If there’s one adventure activity that is synonymous with Costa Rica, it’s zip lines. Now popular the world over, jungle canopy zip lining was invented here, and zip lines are almost like a right of passage for visitors to Costa Rica: Have you really experienced the land of Pura Vida without enjoying it from every angle? As many veterans will tell you, zip lines provide the most exciting angle to view the rainforest from, along with a huge adrenaline rush.
As the birthplace of jungle zip lining, it can feel like Costa Rica has more tour providers offering trips into the canopy than there are leaves on a Ceiba tree. To help you choose, we’ve found the five best zip line tours for adventurers and nature lovers looking for heart-pounding excitement. So leave your fear of heights on the ground, channel your inner spider monkey or hawk eagle, and soar through the jungle on these amazing Costa Rican zip lines.
The Longest Zip Line
Anyone hankering to try Costa Rica’s best zip lines obviously needs to start big—or long in this case. The longest zip line in Costa Rica is the whopping 1590-meter superman cable at 100% Aventura Adventure Park in Monteverde. A trip on this line gives you more than one exhilarating (or terrifying) minute of soaring weightlessly over the treetops, and is probably the closest you’ll ever get to that dream of being a bird. The last of 11 lines on 100% Aventura’s Zip Line Canopy Tour, it’s hands-down Costa Rica’s biggest zipline adrenaline rush, and a must-do for adventure junkies looking for the biggest and best. After undoing all the knots in your stomach, the park also has a 45-meter-high Tarzan swing waiting to test your bravery.
The Longest Zip Line Tour
The winner of the longest zip line tour, meaning the largest number of zip lines on a single tour, would be Adventure Park Costa Rica in Jaco, Putaneras. Their three-hour Jaco Canopy Zip Line tour takes visitors on 25 cables through the lush jungle, soaring between trees and above 11 waterfalls and canyons. The route also features two spots for rappelling, and of course plenty of chances to take a dip in those refreshing mountain streams. The park also runs a zip line canopy tour at night, where travellers can fly 700 meters through the darkness superman-style below a sea of stars and to the cacophony of the bustling rainforest after dusk.
The Longest Dual Zip Lines
Another must-visit zip line for superlative seekers is at Diamante Eco Adventure Park in Guanacaste near Playa del Coco. Here you’ll find “the Howler”, two 1,360-meter zip lines done superman style above the dry tropical forests with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. It’s known as the “longest dual ocean-view cable in Central America”, dual cables meaning that friends and loved ones can zoom through the air at howling speeds together, or race one-another to the other side. If rocketing through the air like a bullet isn’t enough, the park also has a 10-meter free fall and a Tarzan swing.
The Best-value Zip Line Tour
For adventure-seekers who want the most bang for their buck, and who want to skip the tedious walk to their lift-off point, the SkyTrek Canopy Tour at Monteverde Sky Adventures Park is the place to go. Before embarking on the heart-pounding 10-line trip, visitors are brought up through the canopy to the platforms on a complimentary aerial tram ride that provides more relaxed views of the rainforest—like the calm before the storm. Those still looking for more can also try the park’s Tarzan swing and Vertigo Drop free of charge at the end of the zip line course. SkyTrek also has a zip line tour in Arenal with breathtaking views of Costa Rica’s most famous volcano.
The Best Zip Line Tour for Nature Lovers
If you’re not quite feeling the need for speed and want to instead use your time up in the trees to scout for wildlife, the best zip line for nature lovers is at Titi Canopy Tours. This eco-friendly operator focuses more on giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy the upper canopy, where around 90% of the animals in a rainforest live. The Titi property shares the same biological corridor as nearby Manuel Antonio National Park and is rich in wildlife, and their certified naturalist tour guides are happy to take requests to help seek out sloths, monkeys, toucans and other animals across the 12 zip lines. They also run a night canopy tour where visitors can soar through the rainforest after dark like an owl and search for nocturnal animals.
Recover from your adventures and recharge from the comfort of a condo, villa, or other beautiful vacation property in Tamarindo.