Did you know you can fly in Costa Rica without a pilot’s license?
It’s true, sort of.
Zip lines are an extremely popular activity all across this beautiful country. In fact, they were invented here! It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult, the thrill and adrenaline rush associated with this unique brand of tour are incredible.
The dynamics behind a typical Costa Rican zip line are basic: High in the jungle, networks of stainless-steel cables are mounted from one platform to another at a slight incline. Riders are seated into a harness that’s attached to the cables by a free-moving pulley. With gravity doing all the work, tourists glide through the jungle skyline like a bird in flight, soaking in the sights and sounds of the thick, green jungle below. Some zip line tours are strictly top to bottom and the rides are fairly short. Others allow riders to bounce from platform to platform and can span several kilometers over the duration of the tour.
There are all types of zip line options within easy driving distance of our villas in Dominical and Uvita. The most popular canopy zip line tour for our clients is near Manuel Antonio. Many of our guests prefer to do this tour due to its proximity to the beaches of Manuel Antonio and the world-famous national park. For example, you can zip line in the morning, head over to the beach or national park midday, and then put down a great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants that dot the beautiful coastline. That’s a full day, friends. A great day! They offer tours in the early morning, late morning, early afternoon and evening. The max weight for this tour is 280 pounds, and they will serve lunch.
Another favorite of our guests is a great zip line operation called Osa Canopy, about a 45-minute drive south of Dominical. At the Osa, there are nine cables, 11 platforms, two repelling stations, a suspension bridge and a swing. This adventure covers more than three kilometers in length and features spectacular bird’s-eye views of primary and secondary rainforest as well as top-of-the-world sightlines of the mighty Pacific Ocean. There is a maximum weight limit of 230 pounds. Reservations should be made at least three days in advance, so plan ahead if considering this option.
The Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge is located just five minutes north of Dominical. It features its own smaller zip line operation called Flight of the Toucan. On this tour, there are eight different cables that connect more than a dozen platforms, including a tree platform with a stunning ocean view. Riders glide over valleys and streams while in flight at Hacienda Baru. This is a very family-friendly adventure that can accommodate up to 12 people at a time, including young children. Your guide will teach you and your guests all types of useful information about the rainforest below. The entire tour lasts between two and three hours. You can book this adventure all seven days of the week. The maximum weight allowance is 260 pounds. All the prices for the above tours are here in our Tour Guide.
Be sure to bring athletic clothing, good hiking shoes (sandals aren’t recommended), sunscreen and a camera for this trip. Water, snacks and all safety gear will be provided on the tour. As with any type of local tour, we can help you arrange an ideal zip line experience for your entire traveling party, no matter how big or small the group is. For canopy zip line tour reservations, please contact Stephen at [email protected].
