to the natural beauty of Graskop Gorge’s Afromontane forest that drove the initial development of the tourist centre, which opened in December 2017. It boasted a viewing lift that allows people to access the forest with a 600-metre circular walkway in the forest that allows the lush habitat to be explored without negatively impacting the environment, a restaurant, retail outlets and a community craft centre.
Since then, the Big Swing that operated on the other side of the gorge was acquired and revamped; a suspension bridge, a second restaurant, more viewing decks, a double zipline with a launch tower, and an outdoor kiddie play area were built. Earlier this year, a solar installation valued at R2.7 million was completed.
The Cliff Walk represents another R1.2 million investment in the province’s tourism sector, taking the total investment by the Graskop Gorge Lift Co to nearly R60 million.
In September 2024, the centre celebrated its one-millionth visitor.
