Soaring Through the Canopies: Ziplining in Chiang Mai
The jungle is massive in Thailand. The true kings of the trees are the variety of primates swinging from tree to tree using the many vines and plants. Now you too can be your own hero of the jungle and swoop and swing. It’s time to go ziplining in Chiang Mai!
There are a variety of options for you to explore when you go ziplining, some companies offer multi day adventures, others a day trip. For the purposes of this guide we’re going to focus on what we deem to be the best, the Flight of the Gibbon. They’re an excellent provider of zipline experiences but also give back to the environment and work with gibbon rehabilitation centers.
What is ziplining?
You might have started reading and wondered what on earth ziplining even is. Think back to your childhood and remember those wires where you could sit on a button seat or tire and zip along through the air. This is exactly like that, but on a far, far bigger scale.
At Flight of the Gibbon, you’re not going to a foot or so off the ground, you’re going to flying tens of meters off the ground along wires of up to 800m in length. In fact, there are 7 km of lines through the jungle here! Once you’re up in the trees you’ll zip along lines from tree to tree without having to walk much in between. There are enough lines for 2 hours of solid flying.
The Chiang Mai Ziplining Experience
We’ll focus on a day trip as that is the experience the majority of people opt for.
The trips pick people up early. Around 6:30 am the minibus whips around central Chiang Mai from various guest houses before heading into the mountains. After around 90 minutes of winding and twisting roads (car sickness sufferers beware) you’ll reach the center. An excitingly-named ‘Sky Ranger’ will meet you, brief you and kit you up. You’ll usually be in groups of around 10 people and will take it in turns to zip. Feeling nervous? We recommend getting yourself to the front and getting the first zip done so you can start enjoying yourself.
The Lines
Remind yourself that you’re in safe hands. The staff here take their jobs seriously and your safety is their utmost concern. They’ll make sure that you’re strapped up properly, travelling safely and are having great fun.
Once you’ve made the first climb and have clipped onto the line you’re ready to go. Find the right rope, grip it hard, take a deep breath and launch yourself off the platform. With even a small push you’ll pick up a lot of speed and before you know it, after a quick blur, you’ll be at the next platform. Adrenaline pumping, eyes wide open and ready for the next one!
After a few lines you’ll get to the big one. Flight of the Gibbon is home to the 800-meter-long monster. This is the longest and fastest zipline in Asia. You’ll notice that you’re flying for a very long time, you’ll scream the whole time and have the biggest grin to the extent that your cheeks will be sore! Later on, you’ll have a unique experience of the Superman line. This line allows you to truly experience flying, face down, arms ahead, literally flying through the air.
The Environment
You’re not alone in this jungle. This is the natural habitat of thousands of animals, bugs and plant life. If you’re lucky your guide will point out gibbons swinging from tree to tree and allow you time to watch these great and humanlike animals going about their daily routines.
They also donate 10% of their profits to conservation projects across Asia, have planted over 30,000 trees and have been reintroducing gibbons and hornbills into their natural environment.
Bodegan Insider Tip
Don’t panic. It really isn’t as scary as it might seem, is perfectly safe and the feeling of conquering your fear is second to none. Make sure to book your trip well in advance as they book up quickly! If you have any questions, ask any of our staff about it at Bodega Chiang Mai!
