Giant Swing in Sochi Skypark

giant swing in Sochi Skypark
Free falling into a river gorge
Objective: Fly on a Giant Swing in Sochi Skypark
Location: Sochi, Russia
Maximum Height: 558 feet (170 m)
Free Fall: 3 seconds

A giant swing is sort of like bungee jumping. You’re hanging onto a trapeze swing with super long bungee cords except you don’t decide when to jump. The platform drops from under you when you least expect it and then you start swinging. For a high dose of adrenaline, check out the Sochi Swing in Sochi Skypark. After they cut you loose, you experience three seconds of free fall and then you swing across the Akhshtyrskoye Gorge.

Sochi Swing | Free Fall | Swinging above a Gorge | Skybridge | Plan Your Visit

The cab ride into Sochi was like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride so we’re primed for another adrenaline rush.

giant swing in Sochi Skypark
Sochi Olympic Village

Sochi Swing

Sochi Skypark has a giant pendulum that swings you back and forth above a high ravine.

Unlike a bungee, you aren’t strapped by the ankles and you don’t jump off in a vertical dive. You are in a full body harness and you move through the air in a parabolic arc.

Just from watching someone else drop into the gorge, my legs already start to tremble.

giant swing in Sochi Skypark
Falling through the trapdoor on a giant swing in Sochi Skypark

Free Fall

Now, it’s my turn to wear the swing harness. I stand on a platform the height of a 60-story building, smile for the camera, and lean back. The anticipation is terrifying because you don’t know when they will cut you loose. There is no countdown.

giant swing in Sochi Skypark
Three terrifying seconds of free falling

After what seems like an eternity, I fall through a trapdoor without any warning. I try to play it cool and keep my arms outstretched, but I immediately reach for the cables. The three seconds of free fall are berserk and completely out of control. You experience weightlessness. You try to look straight ahead, but all you see is a fuzzy green blur. Activate Tarzan mode.

Admiring the view of the Akhshtyrskoye Gorge and Mzymta River

Swinging above a Gorge

Soon, you are sweeping across the Akhshtyrskoye Gorge at a comfortable speed. You can see the tops of the trees. At some point, you finally look down. Once the swing stops moving, they just dangle you for a moment, and eventually they lift you up the canyon.

giant swing in Sochi Skypark
Swinging above a river

You’re as close to the Mzymta River as you’re going to get. The river is green, which I didn’t notice before. There are so many trees and the cliffs are jagged. During the ascent, you feel every bump and the final reattachment is quite jarring.

Skybridge

Skybridge

As a reward for your bravery, treat yourself to a walk across the 1,440’ long Skybridge spanning the Akhshtyrskoye Gorge.

The metal suspension bridge was built to attract tourists during the Winter Olympics in 2014. As you cross, the bridge shakes a little with the wind. You can see all the way down, 679 feet below to the Mzymta River. At the midpoint, you can watch bungee jumpers dive headfirst into the big empty. From the bridge, you can also gaze at the Caucasus Mountains and Colchis Forest.

Plan Your Visit

Vendor:              Sochi Skypark
Weight Limit: 50 to 140 kg for a single flight
                                50 to 220 kg for two in tandem
Price:                   Park Entrance ($20) + Sochi Swing ($107) + Skybridge ($20)
When:                 Every day: 10 am-6:30 pm