Austin T.
Yelp
I love climbing things, but usually I only climb mountains and nature stuff like that, so being able to climb a real bridge was very exciting. From the start, the experience was extremely professional and well thought out. From getting your jumpsuit to getting your belt/harness to getting all the add-ons like a beanie, windbreaker, radio, and flashlight, it was all so smooth, even for the large groups that the tours are done in. Again, everything is well thought out and fastened to your suit, they even have mechanisms to clip your glasses on so they can't fall off!
Then, they give you a quick tutorial on how to climb the ladders, which are the trickiest part. Through this run through, you get to practice climbing and walking while being attached to the structure, and, most importantly, how to free yourself when your sliding wheel mechanism inevitably gets stuck.
After an hour or so of equipment setup and practice, you're finally ready to make the climb. Throughout the whole climb, your guide is constantly giving fun facts and history about Sydney (and if you happen to get a guide like Edward, some great puns!!), so you don't have to listen to your thoughts about falling swirling around.
The entire time, you're latched on to the bridge, so there's really no way to fall anyway. The walk starts pretty narrow, then gets pretty dark and low ceilings under the bridge. Once you climb up all the ladders and get onto the top of the bridge, the walkway is nice and wide, and the views are gorgeous. It does get quite windy, however, but that's a small price to pay.
The whole walk in total takes maybe 90 minutes? I really don't know. You can't bring anything up, but they do take pictures for you (for purchase of course). This is my only gripe: there is quite a bit of downtime as the guide takes pictures for all the other people in your group. There are three picture stops and waiting for everyone takes some time. The view is still great to look at, but especially if it is raining or cold, it can be a little uncomfortable waiting like that.
Other than that, everything is amazing! Price is high, but hey, you're climbing a bridge and getting probably the best view/tour in Sydney. The guides are all so friendly and knowledgeable, and they were really trying hard to comfort my cousin who is afraid of heights. Join all of the celebrities you see pictures of in the lobby (and me) and give this a try when in Sydney!!