Day 4: Zip Line Tours

Every epic adventure has its moments that stand out and are remembered first. For some travelers it’s a defining moment where they’ve done something they never dreamed they would do… or could do. For many people who travel to Costa Rica, that moment is when they’re clipped into a harness, attached to a cable and sent flying out of a tree over the forest floor like a bird darting through the rain forest. On day 4 of my bucket list adventures, I’d like to share with you a few of my favorite epic zip line experiences in Costa Rica. So clip in and let’s fly.

What makes a zip line epic in my book? Well, for starters I don’t want to feel like I’m at a theme.

Park waiting in line and being rushed through with a throng of people. I also don’t like waiting very long in-between cables. I do like watching the first couple of people in front of me zip off, and a couple of people behind me fly onto my platform where we then high-five and debrief the flight together. And I like the guides gliding along with us as they can, and should, add a lot of fun to the experience.

The next key thing for me is the adrenaline rush. I’ve got to have it or it’s not worth my time. That doesn’t mean I have to be on the longest or highest zip line, I’ve been on some amazing zip lines that were neither. But, in full disclosure, I am attracted to the longest and highest, and I know where they are in Costa Rica.

The next element is the landscape; it has to look wild and pure. I want to feel like I’m flying over a dense rain forest where all kinds of creatures are running around below me or hanging in the jungle canopy. I want to feel like I’m a hawk swooping around looking to spy an unassuming animal on the forest floor. In truth though, I don’t know that I’ve ever spotted anything on the floor of the forest. If the zip line meets my previous requirement, my attention is focused entirely on

hanging on. I just want to know that a jaguar may have crossed directly underneath me, feeling robbed of a feast because I was flying at breakneck speeds through the trees like an avatar.

The last thing that makes a zip line experience epic is the surprise twist. This is an element within the zip tour that you’re not aware of and is named after a superhero. My two favorites? The Tarzan Swing and Superman Flight. The Superman Flight lets you lie straight out, arms forward holding nothing but air, and you’re propelled down through the forest racing against time to save the civilized world against the rogue spider man. And the Tarzan swing? Well, take a look at this video link HERE. This video here shows a brave dad being a true superhero in the eyes of his kids. They knew he has a huge fear of heights and yet he stepped off the platform and swung out. This is what I mean by a defining moment, for this father of three.

If you are interested in a zip line with the “-est”, you don’t have to travel far from Tierra Magnifica. Nosara has the highest, longest and funnest zip line in the Americas, traveling from mountain point to mountain point, rather than tree stand to tree stand in the forest.  The thing that makes this line the funnest are the guides themselves. These guys have so much fun with their clients and are as playful as the monkeys in the trees.

Zip line tours are usually a couple hours long and leave the rest of the day for you to enjoy with your feet firmly on the ground. BUT, if you got bitten by the adrenaline bug and want more, we got you covered. My favorite combo adventure is in Arenal starting with a mid-morning zip line tour at Eco-Glide with the Tarzan swing followed by lunch at Pure Trek’s Canyon Base Camp and then an afternoon deep in a rainforest canyon rappelling down waterfalls starting at a 200-foot drop. You’ll be back to your hotel around 4:30 and ready to soak in a natural hot spring. That my friends is a five star epic day.

Pura Vida!

Steve Jacobus

Each of our 8 Adventures is available for booking. If you’re ready to go, please contact info@activatedlife.com to plan your trip today!