It’s that time of year again! The jungle drums have been teasing us for the past couple of weeks but the time has finally come for Ant and Dec to drop this year’s crop of fresh faced celebrities into the I’m a Celebrity Jungle. Now in its 15th series, it never fails to grip us with the trials and tribulations of camp life, living in the great outdoors, team work, creepy crawlies and of course – the fun (and sometimes terrifying) bushtucker trials.
We don’t know about you, but we’d love to experience what it’s really like. In fact, we may even do just that while the series is on. How? Well, we’ll let you in to a secret, you don’t need to be famous or live in Australia to have a go. In fact, you don’t even need a jungle. Bushcraft, camping, caving, rope bridges, climbing trees, building fires, tropical plants, creepy crawlies and cooking outdoors – you can experience it all right here in Swansea Bay!
To do well in I’m a Celebrity, you’ve got to be a secret adventurer at heart. There comes a point in the show where we grow tired of laughing at those who are terrible at bushtucker trials and start to show appreciation for those who give them a good go. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a thrill seeker, look no further than Oxwich Watersports. With exciting water based activities such as power boating, wind surfing, jet skiing and inflatable rides, set your inner adventurer free (less adrenaline fuelled activities are also available!).
Before heading to the jungle, the I’m a Celebrity campmates could have done a lot worse than pay a visit to Dryad Bushcraft, one of the UK’s leading bushcraft and wilderness survival training organisations. Offering the ultimate outdoor adventure experience, you will feel like you’ve spent a few weeks in Snake Rock or Crock Creek after learning how to build shelters, create fire without the luxury of matches, find your own food and water, and all manner of outdoor survival tips.
Forget Ant and Dec swanning across Australia in a speedboat, on a boat trip with Gower Adventures you’ll discover more breath taking scenery than you could ever dream of. And who needs crocodiles when you have seals and porpoise? You can also have a go at mountain walking, camping and body boarding on the world famous beach at Rhossili.
Get jungle fever at Plantasia, our very own tropical paradise set in a unique glass pyramid right in the heart of Swansea City Centre. Bursting with tropical plants, animals, and creepy crawlies that could rival any jungle, why fly all the way to Australia?
And we’re not talking grass snakes and daddy long legs, you’ll find a Burmese Python (one of the largest snakes in the world), tarantulas, piranhas, lizards and cotton top tamarin monkeys. Not feeling brave? That’s ok, unlike in the jungle you can observe the creepy crawlies from behind the glass without actually touching them – no Dr. Bob required! You can also pop into the rainforest hut where you won’t find Kiosk Keith, but you will find a hammock and many other traditional tribal objects.
With activities such as canyoning, gorge walking, climbing, abseiling, caving, canoeing, raft building and kayaking, we like to think of Adventure Britain as the ultimate bushtucker trial experience. Perfect for team building, stag / hen parties and family outings, all ages and physical abilities are catered for – and if you do ever find yourself in the real I’m a Celebrity jungle, after an Adventure Britain experience you’ll be well equipped to bring home the whole ciboodle of stars!
In addition to an array of exciting adventure activities including tree climbing, kayaking and abseiling, Down to Earth can also equip you with the skills needed to conserve the natural environment. From eco-construction (think timber framing, straw bale building, dry stone walling and earth building) to growing food and outdoor cooking, you’ll become the ultimate outdoor survivalist and know how to keep a camp in order.
Experience what it’s like to take part in the quest for an I’m a Celebrity Chest by tackling all manner of nature’s obstacles deep in the beautiful Welsh countryside. Set in the heart of Wales’ adventure wilderness, you can set yourself a challenge as big or as small as you like. Activities include rock climbing, gorge walking, coasteering and hill walking, and we guarantee you’ll experience more of a reward than having to share two chocolate biscuits between 12 hungry campmates.
As much as we want you to have as authentic an I’m a Celebrity experience as possible, sadly you won’t find witchetty grubs, meal worms, fish eyes or any other unappealing animal body parts on the menu in Swansea Bay. However, we do offer our own culinary adventures. In Swansea Market you’ll find all manner of local and traditional Welsh produce to try – including our famous cockles, laverbread (it’s seaweed), cheeses and Welsh Cakes.
Pretend you’re part of the Dingo Dollar Challenge with Rip N Rock – offering adventure days out across Gower and South Wales for families, couples, friends, children, stag and hen parties. After taking part in activities such as rock climbing, gorge walking, surfing and canyoning, Kiosk Keith wouldn’t have any choice but to hand you a prize! He may even crack a smile (but don’t bank on it).
The one obstacle guaranteed to strike fear in the heart of any jungle bound celebrity, with even the mildest fear of heights, (we’re looking at you Natalie Appleton!) is the dreaded rope bridge into the camp. However, if you have a head for heights and thrive on a challenge, then Go Ape is definitely for you. Based in the heart of Margam Country Park and surrounded by breath-taking scenery, make your way across tree-top high wires, tricky crossings, and experience the ultimate wind-in-your-face adrenaline rush on the zip wires.
We can’t cover you in bugs and jungle slime and grime, but at Clyne Activity Centre you can expect a good splattering of prime Welsh mud! Set within 80 acres of beautiful woodland and pasture, it is a family-friendly venue for parties and outdoor pursuits. We recommend squelching your way through Challenge Valley, one of the muddiest assault courses you could imagine.
We’re not naming names, but had certain I’m a Celebrity Campmates visited Carreg Adventure, they would have been left in no doubt that to build a happy camp, you need to work as a team. With a number of courses specially designed to focus on team building and leadership skills, you should definitely consider Carreg Adventure for your next corporate event or day out with family or friends. Just some of the activities on offer are bushcraft, orienteering (crucial in the celebrity chest challenge), an extremely muddy assault course, building campfires, climbing trees, archery – even bat watching!
Another great way to experience a Swansea Bay style bushtucker trial challenge (minus the bugs!) is to visit Dynamic Rock – a dedicated indoor climbing centre, suitable for both beginners and advanced climbers. Prefer to be in the great outdoors? They also offer activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, coasteering and gorge walking.
