VISITORS to the Southern Kruger National Park area in South Africa can take a small deviation to experience a zip wire glide over one of the last remaining natural forested valleys along the Sabie River adjacent to the famous park.
An aerial cable trail has been set up in the forest, and participants hop from a series of elevated platforms, viewing the forest canopy below. Each section of the trail varies in length from 70 to 230 m linking a total of 10 platforms, making this the longest cable trail in Africa (1.2 kilometres).
The trail has been developed by Skywards Trails according to South African civil engineering standards, with all equipment having been tested internationally. All groups are escorted by qualified guides, a maximum of eight people per trip, although larger team building events can also be catered for. Suitable for children and the disabled too, the three hour trail begins and ends at Gecko Lodge, Hazyview, also a venue for small conferences. The trail is part of a community development initiative to create employment and develop skills in the adventure tourism industry. Skyway Trails is set on land that has been re-distributed and now belongs to the Sanford Community Trust. Many of the employees at Skywards Trails come from this community. Visit www.skywaytrails.com .