What is a Zipline Adventure?
Zipline adventures let you soar from tree to tree in rain forests, across canyons and through a variety of landscapes, giving you a bird’s-eye view of the world surrounding you. Imagine flying high, wrapped in a body harness (picture a massive diaper) that’s clipped to a steel line strung through a canopy of trees. As you fly along, you may see monkeys and birds in the trees or a chasm below you, depending upon where you are taking your zipline adventure. On many of these zipline tours you reach the ziplines by climbing stairs or ladders to platforms high in a tree. On other canopy and zipline adventures you’ll also walk across bridges strung between trees.
A Zipline Adventure in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
You can take zipline tours in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, after a day on the ski slopes in the winter or a round of golf in the summer. This five-zipline adventure takes you through the dense forest between the adjacent Whistler and Blackcomb ski mountains. Whistler Zipline Ecotours offers zipline adventures where you’ll move from one zipline to the next on a network of boardwalks and trails, and by aerial stairways and bridges at heights reaching eighty feet above ground.
A Zipline Adventure at Heavenly Resort in California
Be prepared for a fast, steep descent if you’re zipping down the Heavenly Flyer, which stretches 3,300-feet, because the 525-foot vertical drop matches that of the Space Needle. This zipline at Heavenly Resort, which straddles the California and Nevada state line, is open year-round, so whether there's snow on the ground or the slopes are summer-green, you're guaranteed spectacular views of Lake Tahoe as you descend.
.A Zipline Adventure in Tsitsikamma, South Africa
Zipping along 10 zip lines in one trip was a wild intro to the world of zip line adventures. But that’s what you get when you take the Zip Line Adventure at Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park in South Africa. (Adrenalin junkies note: When you’ve done this, head over to Bloukrans Bridge and do the bungie jump.)A Zipline Adventure in Maui, Hawaii
The Haleakala Skyline Tour take you on the slopes of a massive volcano on Maui, Hawaii. The zipline tour by Skyline Eco-Adventures includes a short hike, five picturesque zipline crossings, and a walk across an “Indiana Jones” style swinging bridge.
A Zipline Adventure in Kauai, Hawaii
During Kauai Backcountry Adventures seven- zipline adventure you’ll descend a mountainside. It’s a spectacular way to see Hawaii’s Garden Isle.
A Zipline Adventure at Utah Olympic Park near Park City
Even if you've already been on ziplines elsewhere in the world, the Xtreme and Ulta Ziplines at the Utah Olympic Park, just outside Park City and less than 30 minutes from Salt Lake city, Utah, will give you a thrill. The steep Xtreme Zip takes you right over the K-120 ski jump hill.
A Zipline Adventure in Thailand
Contestants in Amazing Race Asia 3 flew along the Flight of the Gibbon ziplines and you can, too. If you’re on a trip to Thailand and visiting Chiang Mai, take the Flight of the Gibbon. You’ll spend three hours zipping along cables and walking on bridges high in the Mae Kompong rainforest. Treetop Adventures runs this tour. There's a video of the Amazing Race contestants stop here, and how they felt about going on a zip line, on the Web site.
A Zipline Adventure in Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, Alaska
The ZipRider cable ride at Icy Strait, Alaska claims to be the longest zipline in the world at 5,330 feet, and includes a 1,300 vertical drop. During the ride - when six people head downhill side by side at the same time - you’ll pass through woods then over open ground ensuring spectacular views of Port Frederic and Icy Strait. This locale caters to cruise ships, so if you’re taking an Alaskan cruise that stops here, book early. Click on Icy Strait Point for more information about the ZipRider, but you must book through your cruise line.
A Zipline Adventure in Costa Rica
About a quarter of Costa Rica is covered with rain forests and many of Costa Rica’s national parks have canopy and zipline tours. Your choice might be dictated by where you are staying. Click on this link to learn more about the companies that offer canopy and zipline tours, and the specific tours. The Original Canopy Tour company has several zipline and canopy tours in Costa Rica, and other countries including Jamaica, Belize, Nicaragua and Mexico.
A Zipline Adventure in Mokai Gravity Canyon, Taihape, New Zealand.
Definitely for thrill seekers, a ride on the Fox is a straight shot off a ledge toward the river below in Gravity Canyon. Click on Gravity Canyon to watch the video.
A Zipline Adventure on the World's Largest Cruise Ship
On the Oasis of the Sea, the world's largest cruise ship, you can ride a zipine strung nine decks above Boardwalk. If you want to see what it looks like, About.com's cruise editor, Linda Garrison, has a picture of someone flying overhead on the Oasis of the Sea zipline, while people shop below.How to Take a Zipline Adventure
Before you hook onto a line and start zipping, reputable zipline tour operators give you basic training, which may include a fast ride on wire close to the ground. Click on How to Take a Zipline Tour to see how easy it is to take a zipline tour. Pre-teens to grandparents are loving canoy and zipline adventures.
