Adventure Tourism in Gibraltar
Cable Car
The views from the Cable Car’s Top Station, located 412 m above sea level, are truly spectacular and it will take you only 6 minutes to get to the top.
The base station can be found alongside the Alameda Gardens at the southern end of Main Street. Once at the top you will find three terraces, each offering a unique viewpoint over the stunning surroundings. Stretched out beneath you will see two continents, two bodies of water and three countries.
If you are interested in learning more about Gibraltar’s fascinating history and wildlife diversity do not miss out on the Multimedia Tour, which you can pick up at the Cable Car Top Station complex. This personal state-of-the-art, Interactive hand-held Multimedia Guide is included in the price of an adult ticket. (Commentary is available in different languages).
You will find our tailless monkey at the Cable Car Top Station, however, please be advised that although they look cute and tame, they are wild animals and must be treated with caution and respect.
For the more energetic, a very pleasant walk from the Top Station will take you into the Nature Reserve. St Michael’s Cave is a 20-minute downhill stroll away and is well worth a visit. Other sites of interest include the Great Siege Tunnels, the “City Under Siege” Exhibition and the Moorish Castle. Entrance to all the above attractions and the 100 Ton Gun are included in the Nature Reserve ticket, which you can purchase separately from the Cable Car base station or, alternatively, from the souvenir shop at the top station.
Also located at the Cable Car Top Station is the Top of the Rock Café and the Mons Calpe Suite Restaurant where you can enjoy a bite to eat whilst enjoying the spectacular views. If you are thinking of celebrating a wedding or a special occasion during your visit to the Rock, the Mons Calpe Suite can be hired for private functions.
Coasteering
What is Coasteering?
The activity of coasteering involves making your way along the coastline usually along steep cliffs and rocky outcrops. We use a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as a zipline, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), and swimming.
Where do we meet?
We meet at the IN2ADVENTURES Sandy Bay Activity centre, where we can start our activity enjoying our beautiful beach. We like our clients to use public transport if possible, in order to reduce our carbon footprint. Please get in touch if you need some advice.
What kind of equipment do you provide?
We provide all the technical equipment you will need for this activity; this is routinely inspected and is UIAA approved (Union International de Associaciones Alpinistas). You will be given a wet suit, safety helmet, climbing harness and associated hardware. Before we start, we will give all participants a comprehensive safety brief and how to use the equipment correctly.
How fit do I need to be?
An average level of mobility will help you enjoy the day. But this activity is easily tailored to any fitness level.
What is the minimum age that can come coasteering?
We recommend that children should be 8 or over for this activity. Please let us know if any of the participants are weak or non-swimmers.
Diving in Gibraltar
Gibraltar situated at the Gateway to the Mediterranean, boasts a spectacular marine biodiversity, with easy access from shore or boat to natural reefs and over 35 wrecks which have been part of Gibraltar’s artificial reef project since the 1980s.
Wrecks such as the 482, a Royal Navy cable laying barge sits upright in a sand flat at 17m depth and only 25m from shore is probably Gibraltar’s most visited dive site. Natural reefs which hold caverns and the elusive grouper are also found within Gibraltar’s Marine reserve.
Dolphin Watching & Boat Trips
A dolphin-watching trip is the most enjoyable way of seeing these fascinating mammals up close and there are two companies to choose from. The dolphins in the bay and strait area can be seen nearly any day, primarily the Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin and the Striped Dolphin.
Dolphins are very sociable animals, spending almost all of their time in the company of others of their species. The groups of dolphins can range from very few, to several hundred, living and working together. They will work together to gather food, help each other to sleep, to give birth to new infants or to assist when another dolphin is ill or injured. These cetaceans can be found in various haunts around the coast of Gibraltar where they feed on sardines, herring, squid, anchovies and flying fish and have been known to dive to a depth of about 280 metres.
Get to see the Rock from another point of view, see the caves on the East Side, enjoy the views of Gibraltar, Morocco, Spain.
Lower St Michael’s Cave
Whilst the upper section of St Michael’s Cave has been known for over 2000 years and used for various purposes such as a hospital during World War II, it was only in 1942 that Lower St Michael’s Cave was discovered – accidentally by the sappers whilst driving a tunnel into the lower reaches to provide a secondary exit. A cavern was discovered, with several chambers, which may have been sealed for 20,000 years.
