Big Swing @ Graskop Gorge Lift Co — Attraction in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality

I feel compelled to share my horrific experience at Graskop Gorge Lift on July 11th, 2025. I went into this experience with excitement and energy; unfortunately, I left injured, deflated, and frankly insulted by the unprofessionalism and lack of concern for my physical safety. While riding the Big Swing, it is the job of the employee at the base of the jump to bring each customer to the ground safely. Instead of this landing moment being one of excitement and joy over the experience, I was slammed into the landing dock. This left bruises and aggravated my hip. Yet, this is not the end of this story. The employee attempted to pass this off as a routine landing that caused no harm or distress, despite my expressions of injury and discomfort. I had to climb up onto the landing spot. Being undermined and dismissed while doing so only added insult to my injury. What I expected was safety. What I needed was someone to help me. What I got was the opposite. While I have yet to learn the full extent of my injuries, I am in pain. Is that what you want for your customers? Do you want people to feel insulted after they paid for a great experience? Do you want your employees to treat your customers with disregard?

The employee up top were just as negligent as the employee on the landing zone since he was speaking into a walkie talkie and the employees disregarded him. The entire time I was waiting to jump the employees up top were talking and were extremely distracted so I’m not surprised that the communication was lacking between all employees. I was on a trip with my students so imagine if this would have been one of my students? For the sake of your business, I sincerely hope this never happens again to another customer. I hope to receive a refund for this experience.

the images is from the video...

The Big Swing is one of the feature adventure activities that you can try at the Graskop Gorge Lift Company (GGLC). Cost is now R650 per Swing and there is a combo package that includes Zipline R750 (as of July 2024) GGLC is cashless now so be ready to pay with debit or credit card at their ticket counter or reserve your activities in advance throughout their website.

The Big Swing is a real adrenaline rush. You will 'free fall' drop about 70 metres before being swung across the gorge at 140 km/h a handful of times. You are then lowered to a deck after around 90-120 seconds of slowly swinging back and forth through the gorge. Then you can take the Lift back up to the main facility to watch others do their Big Swing drops.

Overall, we were impressed with the setup and care taken to ensure visitor safety with the Big Swing. The equipment and safety procedures were the same we had experienced doing a gorge swing in South Island, New Zealand and made us very comfortable trying this adventure activity here in Graskop. It was really fun and something we will probably do again next...

An Adventure I’ll Never Forget!

If you’re looking for pure adrenaline and an unforgettable rush, the Big Swing jump is an absolute must! From the moment I stepped onto the platform, my heart was racing — equal parts fear and excitement. The staff were amazing; they made me feel safe and pumped up for the experience with their friendly guidance and professionalism.

Then came the leap — wow! The split-second freefall before the swing catches you is one of the most exhilarating feelings I’ve ever had. The wind roaring past your ears, the breathtaking view rushing up at you, and that insane mix of terror and thrill all rolled into one… it’s beyond words. Once the swing kicked in, it felt like I was flying, and the view from up there made it even more magical.

It’s the kind of experience that leaves you grinning ear to ear long after you’re back on solid ground. If you love adventure, or even if you just want to challenge yourself, the Big Swing is worth every second of fear for the reward of pure exhilaration. Highly...