If you feel like infusing your holiday trips with some much-needed adrenaline, Zipline tours offer an exciting and deeply rewarding experience that can be treasured by all. The following eight ziplines are among the best in the world, and each is deserving of your time and money:
1. Icy Strait Point Ziprider
Located in Alaska, this mighty ziprider is the world's largest. It features six ziplines, meaning that you can actually experience it together with your family and friends. Expect extreme speeds of up to 96km/h, as well as drop-dead gorgeous scenic views. What's more, you can also combine the zipline tour with various whale watching activities and ATV expeditions.
2. Zipline Stoderzinken
Coming to you straight from the snowy Dachstein mountains in Austria, this zipline is one of Europe's best. It stretches across 2.5km and is divided into two sections. You'll be gliding from the mountain into the valley, with the possibility of reaching a soaring 115km/h during your ride.
3. Canyon Flyer
Located on Australia's Gold Coast, the Canyon Flyer boasts seven ziplines that can offer you a marvelous ride through the rugged Australian landscape. The entire tour takes around 3 hours to complete, making it one of the longest and most comprehensive on record.
4. Zip World "Velocity"
As the name implies, speed is the name of the game when it comes to this particular zipline. Reaching 191 km/h is no joke, which is why Zip World "Velocity" in Wales remains one of the world's top draws for thrill seekers everywhere.
5. Highground Aventure Zipflyer
If you feel like ziplining in exotic locations, Nepal's Highground Adventure Zipflyer should be just perfect. With a 56-degree inclination and speeds of up to 120 km/h, the scenic mountain ranges of the Pokhara Valley will simply breeze by as you whoosh down the line.
6. Zip 2000 Slide
Riding a zipline is an incredibly fun activity, but what if you could do it as a couple? Well, South Africa's Zip 2000 Slide lets you do just that, allowing two people to ride alongside each other for the entire duration of the trip. The ride stretches over 2km and boasts speeds of up to 120 km/h, so be aware that this is not for the faint of heart.
7. Eye of the Jaguar
Another great zipline in an unconventional place, the Eye of the Jaguar is located in Southern Peru, almost 4000 meters above sea level, and can reach speeds of up to 96km/h. Enjoying the beautiful landscape here is a given, but remember to pay a visit to the Inca temples nearby if you want to truly explore the area.
8. Zip World "Caverns"
Most zipline tours are organized above ground, for obvious reasons, but not this one. Located in Wales, this spectacular underground zipline is house in an abandoned mine, illuminated through the use of multiple technicolor LEDs that give the place an almost psychedelic vibe. There are ten available ziplines for you to try out, interspersed with a vast array of rope bridges and seemingly endless tunnels.
Infographic by: TreeTop Challenge
As you can see from the infographic above, the zipline industry is alive and well across the world. For more info check out TreeTop Challenge, an Australian adventure theme park that is fast becoming the world's top zipline tour. And be sure to explore the worldwide zipline circuit and pick out the ones you'd like to try out the most.
