Growing up in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, I always loved heading to the city because everything was so grand and majestic. Being up close to the iconic bridge and Opera House that decorate the harbour and make it recognizable all over the world truly makes one appreciate the beauty of Sydney, especially as a young kid.
I was probably about 10 years old when I first heard that one can climb the bridge, and I knew since then that it was something I wanted to do. I’m not afraid of heights so that wasn’t an issue, but there’s a certain age requirement so I had to wait a few years before I could do it. I ended up moving away from Australia a year later but during my last visit to Sydney I was determined to climb the bridge before I left.
I asked my cousin and one of my best friends to tag along with me and they were more than happy. We went ahead and booked tickets online on the official website. Prices are quoted in Australian dollars and range from 148 – 368 dollars for adults and 118 – 148 dollars for children depending on the type of climb, time of day, and time of week you wish to climb. We chose to do the weekday night climb which takes about 4 hours and includes a group photograph, short video from the summit, a cap, certificate of achievement, and a free pass to the Pylon Lookout.
Once we checked in at the Bridge Climb center, we were immediately placed in a group with about nine others. Each person took a minute to introduce themselves before we headed to the locker room to change into our climb suits. Every climber is required to wear a special jumpsuit equipped with all the necessary climb gear such as a waist belt meant to be clipped to the railing of the bridge, headphones, a beanie among other things. For safety reasons phones and cameras are prohibited and everyone is required to remove all jewelry items. We then went into the training facility where we spent about 45 minutes being taught how to utilize the climb gear. Within the training facility there’s a replica of the most difficult part of the climb, a vertical ladder, which each climber practiced on before we departed for the actual climb.
The climb itself was super safe and surprisingly easy. I expected it to be a steep climb but the steps are so big it feels as if you’re walking on a flat surface. The guide we had was fantastic, so friendly! He made us laugh throughout the whole journey which eased our nerves. We kept our headphones on throughout most of the climb to hear the guide talk about the history of the bridge and point out all of Sydney’s landmarks. We stopped a couple of times to take photos which you can purchase on the way out. We also had the opportunity to film a short video at the summit which you can access through e-mail for free.
The feeling once we reached the summit is indescribable. The sense of accomplishment I felt was amazing and standing on top of one of the most beautiful cities in the world really put things in perspective for me. I was so glad I got to experience this with people I love and I encourage all of you to do the same when visiting Sydney if it’s within your budget. It’s truly an unforgettable experience and makes for a great birthday, graduation, anniversary, or Christmas gift idea 🙂
Have you been to Sydney and done the bridge climb? Tell me about it below xx
Remarks Of A Dreamer 