With their World Cup stadium now complete and already hosting numerous football matches, Durban residents cannot seem to get enough of the one-of-a-kind SkyCar that travels up and down the now famous arch.
Source: FIFA
The SkyCar ferries up to 20 visitors at a time to the highest point of the arch and leaves every five minutes, providing passengers with a panoramic 360-degree view of Durban and the coastline. For those who are after more of an adventure there is the option of walking up the arch’s steps to get to the top.
According to Lara Mcleod, the stadium’s public relations officer, the stadium is proving to be a nucleus of activity as visitors flock to experience the adventure walk, stadium tour or to ride the most popular attraction – the SkyCar.
“More than 60,000 people have taken part in at least one of the facilities at the stadium in just 12 weeks, and we are extremely pleased with how the public has responded,” said Mcleod.
Mcleod said that the SkyCar itself has attracted around 44,000 guests since it opened on 30 November 2009, making it a key tourist attraction in the city.
Mounted on an undercarriage, the SkyCar is a single cabin that runs up steel tracks of the northern arch of the stadium. The design is impeccable with the SkyCar built to descend under its own gravity, making it even possible for it to return to the lower station during a power failure.
Mcleod says that the view at the top is unparalleled.
“One gets to see the entire city from the top. To the East there is the Indian Ocean, to the West, the suburbs, the North the Umgeni River and one can even see the Bluff to the South. There is nothing quite like it,” she continues.
Kameel Kalyan, who went up the SkyCar, said the view made him feel proud to live in Durban.
“The view from above puts together the pieces that make up the puzzle that is Durban. It makes you feel proud to live in Durban and definitely shifted my idea of Durban”
Kalyan added that the SkyCar was most definitely a highlight.
“If you want to truly understand the beauty that is Durban and admire the amazing view then this is a must see attraction for all, both locals and tourists,” he adds.
Mcleod says that there has been a healthy mix of local and tourist patrons to the SkyCar.
“It is the only stadium in the world that has a sky-car or an adventure walk. Of course, stadiums have tours, but there is nothing in the world that compares to these activities”
Zahira Kharsany, a keen football fan from Durban who completed the adventure walk, couldn’t agree more.
“The view is beautiful, with the ocean on one side and the city skyline on the other. Perhaps umbrellas are needed on the top when it is blistering hot like the day we went up. My favourite view has to be the Golden Mile from a different vantage point," she added.
The SkyCar operates daily, running from 09h00 to 18h00 hours from Monday to Friday and on Sunday. On Saturday visitors will get the chance to see Durban at night with operating hours running from 07h00 to 22h00. The cost is 50 rand for adults and 25 rand for children under the age of 12. For more information you can contact 031 582 8242.
