In the stunning Valley of a Thousand Hills, is a perfectly-sloped granite dome...a Rap Jumpers dream! Called "going Australian" in North America, rap jumping is an exciting alternative to traditional abseiling (called "rappelling" in North America). We'll help you overcome your fear as you face DOWN the rock face! Above is Kate Fox having this experience for the first time!
Old Baldy in the Valley of a Thousand Hills
A comprehensive Introduction to Rock Climbing:
This takes place at Monteseel (near Cato Ridge) and in the Valley of a Thousand Hills. These are both halfway between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. We normally run from 08h00 to about 17h00. In the morning we do some short climbs which are traditionally protected, and we teach basic movement skills, knots, and belaying. In the afternoon we drive down into the Valley, and cut our way through the African bush to the base of "Old Baldy" - a huge granite dome in the side of a hill, overlooking the beautiful Umgeni River. We then proceed to climb 200 metres up this big dome to the summit! We climb a bolt-protected "sport" climb. The view just gets better and better! After celebrating our achievement on top, we get to do a series of 3 abseils down this large face back to ground level!
About us
At Over the Top we believe our staff are our key asset. See below for some profiles.
Geoff Gould has been climbing and abseiling since 1979; starting while at Maru-A-Pula High School in Botswana. He then started technical rock climbing (with ropes and gear) in 1986 with the Wits University Mountain Club. He immediately took to trad leading. He climbed with such South African greats as Roger Nattrass, Michael Cartwright, Peter Lazarus, and Stewart Middlemiss. Since then he has climbed in the USA (Yosemite, Leavenworth, Seneca Rocks, Red Rocks, Smith Rocks, Owens River Gorge), Canada (Squamish, Chekamus Canyon, Murrin Park, Mt. Nemo, Vancouver, Harrison Hot Springs, Chehalis River Gorge, Yak Peak, Skaha, Niagara Escarpment), and South Africa (Table Mountain, Muizenberg, Waterval Boven, Magaliesberg, the Drakensberg, Shongweni, Kloof, Hilton, Monteseel, Valley of a Thousand Hills, Harrismith, Swinburne, Umgeni Valley and at Howick Falls)....and he loves climbing trees.
Sfiso "Tsoro" Sibiya is a qualified Single-Pitch Rock Climbing Guide and Abseil Guide (under the National Qualifications Framework). He is also an amazing mountainside chef, teambuilding facilitator and hiker. He has been with us for 6 years, but also contracts himself out to other companies and outdoor centres. He has rock climbed on Table Mountain, Valley of a Thousand Hills, Monteseel, Howick Falls, Harrismith, and the Drakensberg.
WHERE: Valley of a Thousand Hills