Your Guide to a Guys Weekend

There are all sorts of fun, adventurous ways of experiencing a holiday; one fine way to shake off the city life is to head out on a mini-road trip for a weekend of fun. You can cement lasting friendships and create epic memories by going away with just the guys. From getting back to nature to following your favourite sports team, your long weekend should be a Strong Weekend. Here’s some inspiration to get you crossing off those long weekend dates on your calendar.

1.Get your groom on:

It’s 2018 and taking care of yourself is a thing. Why not book yourself a massage – it’s a great way to get the cobwebs worked out of those muscles. Full spa experiences are increasingly popular with a male audience who are cottoning on that it’s great to be pampered, and why not? A fantastic facial can give you your glow back, and a hot towel shave will make you feel like a million bucks. Spend some time updating your look with a fresh take on your wardrobe – no one will recognise you when you get back home – the long weekend makeover is happening!

2.Voluntourism for a break with meaning:

it may not sound much like a holiday, but a great way to replenish your mind is to volunteer. Join an organisation like Habitats for Humanity and build a house or two, play some soccer with a neighbourhood sports mentorship programme or clear your natural surroundings of alien vegetation – so many charity organisations rely on people like you and me, and the feeling you and your mates get giving back to the community is a reward on its own.

3.Be epic and do crazy stuff!

You know when you’re with your buddies, you’re more likely to challenge each other to do epic stuff – take a whole long weekend to do that, and challenge each other to go rock climbing – real rock or on a climbing wall, or go zorbing in a large plastic ball with or without water on a crazy downhill run – loads of fun and not for the faint-hearted! Dive with the sharks or bungee with the birds. The adrenaline rush just keeps you all going from one activity to the next as you confront your biggest fears head on – you’ll go home feeling like you’ve accomplished something groundbreaking.

4.Are you a spelunker?

That’s not meant as an insult – spelunking is just the term for exploring caves, and SA has some of the world’s finest: the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage area that offers a unique blend of great fun and ecological awareness that’ll keep you busy for hours, from abseiling into a dark cavern, to caving to abseiling and hiking in the open air of the Magaliesberg. Or tackle the winding passages that plunge deep into the mountains in Kalk Bay in Cape Town or the majestic caves of the Drakensberg – there’s a cave system near you! It’s recommended that you go with a specialist guide who’ll provide the right equipment, so you can enjoy the mysteries of these labyrinths incident-free.

5.Class action:

A growing trend is for guys to take classes for fun, from speeding with a racing driver in a supercar, to mastering the art of cooking like a chef; with great coaches – you, too, could be wowing your friends with home-made sushi or grilling like a braaimaster. Need for speed? You can head out onto the local race track to get lessons in how to get that engine growling and the rubber smoking. You can take advanced driving classes to improve hone your road skills, too. Choose a fascinating short course to take that’ll have you wanting to organise your next dinner party or hit the road immediately.

Have fun! Whatever you choose to do with your friends, make the most of it. Make sure you book time off now to make it happen, or the weeks will become months, until suddenly the year will be over. Having a healthy, happy approach to your leisure time will make you a stronger person, and your friendships will benefit, too.