Take to the skies
The Gauteng weather makes for great flying — you can glide over the Magaliesberg with the largest club in the Southern Hemisphere, be winched up with your paraglider with Paragliding Adventures or enjoy a sunrise balloon trip with Bill Harrop's Original Balloon Safaris. The list of operators is endless; contact the Aero Club of SA for your nearest school.

Learn to ski
Leisure Lakes' ingenious cable ski system in Midrand is the perfect place to learn to waterski/wakeboard or to watch the experts at play. If it's the cold white stuff you want to get on top of contact the Ski Club of SA for lessons on the moving 'carpet' or get down to Meadowvale and try skiing or snowboarding on artificial ski slopes.

Learn to climb
The indoor climbing wall at South African Climb Inn off Hans Strydom Drive, is a great place for an alternative workout or to learn the basics of sport climbing. If you prefer to get out onto rock, join the Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) and sign up for an introductory course.

Get big air
The Vertical Group and Living on the Edge Adventures are the guys to contact if you need an adrenalin shot. The latter will have you bridge-swinging and abseiling near Krugersdorp whilst the former specialise in rapp jumping (abseiling forwards) off the Zone in Rosebank. Pure Rush Adventures also offers a range of extreme activities from abseiling to sandboarding.

Take a hike
Unfortunately, most of the prime hiking spots — particularly in the Magaliesberg — have controlled access so, unless you are a member of a hiking club or the MCSA, you will have to get a permit. Tswaing Crater, just north of Pretoria is a fascinating half-day interpretive trail which explains the geological phenomenon and the historic use of the area.

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Published courtesy of the Out There Adventure Guide.

Go underground
The West Rand is riddled with dolomite caves which make for great, muddy, subterraneous exploration. Wild Cave Adventures and Living on the Edge are the people to contact for a day of abseiling and wriggling. If you prefer something more sedate, try nearby Wonder Cave — descend by lift into a huge chamber adorned with formations.

Get on your bike
Mountainbikers are spoilt for choice. If it's formal trails you seek there are networks around Pretoria with Groenkloof, a popular venue, or you can check out the serious downhills at Dome Trails or Thabela Thabeng. Alternatively head out into the hills towards Hartebeespoort or the Vaal and explore the numerous dirt tracks.

Paddle
The Jukskei is the closest stretch of white-water run commercially — Paddle Power will guide you down this stretch in two person inflatables. The Vaal, at Parys, offers more excitement — contact RT&S Adventures for rafting trips or learn to kayak with Whitewater Training or Splash Whitewater Kayak School.

Learn to kitesurf
Envious of those cool dudes at the beach? Despair not, Joluka will teach you how to kitesurf and show you the best spots to master this rapidly growing sport.

Grind the gears
Off-road enthusiasts need head no further than Krugersdorp to try out the range of challenging 4x4 trails and obstacles on offer at Protea Eco-Adventures. The centre offers driver training, and if that's not your scene there are a range of other activities including quad biking to amuse.