Imagine the thrill of soaring like a bird over a pristine Hawaiian rainforest or rugged volcanic ravines! That's what Zipline is all about - a rapidly growing outdoor adventure that some might call extreme, while others say is just extremely fun and exciting!
The Lowdown on High-Flying Ziplines
A zipline (also called a zip wire, aerial runway, death slide, flying foxes or tyrolean crossing) consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline. They are designed to enable a rider to traverse from the top to the bottom of the inclined rope or cable, by holding onto the freely moving pulley. In recent years they are most often used as a means of exciting outdoor entertainment.
Users of ziplines must have means of stopping themselves. Typical mechanisms include a mat or netting at the lower end of the incline; a bungee cord arrester, which slows, then stops the pulley's motion; or the use of a cable suspended between two similarly high points, sagging in the middle, such that the user comes to rest at the low point after a period of oscillation.
Zipline Canopy Tours offer visitors the unique experience of traveling safely through the forest, high above the ground on a series of ziplines, over suspension bridges etc. Canopy Towers often play a role in this outdoor adventure, too. These tours are considered eco-friendly because much less damage occurs to ecosystems when people soar above them rather than plodding through them.
Professional versions of a zipline are most often sold as an outdoor adventure activity. In contrast to "flying foxes," activity courses usually attain higher speeds and cover much greater distances. Paying participants are physically attached to the cable by wearing a harness connected to a removable pulley. Such courses often require the use of a helmet.
Hawaii is Perfect for Ziplining
In Hawaii, commercial activity providers offer zipline adventures tours on the islands of Maui and Kauai. These tours provide adventurers with a safe and exciting way of seeing and experiencing the natural wonder of the Hawaiian Islands, while aiding in the preservation of the islands' land and culture.
Commercial zipline tours are extremely safe and well-researched. All equipment meets or exceeds industry standards for safety, with each cable tested to hold well over 14,500 pounds! The result is a tour that allows riders to feel confident as they step off the edge of cliffs, and soar over treetops and across ravines.
Two Kauai Zipline Adventures
Two Kauai companies provide zipline tours. Both combine a short hiking experience with picturesque zipline crossings, "Indiana Jones" style swinging bridges, and an introduction to Kauai's unique and fragile landscape.
Specially trained staff outfit adventurers with a customized seat harness and equipment before leading them into the rainforest, and on to these award winning, one-of-kind adventures. Before arriving at the first zipline, a thorough briefing prepares zipliners to soar over tropical Kauai rainforests, streams and jungles rich with magnificent scenery.
Outfitters Kauai offers an exciting trek through Kipu Ranch, a 4,000-acre piece of paradise on Kauai's south shore that has long been closed to the general public. Soar on seven zip lines through the forest canopy high above rivers and waterfalls to the valley floor. Then hike, swim, and rope swing into a deep-water pond at the base of a mountain stream waterfall before eating a picnic lunch.
Princeville Ranch Adventures on Kauai's north shore offers exclusive access to over 2,500 acres of private lands. Their zipline tours provides an incredible adventure blending eight picturesque zipline crossings, a suspension bridge, and a stop at an idyllic waterfall swimming hole for lunch and leisure.
What You Need to Know
Both Kauai tours provide helmets and harnesses, as well as a basic safety orientation. Zipliners need to bring knee-length shorts or long pants and closed-toed, secure-covered shoes such as tennis shoes or hiking boots. There is usually a weight restriction of about 260 lbs. Participants must also have good knees, hips and backs. Zipline tours are not recommended for those uncomfortable with heights. Duh!
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