... Costa Rica Canopy Tours ...
by Infocostarica Staff

Do you remember the movie MEDICINE MAN, starring Sean Connery, and if you do, do you remember the scene where him and the other scientist (his romantic interest, of course) go flying through the treetops of rainforests hanging from harnesses tied to ropes, well, that is what a canopy tour is all about. If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica soon, then read on to become better acquainted with this popular Costa Rica sport.

Although Canopy tours, a.k.a. zip-line adventures are a relatively new phenomenon, their real origins date back to the 1970's when the rain and cloud forest canopies were the last remaining frontiers of intrepid scientists.

According to our research the technique was developed by scientists in the US to study the canopies of trees in forests there without disturbing the life in the limbs and trunk by having to attach ladders or climbing equipment to the tree. Using disciplines common to adventure spots such as rappelling and spelunking, scientists quickly discovered the unique benefits of exploring the jungle canopy from above. Apparently it was not until a few years ago that scientist were able to study the canopy ecosystems in great depth through the use of this technique, and once it was developed, the rainforest became the optimal target for its use due to its large and complex ecosystems. The technique has been successfully used in the Bilogical station La Selva in Costa Rica for this purpose.  

As a sport, canopy tours first became popular in Costa Rica during the mid 90’s and have, since then, spread all over the country and to many other parts of the world. Thus the sport was born as an assisted sport which is sometimes called a canopy tour, mainly because it is targeted to the tourists. If flying at 40 meters from the ground seems to you as both an incredibly frightening and exciting idea, just imagine what it must be like to do it among the tree tops (also called canopies, thus the name of the sport) of the tropical rain and cloud forests. This is an adventure sport, and as such it poses risks to your health. You should use common sense when engaging in this type of sport and also ask the companies for antecedents and safety precautions before trying it.

It is also a good idea to gather as much information about a certain canopy tour as you can, as not all tours are created equal. Some of these courses are pure thrill rides, while others offer a closer and slower paced view of the rainforest, mixing in some hanging bridges, gondolas and guided walks along jungle trails. That said, you will discover that the rainforest canopy offers a unique world of its own, filled with creatures that only inhabit those enchanted regions. Some companies will even let you camp overnight in the platforms atop the trees. When engaging in the sport you might need the following things, light raincoat, light clothes, camera, binoculars, insect repellent and last but not least, an adventurous spirit. All other equipment is supplied by the companies.

To list all the canopy outfitters in Costa Rica goes beyond the scope of this article, but some of the oldest and/or more popular include: the “Original Canopy Tour” in Monteverde, the Pacuare Canopy Adventure, which boasts the highest platform and longest rappel in Costa Rica, Turu Ba-ri, which is an eco-themed adventure park, and the Arenal Canopy Tour, located within view of the majestic and active Arenal Volcano.