Kloofing Up North

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If you’re a thrill-seeking adrenaline-pumping junkie looking for your next fix, but keen to try something different, then kloofing is the extreme sport for you. Kloofing or canyoneering as it is also known, is fast becoming popular amongst resident South African adrenaline junkies and guarantees them an experience to savour, one that they won’t soon forget. But what exactly is kloofing? Kloofing is when you find the highest mountain peak possible and jump into the icy waters below it; it follows a mountain stream up its course by whatever means possible such as swimming or floating and once you get to the top, you descend down this same pathway in the most awesome manner. Naturally, as with all extreme sports, kloofing is inherently challenging posing a few dangers and risks, but as any extreme sports guru worth their salt will tell you – a little danger never hurt anybody! In fact, it is the fact that it poses some danger that ultimately makes kloofing so exciting.

There are many terrific spots found in South Africa where you can indulge your passion for kloofing; one of these destinations is the magnificent Magaliesberg Mountains in Gauteng where the adventure is high-octane and breathless. The first part of your expedition entails a sunny hike up a river valley before clambering over boulders, making your way through crystal clear pools and following the watercourse as the mountain cliffs close in around you. The descent is even more spectacular and promises to get the blood rushing as this part of the journey features all the vertical thrills of abseiling through waterfalls, sailing down smooth stone pathways next to the river gorge, and plunging into the very same pools you passed on your way up. Kloofing up north is an excellent proposition especially for weary city slickers in need of a break away from the rat race; other fabulous kloofing spots can be found at the Crocodile River in Gauteng and the Sabie River in the Mpumalanga province.