Ten of the best adventure sports in Cape Town

Some of our favourite ways to get the adrenaline pumping

Feeling a bit bored with the monotony of day-to-day life? Here are ten ways to get your adrenaline pumping, from underwater shark encounters to paragliding over Lion’s Head–there’s something for everyone.

1. Bicycle tours with AWOL
There’s so many exciting things in a city that you just can’t experience by car. Immerse yourself in some of Cape Town’s iconic areas by exploring them on a bicycle tour and find the adventures that the city has to offer. AWOL Tours offers bike tours of the Masiphumelele township, of the Cape Peninsula and of the winelands. They also offer guided hiking tours on Table Mountain. This is a great way to experience the excitement of Cape Town and they operate every day of the week from 9am – 8pm.
Call them: +27 (0)83 2346 428

2.Shark cage diving with the Shark Lady
We all know that the whole man-eating ‘Jaws’ version of the Great White Shark isn’t true but now it’s time to get to know this predator a bit better; by joining it in its natural habitat. The Shark Lady, as a tour operator, is involved in shark conservation, holds a permit from Marine and Coastal Management and employs a professional and qualified crew that offers small, exclusive tours. Gansbaai is one of the world’s best areas to see these sharks and it’s not uncommon to come across ones up to four metres long. This experience is guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping. From November to April tours go out at 8am and 1pm and from May to October tours go out at 9:30am to 1:30pm. Times vary due to tides and weather changes.
Call Them: +27 (0)28 313 2306

3. Learn to scuba dive with the Scuba Shack
If the open seas appeals to you more than the safety of a cage then the Scuba Shack is for you. An all-in open-water scuba diving course entails two days of theory lessons and practice in the pool, followed by two days in which you'll do four dives in the ocean. All equipment rental is included, all dives - boat and shore - are done on the Atlantic side (in Hout Bay), as well as on the semi-Indian side of the ocean, on Windmill Beach near Simon's Town. This is a good way to start exploring the wonders of the ocean. The Scuba Shack offers a wide variety of other diving courses from beginners to advanced. The Scuba Shack is open all week from 9am to 5pm so give them a call to arrange your underwater adventure.
Call them: +27 (0)72 603 8630

4. Go caving with the CPSS
There are over a hundred caves recorded in the Cape Peninsula which range from small overhangs to deep cracks in the mountain. The Cape Peninsula Speleological Society (CPSS) have monthly cave explorations on the first Sunday of every month that are open to the public (you need to contact them beforehand so they can arrange extra gear for you). Join them in exploring existing caves, searching for more and learning new techniques. This is an amazing way to get to explore all the nooks and crannies of the mountain in a safe way that conserves these amazing caves. You can attend the first meeting for free to see if you are interested, if you are then the annual fee is R250 per person per year with special rates for students and families.
Contact them: contact@cpss.caving.org.za  

5. Satisfy your need for speed with Fantastic Racing
Are you finding yourself revving your engine at robots and giving the guy in the car next to you ‘that’ look? Well then track racing is for you. Fantastic Racing will teach you how to drive a single seater race car and then let you loose on the 3.2km classic circuit at Killarney. Take some friends and find out who has the competitive edge on the road. There is also a 700m outdoor go-kart circuit for those who aren’t quite up to the car racing.
Call them: +27 (0)21 461 1414      

6. Throw yourself off Table Mountain with Abseil Africa
Picture this: you’re on top of the mountain, 1000m above sea level, looking out over the stunning view. Now step off the side of the cliff. That’s pretty much what this adventure entails, a 112m controlled descent overlooking one of the best views in Cape Town. You don’t need to have any prior abseiling experience; the knowledgeable staff will help you with your harness and talk you through the process.  They operate daily (weather permitting) so book beforehand to arrange a time or make your way up the cable car and meet them at the top (on the right hand side after you walk out of the cable car station).
Call them:  +27 (0)21 424 4760 

7. Paddle through open waters with Kayak Tours
Choose between penguins and Cape Point and then set out in the two man kayaks. You don’t need prior experience so this is an amazing way to start exploring the sea around Cape Town. You’ll see an abundance of bird life, fish swimming beneath you and sometimes seals playing nearby. The Boulder’s trip is the ideal way to see this penguin colony while the Cape Point route will let you see Cape Town as the sailors did thousands of years ago. Go during whale season for a chance to see these awe-inspiring creatures.
Call them: +27 (0)82 501 8930

8. Go kloofing with Xtreme tours
Kloofing is about as Bear Grylls as it gets. The aim is to get yourself down a river gorge, this includes hiking, boulder hopping, wading, swimming, climbing, sliding down natural slides and jumping off cliffs up to 21m high. You can choose between the easier Crystal Pools or for the more adventurous there’s the ominously named Suicide Gorge. The latter is an all day adventure so you will need to be fit to handle the hours of hiking and swimming.
Call them: +27 (0) 21 422 4198  

9. Explore the skies with Cape Town Tandem Paragliding
Take a running jump and launch yourself off Lion’s Head and into the air. Tandem paragliding allows novices to take to the air secure in the knowledge that the person they’re strapped to will help them land safely. Take in the panoramic views of Cape Town, Camps Bay and Table Mountain as you soar through the sky. This is not only an incredibly exciting, adrenaline filled trip but it will give you a view of the area that you’ve never seen before.
Call them: +27(0)76 892 2283        

10. Harness the wind with Cabrinha Kitesurfing
For those of you that haven’t figured out whether you want your adventure to be water or air based this last one’s for you. Cabrinha Kitesurfing offers lessons for all levels of experience so this is a great way to try your hand at kitesurfing in the company of their qualified instructors. Using a kite to propel you across the water while you stand on a board this extreme sport combines aspects of surfing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, and paragliding into one exhilarating experience. 
Call them: +27 (0)21 554 1729     

There's plenty more to do in Cape Town, try one of these day tours or, if the weather's playing up, have a look at things to do if it's rainy.

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