Ziplining in Elgin Valley: 11 slides over the gorge

Eleven ziplines strung across a World Heritage gorge, each one ending on a cliff platform

Ziplining in Elgin Valley is a guided canopy tour through CapeNature's Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site just over an hour from Cape Town. You zip across eleven cable lines, some stretching over 300 meters, between platforms built onto the fynbos-covered slopes high above the Riviersonderend Gorge, and cross a suspension bridge suspended above a double waterfall. Two trained facilitators guide the 4–5 hour experience and share information about the endemic plant life and geology of the site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ziplining and nature tour in Elgin Valley

• Travel to Elgin Valley
• Meet guides and safety briefing
• Experience eleven zipline slides
• Cross suspension bridge over waterfall
• Learn about local fynbos and geology

The experience

The tour starts with a 4x4 ride into the reserve, which gets you to the first platform and sets the scale of what you're about to cross. Eleven ziplines string across the gorge, each one concluding on a platform anchored to the cliff face or the mountainside. Some slides stretch over 300 meters. The suspension bridge crossing a narrow sandstone ravine above the double waterfall is the signature moment. You're suspended high enough to see both falls drop below you. The platforms themselves are built directly onto the fynbos-covered slopes, so between slides you're standing in the ecosystem the guides are explaining: the endemic plants and the geology of the Cape-fold mountains.

The two trained facilitators stay with your group throughout, handling all equipment setup and instruction. They emphasize safety and comfort, and they share information about the plant and wildlife species as you move between platforms. The whole experience runs 4 to 5 hours, and it finishes with a 1-kilometer hike down and out of the mountain. National park fees and all equipment are included. A 4x4 return through the reserve is part of the package.

What’s included

• All zipline equipment and instruction.
• two trained Cape Canopy Tour facilitators.
• a return 4x4 ride through the nature reserve.
• national park fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 13:30

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Cape Xtreme

Is this one for you?You operate the equipment yourself on each slide, with guides managing safety and instruction at every platform. This suits anyone with moderate fitness and upper body strength who wants to move through the landscape under their own power rather than watch it pass by. The 1-kilometer hike down the mountain at the end is part of the physical commitment the activity requires.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many ziplines are there on the Cape Canopy Tour?

Eleven ziplines make up the course, with some stretching over 300 meters between platforms. Each one ends on a platform built onto the cliffs or slopes high above the Riviersonderend Gorge.

What is the suspension bridge crossing?

The suspension bridge crosses a narrow sandstone ravine suspended high above a double waterfall, and it is one of the signature moments of the tour.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs 4 to 5 hours, including the 4x4 ride into the reserve, the zipline course, and a 1-kilometer hike down the mountain at the end.

What is included in the ziplining tour?

The tour includes the 4x4 ride through the nature reserve, all zipline equipment and instruction, national park fees, and two trained facilitators who guide the group and share information about the fynbos and geology.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Children as young as 5 can participate, but they must be accompanied by an adult. Children aged 5–9 will most likely do the tour in tandem with one of the guides, and the operator asks that you notify them in advance if you have children under 9 so they can make arrangements.