Nestled in the beautiful Ceres valley, the Ceres Zip Slide Adventure is a series of 8 slides running through the stunning Skurweberg Mountains and over a picturesque river. The slide lengths vary from 100 to 291 meters, with the highest point above the ground of 40 meters. Just 1,5 hours from Cape Town, it is the perfect adrenaline-filled escape from busy city life.I am not the biggest fan of heights but arriving at the main office we were greeted by friendly faces, and before I could even think about changing my mind, were getting kitted out in our gear. Hopping on the bus we drove through the beautiful backdrop that we would be flying through attached to a metal wire. I’ll admit that I didn’t see much of this drive and was starting to shake at this point. After a short walk we made it to the first platform and I forced myself not to turn around and go back down to the bus.I decided to go first so I wouldn’t have the time to psych myself out of doing this crazy activity. My hands shook and the guide had to tell me to lift my legs at least 3 times before I managed to sit back and lift them. Before I knew it I was zipping through the air and I could barely breathe. Opening my eyes I managed to look around and take in the amazing view. The cascading sandstone mountains and winding river made me gasp and I couldn’t help but smile. All too soon I was heading to the end of the slide and I realised that I had been pulling on the brake the entire time. This meant I stopped way before the next platform and had to turn around and pull myself to the end. However, by the third slide I was laughing, had my eyes open the whole time, and managed to pull the brakes right at the end like you are supposed to.It was a terrifying, but exhilarating experience. Our guides, Justin and Xavier, were absolutely incredible. They were patient, made us laugh the whole way, and were very helpful with our cameras. The gear was well maintained and I felt completely safe in my harness (probably more safe than I feel in a glass lift, ha ha). The slides were the perfect length and I loved that we could adjust our own speed (although I did get a bit too happy with my brake in the beginning). We even got to ride tandem on one of the slides which was great fun and, surprisingly, the added weight didn’t bother me.The whole experience lasted about 45 minutes, although it felt like 15. Heading back to the bus, I turned around for one last look at the final slide and couldn’t believe that I had actually managed to get through all 8 of them. The final slide was definitely my favourite one as you zip in-between these two beautiful cliffs. I couldn’t help feeling that I would happily do it all again.Thanks to the incredible team at Ceres Zip Slide Adventures, I managed to concur my fear (even just a little). It was definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone, even those who are afraid of heights. Although I doubt I will be skydiving or bungee jumping anytime soon, this was definitely the start for me, and I am excited for the next chance to push my boundaries a little bit more.Ceres Zip Slide AdventuresBooking: http://activitybridge.com/book?activityid=331Price: R400 per person, special rates for tours can be negotiatedPrice includes: All gear, 2 guides, and drinks during and after the tour (water and juice)Opening Hours: Everyday from 9am-3pm, tours depart every hour

South AFrica

Ceres Zip Slide Adventure