Watch: The Graskop Gorge glass

YouTube/Graskop Gorge Lift Co

Watch: The Graskop Gorge glass lift everyone’s talking about [video]

The Graskop Gorge Lift Centre is officially open and features a viewing lift that travels 50m down the face of the Graskop Gorge.

Watch: The Graskop Gorge glass

YouTube/Graskop Gorge Lift Co

The Graskop Gorge glass lift has officially been opened by the Minister of Tourism, Derek Hannekom.

According to TripAdvisor, the Graskop Gorge lift is the latest and most innovative tourism development in South Africa.

It is situated in Graskop Mpumalanga, along the Panorama Route, made famous for its natural beauty and world-renowned viewing attractions such as God’s Window and the Blyde River Canyon.

“The Graskop Gorge Lift Company is your passage into the heart of one of Mpumalanga’s last forested wonderlands. Surrounded by towering cliffs cut back over time by the Motitsi river where its waters plummet 70m into the gorge below forming a natural barrier to all, except for the most adventurous.

“Your journey begins as you drop off the grassy cliff top plateau, in a custom designed 26 passenger viewing elevator, down along the cliff face descending into the cool mountain forest below.

“An extensive network of elevated walkways, suspension bridges and interactive exhibits will lead you along the forest trail, across the stream, keeping one engaged in this natural and pristine environment.”

According to Business Insider, the elevator travels up to 50 meters down the face of the Graskop Gorge and a forest below.

CEO of the Graskop Gorge Lift Company (GGLC), Oupa Pilane, Campbell Scott and James Sheard entered into a partnership with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) to finance the project.

The first phase reportedly entailed construction of the lift and a centre with a restaurant that is perched on the top of the cliff edge offering hair-raising views, a contemporary African art gallery, colorful African fashion clothing shop, curio shop, and community craft market.

GGLC is also looking to expand the project by developing a hotel, a wedding venue in the forest, electric bicycles and trails and a crafts workshop for the local artisans like Alan Mashego.

The Graskop gorge lift prices:

Going down the lift and exploring the forest below reportedly costs R175 for adults and R120 for children and pensioners.