On the 16th of September 2017, I was invited on an educational with a group of incredible people to experience what Downhill Adventures has to offer. Our day started with a breakfast and site inspection of the newly opened Radisson RED Hotel.
Downhill adventures collected us from Radisson RED and transferred us to Atlantis, a mere 45minutes from Cape Town. I had an idea in mind of what we were to experience as Downhill Adventures has a reputation for Fun, Adrenaline filled Activities. My mind went from Sandboarding and 4x4ing with thoughts of what the surprise activity they would not divulge would be.
We were welcomed by Axel Zander the chief explorer of Downhill Adventures and his team who gave us a brief introduction on what they had planned for us as well as letting us in on the big surprise activity… QUAD BIKING.
Quad biking was the highlight of my day. My favourite of all three activities we experienced. I highly recommend this activity for those who are looking for some fun in the sun. The quads are easy to drive and for those who have never ridden one before, will be given a Quad Bike 101 lesson. We were accompanied by a guide at all times. He was the leader of the pack whom you follow in and around the dunes, with one or two guides following behind in case you need any technical assistance. Everywhere you look in Atlantis awaits a beautiful view. Be it of the iconic Table Mountain, Atlantic Ocean or the impressive size of the dunes around you.
Sandboarding is not for the faint-hearted. The dunes are steep and not an easy climb. Rafael, a Downhill Adventure guide and our sandboarding instructor was amazing. He spent time with us, showing us the ropes by sandboarding down dunes of various steepness. This activity can cater to complete beginners, to the more confident and fearless boarders.
Tips for sandboarding from first-hand experience:
- Before you do anything, make sure you wax your board, unless you fancy getting stuck halfway down a dune.
- It’s heaps of fun if you do it whilst sitting down and even more fun when you do it in twos.
- You might fall off your board. But you will survive the plunge. Get up, laugh it off and carry on, it is loads of fun!
4x4ing was an absolute breeze, as an experienced driver surfs you around the dunes in their Land Rover and all you need to do is enjoy the ride.
Must Packs for a day in the Atlantis Dunes:
- Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, a cap, comfortable clothing and shoes (In my experience you might end up taking off your shoes as they gradually get filled with sand)
- Please note that there are no ablution facilities in the dunes, but a welcome centre is currently underway and will be open soon to all the adventure goers. In the meantime, Downhill Adventures make a stop at a service station 10minutes from the dunes on the journey to and from Atlantis.
I would like to thank Illana from Travel Smart Crew for arranging the wonderfully active and fun educational, the Radisson RED team for putting together an amazing breakfast for us and to Axel Zander and the Downhill Adventures crew for an unforgettable albeit sandy, and fun-filled day.
Written by: Linda Tekere