I’m exhausted and I’ve hardly done anything.

It turns out, dropping off a ledge at 1,700m above sea level and whizzing through the air superman-style at 150km per hour,  really does take it out of you! It may have only been a few heart-racing minutes in flight, but with the early start, a couple of hours’ drive and an hour or so of pulse-accelerating preparation and build up, it takes it out of you!

Our flight was booked at 9am, we were asked to arrive at 8.30am and the drive from Dubai took around two hours with the long winding climb up the mountain to reach the Toroverde car park.

Once we arrived and showed the paperwork, we were ushered into a waiting minibus and taken up to the welcome centre, where the group where given an initial briefing, and kitted up. From there, a secondary minibus then ferried us up to the platform. Being strung up on the line in the superman position, and then having to tuck both hands into the harness behind your back, leaving you completely powerless, hanging with your head facing down the mountain, was probably the most daunting part! Then before we knew it, we were ‘launched’ – quite literally – out on the wire! Reaching speeds of 120-150km, with the wind whistling past, you don’t really have time to think, and I have to say it wasn’t actually as scary as I had thought it would be – it was absolutely exhilarating, and I loved every minute!

The team warn you in advance about the impact of them hitting the breaks as you reach the suspended platform, but the best warnings in the world don’t really prepare you for the yank of the harness as you hit the breaks and come in, head first, to the platform! It’s over in a second however and you’re back on your feet, hands released, and excitedly waiting for the final stage, where you sit upright in the harness, in the more traditional pose, for the final descent.

The while experience is probably around an hour and a half from when you first arrive, until you are dropped back at the car park. Cameras and phones aren’t allowed on the zipline, however if you have the helmet attachment for your Go-Pro you can use that – I’m currently downloading the video as we speak and will share on YouTube once it’s complete!

We wanted to make a weekend of it, so we had booked into the Waldorf Astoria, and made our way straight there after the experience, to enjoy the afternoon in the pool. We had a fantastic dinner at Lexington Grill, which made it worth the stay alone, plus we were kindly upgraded to a suite by the friendly team at Waldorf Astoria, so we left feeling rested and relaxed, and thoroughly pampered. It was pure indulgence on our part, but I would highly recommend it to anyone else looking to celebrate this UAE bucket list activity, and really make a special weekend of it!