For travellers who want to fly but don’t have the guts for hang gliding or bungy jumping, zip lining is a fun and safe alternative. Here are 10 of the best zip-line adventures from around the world which offer an incredible variety of opportunities to try out zip lining. Fly at speeds up to 100 mph over rivers and mountains, past volcanoes, and choose a zip line from this list of the very best.
The best zip-line adventures: Gravity Canyon, New Zealand
For travellers who want to feel like superman, head to Taihape, New Zealand, where they will find Mokai Gravity Canyon’s Flying Fox. Starting at $155 USD, this zip line turns the activity on its head by turning riders over onto their stomachs, flying parallel to the ground far below. The Flying Fox runs just over 1.1km but it makes up for it in speed as riders hit 100 mph.
Flying like the Man of Steel makes it easy to appreciate flying through the Rangitikei Canyon, over the riverbed nearly 600 feet below. The zip line then runs under a bridge and up towards a cliff face. The Flying Fox isn’t a one way system as riders roll back and forth a few times to take in the view until they stop in the middle. The crew pulls them back in, so they can get back in line to do it again.
How to get there
Taihape is located in the North Island of New Zealand on 332 Mokai Rd, Taihape. Get there by driving from Wellington airport (about a four hour drive), and is located approximately one hour before Taupo.
The Zip Rider, Icy Straight Point, Alaska
Icy Straight Point in Hoonah, Alaska is a common stop for cruise shops touring the region. It is claimed that the zip line, the ZipRider, is the largest in the world, and it’s definitely a formidable ride, running more than a mile, with a 1,300 foot vertical drop over a 90-second ride.
Six riders take off simultaneously on parallel lines and race to the bottom. Like all great zip lines, it features a fantastic view. Riders fly over Hoonah’s tree-covered mountains and the ocean below. Since its opening the ZipRider has sent 40,000 riders down its lines, and can handle nearly 400 riders in a day.
The adventure begins when travellers board the bus for the ride up to the top of the mountain. The driver talks while passing through the village of Hoonah and up the mountainside. Once on top of the mountain travellers will take a short walk to the launching area, where the real fun begins.
The cost to do the Scenic Mountain Ascent & World’s Largest ZipRider is $139 per person. Booking can be done through the cruise ship until travellers arrive at Icy Strait Point, at which time they may purchase a ticket at the Fish House Excursion Lounge a cruise card.
How to get there
Icy Straight Point is located on Chicagof Island in the town of Hoonah, Alaska. The town can be reached by a short plane ride from Juneau or by cruise ships.
Sint Maarten zip line Saint Martin, Loterie Farm
In addition to hiking, Loterie in France has three treetop adventure obstacle courses with zip lines as well as many other obstacles: Ti’Tarzan for the young, the FlyZone for adults and the FlyZone Extreme for the eco-adventure thrill seekers.
FlyZone and Flyzone Extreme are 35 feet off the ground and the lines vary in length. Similar layout to an obstacle course, the flyzones offer a challenging but fun zip lining adventure.
Starting at $75 USD per person, the adventure begins with a scenic bus ride with a beautiful view of a protected tropical forest with a canopy of very tall trees that travellers will soon be soaring over. This ride will take travellers to the observation deck close to the top of Pic Paradis. Then it’s time for the reward, clip in and zip out on the zip liner over the trees.
How to get there
The nature reserve at Loterie Farm is 135 acres located at the bottom of Pic Paradis (the highest peak on Saint Martin) and stretches from sea level elevation all the way to the top of the mountain providing unique hiking trails taking and zip liners. Located in Route Pic Paradis 103, Rambaud, St. Martin, 97150 Guadeloupe, France.
The Zip 2000, Sun City, South Africa
Like the ride at Icy Straight Point in Alaska, the Zip 2000 in Sun City, South Africa claims to be the longest zip line in the world. With a 6,500-foot ride, compared to 5,330 feet in Alaska, it looks like the Zip 2000 comes out on top. For the world’s fastest title, it will have to take a back seat to New Zealand’s Gravity Canyon, with 93 mph compared with Gravity Canyons 100 mph.
The Zip 2000 looks like it may be the world’s overall best zip line. Riders hang two-by-two, “Superman style” from the cable with a fin between their legs for extra speed. As the South African grasslands unfold nearly 1,000 feet below, this is the very best of zip lining because of its impressive high speed, long ride, and its great view.
How to get there
Starting at $30 USD, get to the Zip 2000 in Sun City, South Africa by driving or using public transport.
Arenal Volcano Park, Costa Rica
One of the most amazing places to visit while traveling in Costa Rica is the Arenal Volcano. It’s one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has a constantly changing lava flow. The zip lining tour at Arenal Volcano Park in Costa Rica includes 8 cables with distances up to 2460 feet and a maximum height of 660 feet, starting at $75 USD per person.
