Zip lining through the forest canopy is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Zip lining is a growing trend across Canada, and if you’ve never tried it you might be wondering what the hubbub is all about. You’ve probably seen the advertisements along highway billboards with pictures of people strapped into harnesses, grinning ear to ear as they soar along cable lines.

Could sailing along the treetops and across a expansive gullies really be that fun? Ask someone who’s done it and you’re likely to get a resounding ‘YES!’ Better yet, try it for yourself—words can’t quite describe the feeling of complete freedom you get from zip lining.

Here are a few other reasons you should add this exciting activity to your list of things to do in BC.

1. Break Out of Your Shell

If you’re someone who’s a little more subdued by nature, this is a great opportunity to challenge yourself and broaden your horizons. It’s the perfect example of an exhilarating activity that’s completely safe. There are a number of safeguards in place to make sure you’re taken care of on the course:

• Professional guide encouraging you along the way
• Complete body harness and helmet
• Engineered zipline cables and platforms

2. A Chance to Bond

There’s nothing like a shared adrenaline experience to bring people together. You see it happen all the time where people encounter a brush with danger or are required to work together to overcome a challenge.

Of course, zip lining is one of the safest outdoor activities available, but you still get the rush of cruising up to 100 km/h on ziplines up to 300 feet off the ground. It’s ideal for the following groups:

• Work colleagues
• Sports teams
• Wedding parties
• Reunions
• Icebreaker with in-laws

3. Minimal Fitness Required

People often like the idea of getting out to the outdoors, but aren’t so keen on the sweat, blisters and achy muscles that come with it. The thing about zip lining in BC is that many courses are set up to make it accessible to everyone.

For example, Kokanee Mountain Zipline near Nelson features six ziplines—the longest being 2,400 feet—and there’s just one section between two of the lines where guests are required to walk along a short trail.

Other than that, it’s all aerial, all the time.

To learn how Kokanee Mountain Zipline started, read our post: Zipline Enthusiasts Get Ready for the Next Attraction Coming to the North Shore.

4. The Feeling of Flight

Humans have been obsessed with flight since the beginning of time. From Orville and Wilbur Wright piloting the first powered airplane to modern day base jumpers in those bizarre squirrel suits, there’s something in our DNA that makes us want to experience the sensation of flight.

And seeing as we haven’t figured out a way to grow feathers yet, a trip through an aerial park on a zipline is a terrific way to get that fix.

Looking for things to do in Nelson while you’re touring around the Kootenay Mountains? Kokanee Mountain Zipline is a fun, adrenaline-filled zip lining adventure just east of the city. Call us to book a tour!