The cavern is of extraordinary beauty, glimmering with white, grey and red stalactite columns, resembling a cathedral with pulpit, chancel and organ pipes. This extraordinary beautiful cavern is remarkable for three reasons: the size of the main chambers, the profusion and variety of calcite formations, and last but not least – a lake of crystal clear water, nearly forty yards long estimated to hold 45,000 gallons.
Today there are organised tours into Lower St Michael’s Cave available to the general public. The tour normally lasts around three hours. However, due to the fact that there is some scrambling and minor climbing with ropes involved, duration times may vary. The cave is totally in its original natural state (although it is fully lit). One of the sites visited during this tour is a beautiful underground lake and fortunately for the visitor, who will no doubt not want to forget this wonderful speleological experience, photography is permitted.
People are advised to wear stout shoes and casual clothing. Group sizes range from a maximum of ten and a minimum of five. Due to the unusual nature of this tour, children under the age of ten years are not allowed.
Magic Portal – Decode Adventures
The outdoor games, Operation Mindfall and Magic Portal are unique, immersive citywide outdoor games that incorporate the puzzles and code-cracking elements of an escape room, without the confines of a physical room.
Take to the streets of Gibraltar using the latest in augmented reality and geolocation technology to complete your mission and save the world.
Each outdoor game lasts for between 1 and 1.5 hours, we would allow 2 hours for the whole experience, which includes a quick briefing before you get started.
The outdoor games involve about 2km of walking around the city so please wear comfortable footwear.
The outdoor games will go ahead come rain or shine so we advise that you check the weather forecast beforehand. Please come prepared for all types of weather – remember sun screen and a hat on sunny days.
Mediterranean Steps
Mediterranean Steps is a steep, at times arduous, walk and is not for people without a head for heights. Early mornings are usually preferable, but during the summer months a late afternoon walk will provide the visitor with plenty of much-needed shade. The area is particularly appealing during the spring, when the visitor is greeted by an interesting and very beautiful array of flowers. Mediterranean Steps take the walker from Jews’ Gate on the southern end of the Nature Reserve at 180m above sea level, up towards O’Hara’s Battery at 419m, close to the summit of the Rock.
The path runs mainly along the eastern side of the Rock, an area that is comprised primarily of cliffs and low Mediterranean scrub. The walk starts beside Jew’s Gate Cemetery, leading south through some dense maquis, which gradually opens out, from which the walker is afforded a spectacular view of North Africa across the Strait. From here, we continue along a narrow path that borders along the edge of cliffs and at this point we begin to appreciate the silence and serenity that this path has to offer, and the cries of the yellow-legged gulls are frequently all that can be heard. Carrying on north along this path past the steps leading upwards, we begin to ascend a steep flight of steps that leads to the Goat’s Hair Twin Caves – it is amazing to consider that these caves, were once at sea level! Excavations and research work indicate that prehistoric people once lived on the Rock and inhabited many of our caves, including those found on Mediterranean Steps which is in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continuing the climb, we reach a building that was constructed by the military during WWII. Here, we finish the first flight of steps, and commence a path that leads through a small tunnel and on towards some WWII fortifications.
We now reach a platform that offers the visitor a unique view northwards. The path winds its way upward, and starts to get steeper. Looking up towards the top of the Rock, we can now see the zig-zagging stairway that hugs the cliff and leads to the end of the walk. Here, we also encounter another set of WWII fortifications. Following the track, the walker arrives at the base of the cliff, where the final flight of steps subjects the visitor to a last, strenuous effort in order to reach the summit.
Halfway up these steps we find Spider Cave, a small hollow that was used during WWII. At the summit immediately to the south lies Lord Airey’s and O’Hara’s Batteries two 9.2 inch guns, found at these emplacements installed at these sites during WWII, and were last fired by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment in 1972. This is where the walk ends, one can then either retrace their steps, or preferably follow the road down to St. Michael’s Cave or northbound towards Prince Philip’s Arch.
Nature Trails
The Gibraltar Nature Reserve, particularly its Upper Rock area, is renowned for its unique trails that meander through the extent of the Reserve. These combine the Nature Reserve’s natural beauty and stunning views with some sites of historic interest that do not feature widely as part of the more mainstream ‘Rock tours’. Notable trails include Mediterranean Steps, Inglis Way, Royal Anglian Way and Douglas Path. One of the key objectives of this plan is to diversify the products available within the Gibraltar Nature Reserve.