The Sky Trek is part of a larger program that also includes a Sky Walk along bridges in the jungle canopy, and a ride in an open-air gondola that takes travellers into the treetops so they can zip back down. The nearly two-mile ride over a series of zip lines takes zippers through the jungle, over Arenal Lake and right past Arenal Volcano.
How to get there
Sky Adventures park its located at El Castillo, near to Arenal National Park, and can be reached by car.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Enjoy Mexico’s longest, highest, and fastest zip line, as well as many other exciting zip lines and fun activities, on the Outdoor Zip Line Adventure at Cabo Adventures in Cabo San Lucas. Set in an oasis, travellers have the chance to fly like Superman over the desert canopy on Mexico’s longest and fastest zip line. With speeds of, up to, 60 mph (100 kph) and a length of over 1,200 meters (more than 4,000 feet) this is an experience that is not to be missed.
How to get there
Cabo Adventures is located on the Gulf of California, which is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. It is bordered by the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, and Sinaloa. Enjoy this zip lining adventure from $99 USD per person.
SuperZip, Hocking Hills, Ohio
Rockbridge, Ohio is home to Hocking Hills Canopy Tours, where travellers will find the SuperZip. Running a quarter mile and offering speeds up to 50 mph, this line sends two riders flying “Superman style” from a canopy tower down into the forest, over a cliff and over the Hocking River.
In addition to the SuperZip, travellers can take the three-hour canopy tour, a series of ten shorter, calmer zip lines, and learn about the flora and fauna, as well as local history. If travellers get tired of the view in the daytime, Hocking Hills also offers night zipping on weekends. With minimal lighting, travellers can ride six zip lines and cross four skybridges in the darkness.
How to get there
Hocking Hills Canopy Tours is located in Rockbridge OH, just off U.S. Route 33, approximately 40 miles South-East of Columbus, Ohio. Zip lining prices start at $30 USD.
Ziprider, Grindelwald Switzerland
The Ziprider in Switzerland is 2480 feet long with a vertical drop of 675 feet, where travellers can reach a speed of up to 55 miles per hour. The Grindelwald ZipRider, locally known as the “First Fleiger”, opened to the public in January 2009. Ever since, the First Fleiger has been the anchor summer attraction for Firstbahn Grindelwald, and a very popular attraction during the winter season as well. The First Fleiger typically runs over 300 customers through in a busy day.
Starting at $30 USD, travellers begin their ZipRider journey by riding up the scenic, 3-stage Grindelwald First Gondola. During the summer months the mountains are covered by what looks like a perfectly manicured green carpet with mountain cows grazing over the landscape. The rugged Alps and glaciers are in view from any direction and the Eiger is visible to the right from the top of the ZipRider.
How to get there
Grindelwald, Switzerland, is located two hours from the city of Zurich, and 30 minutes up the mountain from the infamous town of Interlaken.
Flight of the Gibbon, Thailand
The zip line is just one part of the adventure tours offered by Flight of the Gibbon in Thailand. Rather than one long, exhilarating ride, the tour involves zip lining between treetop platforms, and rappelling descents. But that’s not all – there’s also river rafting, mountain biking and rock climbing.
Starting at $110 USD per person, the zip line tour consists of 5km of zip lines woven into the Thai rainforest. It contains an 800 m zip line, and 33 different platform stations, which offer travellers the chance to see wild gibbons up close while enjoying a zip lining adventure.
How to get there
Flight of the Gibbon is located in Khao Kheow Open Zoo, 235 Moo.7, Tbang Phra, A.Sriracha, 20110, Thailand.
Ziplining over the Great Wall of China in Simatai
While most zip lines offer gorgeous views of nature, few involve one of the seven wonders of the modern world. The zip line in Gubeikou Twon of Miyun County does just that, and the way to get to its starting point is to hike up the Great Wall of China. After a climb (or chairlift ride), travellers can explore the Simatai section of the wall, with its 35 watch towers and architecture from the 6th century.
After that, there’s no reason to walk back down when travellers can zip line over Mandarin Duck Lake, offering a unique view not only of the Great Wall, but of the mountains over which it climbs. This zip line is over 800 m long.
From $70 USD per person, travellers can get hooked up to the zip line then fly over the lake formed by the dam and reach the ground in about 20 seconds. Afterwards, a boat collects the zip liners and takes them to a landing area across the dam where travellers then walk a short distance back to the car park.
How to get there
Simatai is a section of the Great Wall of China located in the north of Miyun County, 120 km northeast ofBeijing. It holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall.
