Michelle Colman rounds up some novel adventures that will add an exhilarating edge to a local itinerary.

1.More to Hermanus than sharks

Shark cage diving is one of the Cape’s most popular adventure activities, but can be combined with other thrilling activities in the Hermanus area, according to Inge Altona-de Klerk of White Shark Projects.

She reels off a whole list. Fat Bike riding among the dunes on Die Plaat beach, which stretches for kilometres between Hermanus and De Kelders, is one of them – “totally awesome and totally green” is how she describes the experience.

“Burn some calories and go kayaking in Walker Bay with Walker Bay Adventures – you might meet an African penguin, a pod of common dolphins, some seals or a Southern Right whale along the way,” she enthuses.  And if it is whale sighting that is the priority, visitors can join Southern Right Charters on board its vessel for closer inspection.

2.Barefoot luxury on the Kariba

The MV Matusadona is a safari cruiser that travels Lake Kariba, offering relaxed luxury and soft adventure for up to six passengers.

Once on board, guests have a say in planning the route. The captain sets off for a new destination each day after brunch, mooring in the afternoon for fishing, game viewing or a sunset cruise. The vessel is accompanied by a 10-seat pontoon with sunshade and angling deck, a speedboat and two smaller boats to facilitate these activities.

A cruise is a perfect add-on to Victoria Falls, itself an adventure mecca where bungee jumps, bridge swings and bridge slides are on offer. Here an accommodation option is Victoria Falls River Lodge where guests can canoe, fish, take bush walks or luxuriate in a spa.

The Matusadona can also be chartered on a catered basis, and worth serious consideration is a 12-day itinerary that combines cruising with a stay at a safari camp in Zambia, two nights at Victoria Falls and a three-day Rovos Rail trip from Zimbabwe, through Botswana and ending at Pretoria.

3.A night in the treetops

At The Hide, a tented camp in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, a night or two spent in the Dove’s Nest, adds a sense of daring to an already thrilling location.  This secluded tree-house, sleeping two, provides an elevated space from which to survey the vlei and pan below, and the giraffe and elephants that come to drink there.

Things are kept simple, as a tree house should be, although guests don’t have to forego hot showers and comfortable beds. Lunch and afternoon siestas in a swinging hammock can be taken on the open deck just below. Sundowners are followed by a private bush dinner.

4.An epic motorcycle ride

Touring South Africa by motorcycle is unusual at the very least.  Drifters Adventours, the operator that runs the tour, describes it as “an adventure that combines the nostalgia of riding a classic Royal Enfield with a taste of South Africa’s history, a touch of safari, diverse cultures, unique geology, breathtaking scenery and much more!”.

The Royal Enfield is a reliable vehicle, and those who are not familiar with motorbikes need not be intimidated. The tours are designed for novices, intermediate and experienced riders – even pillion riders are welcomed.

Drifters offers a 10-day Overland Adventure from Cape Town to Kimberley, following the historic route of the early diamond diggers and British Army advance. Building on that, the company will offer a shorter seven-day Garden Route tour in 2017, starting and ending in Cape Town.

Daily rides average 250km.  Says Christiaan Steyn, Marketing Manager: “We have a guide in front who leads the bike riders, and a Drifters truck at the back that sweeps and carries all the luggage.”  

Guests stay in lodges on the way, in locations such Barrydale, Knysna and a game reserve on the Garden Route. “Some highlights on tour will be the Swartberg Pass, Meiringspoort, the ride along the coast from Knysna to Tsitsikamma and, last but not least, the coastal route along False Bay from Hermanus to Gordon's Bay,” says Steyn.

5.Camping with a touch of glamour

If the authenticity of a camping tour appeals but the drudge of pitching and striking tents doesn’t, a trip with Afrika Ecco Safaris in Botswana will be tempting.

‘Glamping’ is the term used to describe this form of mobile safari, where the roughness of camping is smoothed by the services of a camp assistant who sets camp up, stokes fires and pours drinks.

Each evening guests can expect to find their canvas tent with en-suite bathroom and standing basin awaiting them.  Seated around a campfire, they will dine on a three-course dinner prepared by the chef.

Set itineraries traverse the Okavango Delta, the Kalahari’s Deception Valley, the Makgadikgadi salt pans, Moremi Game Reserve, and northern Chobe’s Savute Marsh.

6.The epitome of bungees

The quintessential adventure activity remains the bungee jump, and South Africa has the good fortune to lay claim to world’s highest commercial bridge jump, over the Bloukrans River Valley on the Garden Route.

At over 200m, the jump uses pendulum bungee technology to ensure a smooth fall.  For safety, jumpers wear a full body harness and ankle connection.

SST, one of the operators in the Tourvest Destination Management stable, finds the jump to be particularly popular among Indian visitors.

Non-jumpers can book a bridge walk, making their way across the arch over the deep valley – no doubt at that height a walk is quite enough adventure for some.

SST has compiled an ‘enhancer’ list for clients who want to enrich a standard booking. It includes tandem skydiving, tandem paragliding, quad biking, sand-boarding and abseiling.

7.Rich adventure pickings in Gauteng

As a popular heritage site, the Cradle of Humankind has attracted a cluster of modern-day adventure operators. 

In fact, one of the attractions that make up the Interpretation Centre Complex in the site, the Sterkfontein Caves, offers an adventurous underground tour with some tight fits where belly crawling is required.

In the Cradle, visitors can horse ride, go-kart, balloon ride, river raft, abseil and go caving.  Gauteng Tourism Authority’s website will point the viewer to relevant operators.

Water adventures are the focus on the Vaal River and Dam, with water-skiing, jet skiing and tube rides on the menu. The Lift Jet Board, where a water-powered jet board lifts participants above water with a feeling of flying, is a new activity designed and built in South Africa.

8.Amazing Race in a game reserve

Amazing Race fans will be intrigued by the wildlife version of the contest, as offered by Experiences (associated with mobile operator Chiefs Luxury Safari Tented Camps, represented by An African Anthology).

Experiences offers a wide range of team-building-type activities that can be tailor made to suit the location of each mobile tented camp, the number of people participating and the demographics of the group.

With the Amazing Race event, each team is given a GPS, compass, digital camera, binoculars, set of instructions, cryptic crossword puzzle, a Wildlife of Southern Africa reference book and map of the game reserve. Teams set off in game-drive vehicles and need to complete tasks such as an Initiative Challenge and a Wildlife Challenge within a certain time and in line with a set of rules.

Chiefs Luxury Safari Tented Camps can be set up anywhere in Southern Africa, from the Namib Desert to Big 5 game reserves.  The accommodation includes basic warrior tents to ultra-luxurious tented suites with chandeliers.