Situated in the heart of the Magaliesberg Mountains, only 1 - 1½ hours drive from Gauteng, at the renowned Sparkling Waters Hotel & Spa. The Magaliesberg Canopy Tour® is a unique eco-adventure that takes you on a journey through the ecology and geology of the second oldest mountain range in the world - estimated to be 2,400 million years old. 11 platforms have been constructed high against the rock faces of the spectacular Ysterhout Kloof (a nature wonderland carved out of the mountainside over millions of years), joined by 10 cabled slides up to 140 metres long and in places 30 metres above the canopy floor.
The Magaliesberg Canopy Tour® resembles a Tarzan and Jane style adventure that essentially involves sliding from platform to platform in zig-zag formation across the top of Ysterhout kloof, while stopping at each platform to admire the expansive views and surrounding ecology. Two trained guides accompany each tour ensuring your safety while, at the same time, keeping you entertained with interesting facts about the history of the range and its protected Fauna and Flora
The Experience
What to expect:
The Magaliesberg Canopy Tour® is ideal for the individual thrill seeker, family getaways, group or student excursions and corporate team building events. The experience begins with a thorough safety briefing that covers all the do’s and don’t’s of the tour. After the briefing you will be kitted out with your sliding harness, safety helmet and sliding gloves.
The guides check that harnesses are fitted properly and make final adjustments where necessary. To end the briefing you are given an opportunity to ask questions.
You are now ready to mount the 4x4 vehicle that will transport you up the mountain, over a distance of approximately 2 kilometres, to the drop off zone near the first platform. Look out for the resident Impala, Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Duiker and many other indigenous animal, bird, reptile and insect species along the way – it makes the trip so much more exciting and interesting. Disembark, follow your guides on a short walk to the first platform and “let the fun begin”!
The Magaliesberg range is home to a wide variety of plant, bird and animal life. With some luck you may spot a Duiker or a shy Klipspringer jumping from rock to rock. Look up and you are likely to spot our breading pair of Black Eagles circling above. Rock Rabbits (Dassies) are abundant and, depending on the time of day, they may be running around playfully or lazing in the sun on an exposed rock. Bring your cameras along as you will find yourself in natural surrounds that you have never or seldom before experienced.
The History of Canopy Tour:
The Canopy Tour concept originated in the lush rainforests of Costa Rica where adventurous biologists devised a system of cables and platforms in order to study the diversity of wildlife that habituates the upper canopy level of this previously inaccessible eco-system. It wasn’t long before this developed into a breath-taking eco-tourism activity that not only allowed people to enter and experience the upper realm of a rainforest, but raised awareness of the plight and beauty of the world’s endangered indigenous forests.
The first Canopy Tour in South Africa was built in the Tsitsikamma Forest at Storms River over 10 years ago. This popular eco-tourism activity has now expanded to include 7 diverse locations across the country including Tsitsikamma, Karkloof, Drakensberg, Magoebaskloof, Grabouw and even Malalotja in Swaziland.
At 2,400 million years of age the Magaliesberg mountains are the second oldest in the world. There is simply no eco friendlier way to explore the magnificence of this ancient wonderland than the Magaliesberg Canopy Tour®.
Corporate Events and Teambuilding:
The Sparkling Waters Hotel & Spa boasts 6 state of the art conference venues with seating for up to 200 delegates. They offer a host of team building activities but none as popular as the Magaliesberg Canopy Tour®. It is recommended that you combine the adrenalin rush of the Canopy Tour with the total relaxation of a spa treatment for an ultimate team build.
An increasing number of groups, corporates are discovering the team building qualities of Magaliesberg Canopy Tours® - whether as a day outing or combined with a resident conference package at Sparkling Waters Hotel & Spa.