Adventure Tourist Attractions at Magaliesburg
Hot Air Balloon, Abseiling, Horse Riding and Canopy Tours
Nov 9, 2009
Being only about one hour away from Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng, Magaliesburg is the ideal weekend getaway for busy executives and tourists on holiday in South Africa. The accommodation in the Magaliesburg area varies from camping and caravaning to luxury accommodation in lodges.
Early Morning Hot Air Ballooning Over Magaliesburg
Watch the sunrise from high above while floating on the morning breeze or float 10-30 meters off the ground and search for wild animals on the ground. Hot air ballooning is arguably one of the best ways to explore the panoramic countryside around Magaliesburg.
AirVentures Hot Air Ballooning offers daily hot air balloon rides that depart from the lodges in the area and most include some refreshments including breakfast or lunch. Bookings are essential, as this is a popular tourist activity.
Abseiling in the Magaliesberg Mountains
Magaliesburg nestles in the foothills of the Magaliesberg Mountains that stretches from Rustenburg in the west to Pretoria in the East - a distance of approximately 120 km, according to BPJ Erasmus, Op Pad in Suid-Afrika, Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2004. Gotrekking is but one of the companies offering adrenaline junkies the opportunity to hurl themselves over the edge of a cliff. They offer tuition to the uninitiated and support to the experienced. Gotrekking also offers guided hiking tours in the spectacular scenery of the Magaliesburg.
Slide among the Treetops in a Canopy Tour at Magaliesburg
Nature lovers and adventure seekers must book a tour through the canopy of the forests at Ysterhout Kloof near Magaliesburg. This is one of only six such tours currently operating in South Africa, although the touring company plans to operate more tours in the near future.
Visitors slide between the eleven platforms built against the cliffs and rock faces using steel cables. During the two and a half hour tour, participants have the opportunity to view the surrounding countryside from an elevated position and investigate the bird species that frequent the treetops.
The tour departs from Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa and bookings are essential as the tours are extremely popular with local and overseas tourists and only eight people are allowed per tour. Tours depart every 30 minutes from 7am to 4:30pm during summer and between 8am to 3:30 pm during winter. With the exception of pregnant woman, people between the ages of 7 and 70 years old can participate in the canopy tours.
Horse Riding in the Magaliesburg Area
Hollybrooke Farms offers two separate horse trails that cater for beginner riders and the more experienced. Visitors can choose between a trail following the meandering Magalies River or a more adventurous tour that includes a visit to a cheese farm.
Other tourist attractions in the Magaliesburg area include a ride on the Magalies Express train, micro-light flights, a visit to the Sterkfontein caves and fly-fishing for wild small and big scale yellow fish.
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