500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [26]
Flying Fox Neemrana, India: This is the world’s first heritage zip tour and India’s first zipline course. You fly above old forts, majestic palaces, and the rolling countryside while learning about the enchanted region of Rajasthan, once home to India’s kings and queens. Flying Fox opened in 2009 at the Neemrana Fort Palace, originally built in 1464 and reopened in 1991 as a heritage hotel. Spend 2 hours whizzing across five long cable lines with spectacular views of the more than 2 billion-year-old, Acadia-covered Aravalli hills. www.flyingfox.asia.
Haleakala Skyline Adventure, Hawaii: The hottest thing to do on Maui is zip down the side of a massive volcano called Haleakala (“house of the sun” in Hawaiian). After hiking through the gorgeous upcountry for about a half-hour, you cross a long swaying footbridge, and finally sail across five super-fast ziplines far above sea level. This exhilarating journey showcases Maui’s rocky nooks and crannies, abundant greenery, waterfalls, valleys, and rare vegetation. To help protect these rare natural wonders, this company donates 1% of sales to conservation efforts. www.zipline.com.
Scream Time Ziplines, North Carolina: In Boone, North Carolina, you’ll find the only three-person-wide zipline course in the U.S.—and three times the rush. You meet at a pickup spot off U.S. 421 North, hop in the company’s all-terrain vehicle, and take a bumpy ride across rolling hills at the outer edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. After a safety briefing on site, start off with a course of six ziplines—each running between 450 and 800 feet (137–244m) in length, about 150 feet (46m) above the ground—before embarking on the 2,000 feet (601m)—or about a half-mile—“super zip” line where you can reach speeds of more than 50 mph (80kmph). www.screamtimezipline.com.
Mokai Gravity Canyon, New Zealand: After a 15-minute climb up to your take-off point, don a required pair of goggles, strap into your harness next to two other passengers (three people can be attached on one zipline), and take a leap of faith. Before you know it, you’ll be speeding along a 1km (0.6 mile) cable, 175m (574 ft.) above the Rangitikei River, at nearly 160kmph (99 mph). The velocity and views will render you speechless. www.gravitycanyon.co.nz.
ZipRider at Icy Straight Point, Alaska: This is North America’s longest and highest zipline. At 1,330 feet (405m) above the ground, an innovative braking system maintains your speed at around 60 mph (95kmph) as you zoom along on one of six parallel cables for 5,330 feet (1.6km). You whoosh over a cliff, above woodlands and open spaces, with amazing views of Port Frederic and Icy Straight, for a full 90 seconds. www.ziprider.com/rides/icy-strait-point.
Iguazu Forest Eco Aventura Canopy Tour, Argentina: After you spend time exploring the wondrous wet Iguazu Falls, you might want a break from being waterlogged. Dry off with a zipline tour in the nearby jungle along the Parana River coast, just 7km (41⁄3 miles) from Puerto Igauzu and 15km (91⁄3 miles) from the falls. The cables here run about 800m (2,625 ft.) long at heights between 15m (49 ft.) and 25m (82 ft.). This excursion will take you high above the trees, where you might see birds (such as the great dusky swift) and vibrant butterflies in this dense green forest. www.iguazuforest.com.
Cypress Valley Canopy Tours, Texas: At this private reserve outside of Austin, you can zip all the way home sweet home—straight into your own luxury treehouse for the night! After you soar over the gorgeous landscape, cross two swaying bridges constructed of narrow slats and cables,