Canopy Tours

Fly with us on Costa Rica's Canopy Tours in our travel blog

A canopy tour is a must on any nature lover’s “to do” list since so much of Costa Rica’s biodiversity exists in the canopy layer.  These tours are one of the most popular tourism activities in Costa Rica.  Most are zip-line style tours, but some include aerial trams, suspension bridges and lookout towers.

Canopy tours are intended to provide a unique perspective of the flora and fauna of this ecosystem. Bromeliads, toucans, monkeys and sloths all call the forest canopy their home.  Panoramic views of distant mountain ranges, volcanoes and oceans make the canopy tour experience unforgettable.

Tourists have an enchanting bird’s eye view of the forest below while they zoom from platform to platform through narrow tunnels of greenery.  Harnesses and pulleys are used to connect riders to the cables that carry them silently (except for squeals of joy) through the canopy. 

Some canopy tours involve more hiking than others, and there are several variations in style and stopping methods. The adventurous can try the exhilarating 3280-foot long Superman "sensational cable" at Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park where visitors zoom like a superhero above the canopy layer at 55 mph!  Whether flying Superman-style or in the standard sitting position, the concept is the same: hook yourself to a cable, launch yourself from the platform and enjoy the ride.

Gondola-style tours and suspension bridges offer a more tranquil way to experience the canopy.  Hiking slowly through the forest from bridge to bridge enables visitors to see more wildlife and enjoy their surroundings at their own pace.

Canopy tours are located in several popular tourist destinations, including Arenal, Jaco and Quepos. The Monteverde area is well-known for its canopy tours. There are no fewer than four canopy tour companies in the town, which have some of the highest zip lines and most beautiful suspension bridges.