‘Raging to Nature’ short film - Semonkong Lodge

‘Raging to Nature’ – our new short film showcasing the World Record abseil at Semonkong Lodge

We are excited to announce the release of our new short film, produced by Love Africa Marketing, showcasing our Guinness World Record abseil that scales the length of southern Africa’s longest single drop waterfall – The Maletsunyane Falls.

Together with our longstanding marketing team, we knew this adventure and the story behind it was one worth telling. With more than 6300 people having braved the abseil over the last 24 years, this film is the first official documentation of the world record abseil commissioned by Semonkong Lodge.

Our short film features local Basotho beliefs surrounding the waterfall narrated by one of our abseil guides, the experience of taking on the activity, and the importance of ‘raging to nature’ while you have the opportunity to, especially within the wild Lesotho landscape on our doorstep.

As our daring guests will tell you, the combination of beginning the abseil with a short freefall, the slippery cliff face , and the sensation of hanging in midair above a gorge perfectly encapsulates the term ‘Raging to Nature.

Semonkong Lodge is situated in the mountains of Lesotho in Southern Africa | Picture: Sven Musica | Love Africa Marketing

Although just downriver from the lodge, it takes an exciting 45-minute 4×4 drive to reach the Maletsunyane Falls.

We often walk our guests to a lookout point where they can appreciate the natural beauty of the falls, and take a minute to acknowledge what they are about to do.

“As we got out of the car, our guide pointed to the waterfall plummeting down the cliff. I couldn’t quite figure out whether the roaring in my ears was the falls or my heart pounding too fast to distinguish beats.

“We hiked behind the sturdy packhorse (the only accessible mode of transportation for the abseiling equipment) along the perimeter of the gorge. After the rainy season, everything was lush and green, Cape Vultures were circling overhead, and the feeling of being in a place completely untouched by humans was almost enough to help me forget that I had volunteered to descend a 204 metre cliff, alongside Africa’s longest single-drop waterfall.” Jordy Johnson, abseiling guest.

Our guides and guests are safely secured in harnesses and ropes before anyone gets close to the edge of the cliff. The descent takes about 20 – 30 minutes, offering 360º views of the waterfall and gorge.

Lucy Khutlane, our very own team member, joined the film team and crew to descend for a second time and kept a smile on her face the whole way | Picture: Sven Musica | Love Africa Marketing

“After exploring the gorge, and trekking through the area for many years, we realised that the best way to experience the true force and power of nature was to abseil right alongside the waterfall. We initiated this adventurous and extreme activity in 2003’ Jonathan Halse, Semonkong Lodge owner.

Our storyteller Iga Motylska was only too happy to take on the abseil for filming. She loved it so much, she volunteered to do the descent again | Picture: Sven Musica | Love Africa Marketing

Lesotho is famed for its mountainous landscapes, having the highest low point in the world. It is home to the Maletsunyane Falls which creates a smokey mist as the water hits the gorge below. This is where the town of Semonkong, ‘Place of Smoke’, gets its name.

Semonkong Lodge is the perfect base from which to brave the longest single-drop commercial abseil in the world.

Although you can hike down into the gorge or walk to the top of the waterfall, in our opinion, abseiling alongside the Maletsunyane Falls is the best way to experience it.

Our abseil guides are knowledgeable and ensure each guest has a safe and memorable experience as they descend the World’s longest commercially-operated single-drop abseil | Picture: Sven Musica | Love Africa Marketing

Watch ‘Raging to Nature’ here:

The Abseil:

There is a practice session the day before on our 25 metre cliff close to the lodge
A 4×4 trip and short hike the following day will get you to the waterfall
There is a maximum of 15 people per training session
There is an approximately 45 minute hike out of the gorge. An adequate level of fitness is required
You will need: hiking boots/ walking shoes, change of clothes, rain jacket, sunblock
For all information on the abseil, visit here: https://www.semonkonglodge.com/rock-climbing-abseil/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Semonkong Lodge
Production: Love Africa Marketing
Director and Producer: Nicola Gerrard
Cinematographer and Editor: Sven Musica

‘Raging to Nature’ short film – Semonkong Lodge

‘Raging to Nature’ – our new short film showcasing the World Record abseil at Semonkong Lodge

We are excited to announce the release of our new short film, produced by Love Africa Marketing, showcasing our Guinness World Record abseil that scales the length of southern Africa’s longest single drop waterfall – The Maletsunyane Falls.

Together with our longstanding marketing team, we knew this adventure and the story behind it was one worth telling. With more than 6300 people having braved the abseil over the last 24 years, this film is the first official documentation of the world record abseil commissioned by Semonkong Lodge.

Our short film features local Basotho beliefs surrounding the waterfall narrated by one of our abseil guides, the experience of taking on the activity, and the importance of ‘raging to nature’ while you have the opportunity to, especially within the wild Lesotho landscape on our doorstep.

As our daring guests will tell you, the combination of beginning the abseil with a short freefall, the slippery cliff face , and the sensation of hanging in midair above a gorge perfectly encapsulates the term ‘Raging to Nature.

Although just downriver from the lodge, it takes an exciting 45-minute 4×4 drive to reach the Maletsunyane Falls.

We often walk our guests to a lookout point where they can appreciate the natural beauty of the falls, and take a minute to acknowledge what they are about to do.

“As we got out of the car, our guide pointed to the waterfall plummeting down the cliff. I couldn’t quite figure out whether the roaring in my ears was the falls or my heart pounding too fast to distinguish beats.

Our guides and guests are safely secured in harnesses and ropes before anyone gets close to the edge of the cliff. The descent takes about 20 – 30 minutes, offering 360º views of the waterfall and gorge.

Lesotho is famed for its mountainous landscapes, having the highest low point in the world. It is home to the Maletsunyane Falls which creates a smokey mist as the water hits the gorge below. This is where the town of Semonkong, ‘Place of Smoke’, gets its name.

Semonkong Lodge is the perfect base from which to brave the longest single-drop commercial abseil in the world.

Although you can hike down into the gorge or walk to the top of the waterfall, in our opinion, abseiling alongside the Maletsunyane Falls is the best way to experience it.

Watch ‘Raging to Nature’ here:

The Abseil:

There is a practice session the day before on our 25 metre cliff close to the lodge

A 4×4 trip and short hike the following day will get you to the waterfall

There is a maximum of 15 people per training session

There is an approximately 45 minute hike out of the gorge. An adequate level of fitness is required

You will need: hiking boots/ walking shoes, change of clothes, rain jacket, sunblock

For all information on the abseil, visit here: https://www.semonkonglodge.com/rock-climbing-abseil/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Semonkong Lodge

Production: Love Africa Marketing

Director and Producer: Nicola Gerrard

Cinematographer and Editor: Sven Musica