In order to help meet this requirement, a thematic trail network approach has been adopted. Different trails therefore cater for different visitor expectations and abilities. In addition, the trails are intersected by ‘trail nodes’ which correspond to some of the main attractions within the Reserve such as Jews’ Gate, the Moorish Castle and St. Michael’s Cave. Four trail networks have been developed namely the ‘Nature Lover’, the ‘History Buff’, the ‘Thrill Seeker’ and the ‘Monkey Trail’.
Operation Mindfall – Decode Adventures
Our outdoor games, Operation Mindfall and Magic Portal are unique, immersive citywide outdoor games that incorporate the puzzles and code-cracking elements of an escape room, without the confines of a physical room.
Take to the streets of Gibraltar using the latest in augmented reality and geolocation technology to complete your mission and save the world.
Each outdoor game lasts for between 1 and 1.5 hours, we would allow 2 hours for the whole experience, which includes a quick briefing before you get started.
Our outdoor games involve about 2km of walking around the city so please wear comfortable footwear. In Operation Mindfall, at least one person in your team will also need access to a smartphone with access to the internet and a camera – things no undercover agent should be without! Other than that, just your team and a set of working brains!
Our outdoor games will go ahead come rain or shine so we advise that you check the weather forecast beforehand. Please come prepared for all types of weather – remember sun screen and a hat on sunny days.
In instances of severe wind, rain or weather warnings, we may have to cancel your game. Games are not refundable, but if cancelled due to the weather we will contact you to let you know and reschedule your game to another time. If you do not hear from us, then please assume your game is going ahead!
Operation Mindfall A deadly virus, a top-secret research programme and 90 minutes to save the world from losing control of their minds.
Step into the midst of an undercover spy operation. Your team of secret agents have been handed classified information about Spider Tech, the company behind a top-secret research programme that, if successful, will give them the power to control the human mind.
Spider Tech have leaked a dormant but deadly virus into the global water system. In just 90 minutes time they will activate the virus from their secure HQ servers in Gibraltar and gain control of the world.
Under the code name Operation Mindfall, your team must find the anti-virus and destroy Spider Tech’s servers. Pressure from foreign governments is mounting, the clock is ticking and the fate of the world rests in your team’s hands.
Rock Escape Rooms
Rock Escape Rooms offer the ever-increasingly popular entertainment and leisure activity of escape rooms. An escape room is a live-action adventure game where players are challenged to escape from a room, or a series of rooms within a 60 minute time frame. During the escape they are tasked with beating and solving a range of challenges, puzzles and other obstacles with the objective of getting out within the time allotted. If players get stuck at a certain point, clues are available to help them towards solving that section of the game. Each game has its own immersive style, theme and story to accompany the game solving.
Skywalk
Standing 340 metres directly above sea level, the Skywalk is located higher than the tallest point of London’s The Shard. Gibraltar’s Skywalk offers breath-taking 360º views spanning three countries and two continents and links to other sites within the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, Upper Rock including the thrilling Windsor Suspension Bridge and the famous Apes’ Den via a series of walking trails.
Built on the foundations of an existing WWII base structure, the Skywalk is designed to withstand wind speeds of over 150km/hour and can carry the weight of 5 Asian elephants, or 340 people, standing on it at the same time (visitor numbers will be limited to 50 at any one time). The floor and balustrade panels are made up of 4 layers of laminated glass (with a total thickness of around 4.2cm).
Laid out side-by-side, the 42 glass panels would cover more than 750m², roughly the equivalent of 4 tennis courts. The walkway is 2.5m wide and projects a maximum of 6.7m from the main structural support point. 70m of rock anchors and 30,000kg of steel secure the Skywalk to the Rock.
Stand Up Paddle
Gibraltar is an amazing place to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), every outing delivers unique experiences. Join us at Sandy Bay for a relaxed SUP in the stunning sheltered bay. The morning paddles provide ideal conditions to view the spectacular Rock monolith which dominates the landscape and to watch the impressive migration of birds of prey from Africa.
This is a great family activity with options to snorkel and explore the spectacular coastline of the Rock, suitable for the more adventurous.
In2Adventures is a recognised British Stand Up Paddleboarding Association School with fully trained instructors and high quality equipment. All levels and ages are welcome, from beginners to experts.
Windsor Suspension Bridge
Another of Gibraltar’s newest tourist attractions is definitely not for the faint-hearted, but those who want an adrenalin rush can visit the new suspension bridge at Royal Anglian Way. This spectacular feat of engineering is 71 metres in length, across a 50-metre-deep gorge affording visitors magnificent views of across the strait, bay and city.
