I wish I could give this tour five stars, but I must admit that it was the most terrifying experience of my 40-year-old life. After reading the website information and reviews, my partner and I were confident it would be unforgettable. And that, it was.
One month ago, we eagerly made a reservation for a two-hour tour on a double ATV. We had driven ATVs before, so reviewing and signing the waiver was not of concern. After the practice round, our group of five ATVs was asked if there was any fear of driving near cliffs. Three of the five participants, including me (the backseat passenger), raised their hands. The tour guide laughed and said that it wouldn't be that bad, so I made the mistake of assuming that he was exaggerating and/or had an alternate route available.
As we climbed up the mountain full of large rocks along paths of varying widths, we encountered the first cliff. To my surprise, there was no wall, railing, or alternate route to prevent us from driving off the cliff as we bounced along the narrow, bumpy path. My partner followed the line of ATVs and stopped as he approached the edge straight-on. At that point, we were on our way off the cliff and the abrupt stop saved our lives. I screamed which caught the attention of the ATV immediately in front of us. We climbed off the ATV and I opted to walk up the remainder of the cliff. When the tour guide noticed we were missing, he returned to check on us.
We continued along the way because he reassured me that there was not another cliff ahead. Apparently, he meant "immediately" ahead because we encountered another cliff a while later. That time, I opted to walk down the mountain until I felt comfortable riding again. As I declined, I kept turning around to check on my partner as he drove downward. I heard him driving, followed by trees breaking. When I turned around, the path was clear, so I yelled, "Help," as I carefully ran up the mountain towards him. Luckily, the trees broke his fall and the ATV was off the cliff, leaning against them on its side. If I had remained on the vehicle, the impact may have thrown me off and sent me tumbling down the mountain.
After a couple of minutes, the tour guide came to check on us and instructed us to walk back up the path to await transportation back to the facility. He utilized his emergency kit to treat the cuts on my partner's arms and hands. Once transportation arrived, we rode down the mountain along the same route in a UTV.
As we approached the first terrifying spot, I asked to walk, and the driver warned me of the increased danger. I remained in the vehicle with my eyes shut and head down until we reached the bottom. Along the ride, my partner and the driver discussed the concerns about the road conditions. The driver told us they (the company) and locals have expressed concerns to the county regarding the erosion, yet nothing has been done.
Although I have participated in many adventurous activities worldwide, including skydiving, whitewater rafting, skiing, etc., I have never experienced a near-death experience until this day. I would have greatly appreciated more transparency regarding the dangers of this activity. I would not have registered us for this excursion if I had known about the cliffs in advance. read more