The top-down approach to mountaineering


I love to watch the sunrise on the peaks in Africa. I also like to try everything at least once – so when I was given the opportunity to experience a sunset on an African mountain in a helicopter – I grabbed it! I was more than comfortable watching the Magaliesberg Mountains out of a helicopter. Once the experienced pilot landed on top of the mountain, we had a sundowner whilst watching the thunderstorms building in the east and the sunset in the west.


It was an awesome experience, but I am not sure if it will replace the peace and tranquillity of walking in the mountains and it will not replace the experience of being afforded the opportunity to climb to a high point and soak up the views.

I did discuss the possibility of tying a bungee cord to his helicopter and jumping to the highest peak in Equatorial Guinea with the pilot, but he did not seemed too impressed.  Alan, my travel partners reply to my bright idea was “the chances of you getting shot trying to get to the highest peak in a helicopter is 100% better than you getting arrested while sneaking up to the highest point on foot, especially since it is in a military zone”.